5 Instagram tips & tricks
In response to the growing importance of social media, last month we launched a strategic partnership with social media agency Emily Raiber Media. In keeping with the social media theme, we wanted to offer some tips and tricks on how to make the most of your Instagram page.
Five Instagram tips 2019
The ever evolving instagram algorithm sends many people spiraling down to a state of victimhood. We have good news, there are ways to work with the algorithm, not against it. Here are five tips that are guaranteed to get you more engagement.
1. Your followers need to spend more time on your profile
You have to understand how Instagram makes their money- through advertisements. The easiest way for people to see these ads is for them to spend more time on the app and preferably your profile. Instagram algorithm will favor you if your followers are engaging and interacting with you, thus spending more time on your profile. This means you have to post engaging content, post more often, and reply to those comments and DMs.
2. 1st HOUR COUNTS
Instagram algorithm prioritizes your posts based on how well people engage with it in the first hour of posting. If it detects that your post is getting a lot of engagement such as likes and comments then it will appear on more people’s feeds. If it doesn’t reach enough engagement in the first hour, it be sidelined. This means you need to spend this hour strategically. Make sure your posts are inviting and open for discussion. Respond to each and every comment thoughtfully and create a conversation with your followers. After all Instagram is a social platform and the days where you can silently rack up the likes are dead and gone.
3. Utilize stories, videos and carousel posts
This is another way to get people to spend more time on your profile. Post some interesting stories including video. People tend to click through photos quickly and move on. Video helps to get engagement and to start a conversation. The more people watch your stories, the more it will appear on the top of their story feed and they will always be watching your stories. Another great way to get people to spend more time on your profile is to use carousel posts, where you can post up to 10 images or videos. Your followers won’t resist to swipe for more which equals more time spent with your content.
4. Hashtags hashtags hashtags!
Hashtags have always been important and they are still a big part of getting new followers. Take time to research hashtags that are in line with your posts. Try to use hashtags that are more specific or niche and preferably have less than 500k posts. This way your post won’t get lost in the mix of all the other millions of posts under the same hashtag. By using niche hashtags you get real engagement. It’s not about getting seen by a lot of people, it’s about getting seen by the right people.
5. Use an app to organize and schedule your posts
Have you ever been able to resist a perfectly curated instagram page that is well balanced and color coordinated? Chances are, you weren’t able to resit following them. This is because we respond to pleasing design. To get this overall unified look, an easy tool to use is an app called Tailwind designed so you could see what your posts will look like next to each other and ahead of time. It also lets you schedule posts in advance so you can get organized and optimized for the best times to post. Yep, this app analyzes your followers’ interaction and tells you the best times to post just for you.