Table of Contents
If you aren’t already familiar with Instagram, let us get you acquainted. It isn’t just a platform where photo lovers come to share pictures of their mouthwatering breakfasts. It’s hands down one of the most powerful social media platforms on the planet. With a whopping 700 million monthly active users, Instagram is the place to be for just about everyone; from small business owners to photographers and everyone in between. The best part about this thriving channel, anyone can use it!
What do you do if your posts are falling through the cracks and you aren’t reaching your target audience? Don’t fret – there are plenty of ways to organically increase your engagement and reach more users! And we’ve got them right here.
These are our 8 pro tips to boost your Instagram account, apply them and boost your Instagram account.
Pick the right content
Wondering what the first step is that you need to take to give your Instagram account a boost? Let’s see, if you guessed content, then you’re right, when it comes to marketing on the Internet, content is king. No matter what type of small business you have, you need to focus on creating quality content for your audience. If your biz is based on a service that’s not the most photogenic, have no fear. There are still zillions of ways your brand can take advantage of this visual social platform. Here are a few examples:
- Product – If you are stocked to the brim with food, art or clothing, then this is your time to shine! Start snapping away and make sure to show your product in a beautiful light.
- People or places – Run a hotel or yoga studio? Take pictures of your clients (with their consent) and post them enjoying your space.
- Behind the scenes – Give your following an exclusive look into your business and the people behind it. Let’s face it; your business is as much about the people you work with as the service you offer.
- Marketing – Who doesn’t love a sale? But it’s not a party if you don’t invite any guests. Make sure to give your audience a heads up! Give promo codes and run a flash sale to keep them coming back.
- Offer tips and inspiration – Posting quotes, advice and other forms of motivation is a great way to have fun with your clients. All you have to do is to make sure the tone of the post is aligned with your brand.
Design a strong visual style
Think of Instagram as a digital magazine. Meaning, you should be posting content that shares a similar style or vibe. This way you can stand out in the feed and Instagram users will instantly recognize you. This can be achieved by doing one, some, or all of the following: post photos of the same subject, for example, if you’re a trainer stay on the topic of health and fitness. You can crop your images the same way, or use the same filter or color theme on all of your pictures.
If your brand already has visual languages make sure to bring all the aspects of your look and feel onto the folds of Instagram pages. This way your followers can get a clear idea of your brand’s identity. If you are just getting started, Instagram can be a great place to build and establish an ambiance for your biz.
Align your voice with your brand
OK! Here’s an important tip; be you. That might seem kind of obvious, but sounding and looking casual can sometimes take a lot of work. Don’t be that sleazy car salesman when trying to market to your clients – it can happen to the best of us and it isn’t pretty. If you already have a stunning sites make sure to align your voice on Instagram to match your website’s tone. If this is your entrance to the online world – welcome! The important thing to remember is to find your voice and invite your customers to engage with you- trust us, keeping it real will go a long way. Remember: always think about who you’re talking to and how your biz can help them.
Add hash tags intentionally to gain traction
With thousands of images published every minute, it is easy to get lost among the crowd – making it hard for potential followers to come across your photos. This is where your soon to be BFF, hash tags, come into play.
A hash tag or # is attached to a word or phrase that is related to a certain topic. Instagram visitors can search for a hash tag to explore content within that subject. Ultimately, this allows new people to peruse your page without having to pay a single penny to get them there. The power of hash tags can be all yours by adding them to the description of your picture. But before you get carried away there are some rules. You will get more engagement with your posts if you don’t just slap hash tags on willy-nilly. Make sure they relate to your brand and do a little research; Hashtagify is a good place to start, think of them as the keywords of social media. Want to know which hash tags work best for your brand? Just try some and learn as you go!
Engage with your followers
Everyone needs a little love in their day and your community is no exception. Engaging with your followers can boost your level of interaction in a HUGE way. Your clients will see your efforts and they’ll feel noticed, heard, and encouraged to interact with you. Be careful to not look like you’re just posting and signing off – You may want to set a reminder for 30 minutes from the time you posted to take a second look for any comments and reply to your followers. Use that extra second to comment back and even throw in some emojis and “likes”. Nurture your community and it will grow big and strong! Don’t forget, the relationships you build now can lead to paid clients over time.
Encourage Interaction
Don’t be afraid to let people know what you want from them. This can be achieved by using a clear call to action like, “double tap if this is how you feel!” The key is to make your audience comfortable with engaging with you in small simple ways, so that later on down the road you can up the ante with a more complex “ask.” Eventually, your followers will be used to these type of requests and will take action without thinking twice.
Leave them wanting more with a clear bio
One of the first things people see when arriving at your Instagram account is your bio. This prime real estate is found right next to your profile picture so make the most out of this space. You’ve only got a few lines to pull people in and let them know exactly what you do. You don’t want to write something complicated and lose potential followers.
Here is the recipe for writing a killer bio:
- Share personal/professional info but make it fun.
- Include your contact info for future clients (email, location, etc.)
- Add your website’s URL.
- Throw in emojis if they fit with your brand!
Cross-promote to gain followers
Now let’s not forget your website, as the entire goal is to use the power from both platforms to grow your customer base. How do you do this? We’re glad you asked. Include a link to your Instagram account directly on your website. This will naturally connect your site visitors and Instagram followers so all your loving fans can see the full picture with a simple click. By the way, it goes without saying that you should connect all your social profiles to your website as well.
Your options don’t end there! Take it up a notch and add ‘the Instagram Feed App’ for free on your site. This way you can automatically share your Instagram photos and videos, allowing your visitors to discover your beautiful posts straight on your website. As soon as you add a new Instagram picture to your account, it will be updated there as well. With this app, your site will always look fresh and updated!
This article was originally published in 7 October 2017. It was most recently updated in November 28, 2022 by
