Like! Comment! Like! 11 Simple Ways to Boost Instagram Engagement
Almost 80% of small businesses are already using social media to engage with their audience. Unfortunately, platforms like Instagram are getting a little crowded. If you don’t know how to stand out from the crowd, you might never boost engagement!
Every like, comment, and view on your posts can help you reach even more prospective customers. If your Instagram marketing strategy is falling flat, however, you could miss sales.
Here are 11 tips that can teach you how to get more engagement on Instagram.
With these easy tips, you can reach more followers, increase engagement, and boost your brand. Discover how to improve your Instagram marketing strategy with these tips today!
1. Gather the Data
In order to learn how to get more engagement on Instagram, you need to start with a plan.
First, take a look at your Instagram account’s current data. Which of your posts are already generating likes and comments? Which posts are falling flat?
Take a look at your competitors, too. Make a note of the posts they’re using to generate engagement. What stands out about those posts?
You might notice their videos have the most likes. Maybe they use quizzes and contests to boost engagement.
Take the time to research your target audience, too. If you’re targeting a broad audience, split them into smaller personas. You can differentiate your customers based on:
- Age
- Location
- Gender
- Household income
- Marital status
- Buying habits
- Interests and hobbies
You can look under the Audience tab in your Instagram Insights to learn more about your followers.
The more information you gather, the more likely you’ll create posts that appeal to their interests. Otherwise, your creating posts that will fail to accomplish your goals.
What are your customers looking for online? What type of content do they love? You can use Google Trends to get started.
Once you’re equipped with this information, you can make a stronger, smarter marketing plan.
Know Your Value
It’s also important to determine the value you’re offering your audience. For example, your customers might want helpful information.
What problem are your customers facing? What solution are you offering? How does your product or service benefit your customers?
By creating educational, informative posts, you can appeal to your audience’s need for answers. Take the time to answer their frequently asked questions through your posts. Make sure it’s fun and memorable, too.
Maybe your followers are looking for inspiration. Help them think outside of the box by providing creative new ways they can use your product. Then, encourage them to send their own ideas.
Focusing on your value will give consumers a reason to look to your brand over anyone else’s.
2. Time It Right
Timing is everything! In order to learn how to increase engagement on Instagram, you’ll need to adjust your post schedule.
First, take a look at your Insights. When are your followers online? The data will help you determine the best time of day for each day of the week.
Develop your post schedule based on these engagement times. By adjusting your post schedule based on your audience, you can increase their engagement.
It’s also important to consider how often you post. Instagram’s algorithm factors in recency. In other words, new posts are more likely to appear on a user’s feed than older ones.
First, make sure your posts appear when the majority of your followers online. Adjusting your schedule will ensure people are more likely to see your content. If they see it, they’re more likely to engage with your posts.
You’ll need to consider your consistency, too. While you want to remain relevant, you also don’t want to flood followers with posts.
Try creating a content calendar to determine how often you’re posting online. You can also use your calendar to pinpoint the best time to post each day.
In most cases, it’s best to post once a day. Try not to post more than seven times a week.
Adjusting your post schedule will help you maximize engagement!
3. Get Engaged
One of the best ways to get likes on Instagram is to get engaged with other users.
After all, Instagram is a social media platform. If you’re not reaching out to your audience, they’re not likely to reach out to you.
Pay attention when your followers start talking to you. If they have questions, provide immediate answers. If they send you a direct message, follow up!
Engaging with your audience will boost your engagement and help you learn about your audience. What questions are they asking? What problems are they experiencing?
Make a note of their questions and start developing content that answers those questions.
You can also use social listening to determine what followers are saying about your brand.
4. Tag Others
Instagram grew from 200,000 active monthly users to one million in 2017. One of the reasons Instagram grew that year was because people explore Instagram to follow their passions.
There are already people interested in your product or service on Instagram. In fact, 80% of Instagrammers are already following a business. You just need to find your target audience.
One of the best ways to increase Instagram engagement is to start tagging others.
By tagging users with a high brand authority and credibility in your posts, you can start attracting their attention. You might even encourage an influencer to start working with your brand.
Tagging other users can encourage them to share your posts in their stories, which can also increase your reach!
5. Reconsider Your Caption
As you learn how to get more engagement on Instagram, don’t neglect your captions. You have 2,200 characters that you can use for thought-provoking questions, witty remarks, and hashtags.
Make sure your caption is relevant to the image you’re posting. You’ll also want to make sure the caption matches your brand’s tone and voice.
There’s some debate about whether brands should use longer or shorter captions. Longer captions encourage people to click the “read more” button, which counts as engagement. More text also keeps the user’s attention longer.
However, you don’t want to overwhelm your readers. If you want to use a short caption, try:
- Posting open-ended questions
- Using a call-to-action to direct followers to a link in your profile
- Switching words for emojis
- Using a call-to-action to encourage comments
Think about the hashtags you’re using, too.
Hashtags help Instagram users find your content. They can explore Instagram’s Search and Explore section to find posts based on the tag.
If people can’t find your posts, they’re not likely to engage!
Make sure to determine which Instagram hashtags are relevant to your industry. Which hashtags are your competitors using?
You want to find hashtags that are popular but not overused. Otherwise, you might struggle to appear for that hashtag. Try using long-tail hashtags as well.
Don’t forget a hashtag that’s unique to your brand. That way, users can find your posts with ease.
6. Watch for Trends
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the latest Instagram trends. You can use trends to increase Instagram engagement and appear relevant. Otherwise, you might appear disconnected from the rest of the world.
Only use trends that fit with your brand. Some memes might feel too playful or childish if your brand is corporate and professional.
Don’t forget to use the hashtag that’s relevant for that trend.
7. Choose Eye-Catching Photos
Professional, crisp photos will stand out on any user’s feed. As you learn how to increase engagement on Instagram, take a look at your images. Are they professional and attractive?
Establishing consistency with your image quality can help improve your brand’s aesthetic. Consider hiring a professional photographer.
Using high-quality images will encourage people to like, save, and share your photos. When people save your content, they’re more likely to come back to it later.
8. Change It Up
Are you only posting photos? Change it up! There are many different formats you can use, including:
- Infographics
- List
- Behind-the-scenes clips
- Tutorials
- Infographics
Make sure the content remains relevant to your users. Different formats can help you increase engagement and keep your followers interested.
You can also explore the best site to buy Instagram Followers to improve your engagement rates.
9. Utilize Videos
By 2022, video content will account for 80% of all online traffic. Video content is a great way to get people engaged. You can create behind-the-scenes videos, news clips, how-to tutorials, or interviews.
Consider using live videos, too. Live videos utilize the fear of missing out (FOMO) to boost immediate engagement.
10. Start Using Stories
Don’t forget to utilize Instagram Stories! You can add stickers and other interactive components to your Stories to boost engagement. For example, you can use a countdown timer, quiz, or Q&A box to get users more involved with your brand!
11. Test, Analyze, Optimize
As you use these tips for increasing engagement on Instagram, make sure to note what’s working and what’s not. Take the time to test different strategies. That way, you can determine which contents appeal to your audience.
Once you know what works, you can optimize your strategy for the future!
How to Get More Engagement on Instagram: 11 Tips for Sweet Success
Get followers more involved with your brand! With these tips on how to get more engagement on Instagram, you’ll reel in more likes and comments in no time. Boost your brand and stand out with these easy tips.
Explore our Tools today for more helpful resources!
