Four Pillars of Instagram Success
Instagram has grown to one billion users in less than a decade (up from 800 million in September 2017). It has become vital for companies (large or small) wishing successfully market their brand and products online. It is beneficial for even a fraction of the platform’s daily users to take notice of your business profile.
These four tips for success on Instagram are essential if you wish to drive your brand’s social media presence.
1. Content: There is a direct correlation between high quality content and the growth your company will experience. Vibrant photography and great captions (usually accompanied by a call to action) reign king on this platform. Users on Instagram tend to get a kick out of brands that have personality and aren’t just another huge conglomerate wanting to make money. Take advantage of live videos that show the “behind of the scenes” of your startup.
2. Hashtags: Every marketing expert knows the value the hashtags on social media. On Instagram, it is imperative to use them strategically to get more people to see your content and interact with your brand online, resulting in a higher reach. Try to use hashtags that are memorable and specific to your brand. Be sure not to overload your posts with too many hashtags, or Instagram’s algorithms will mark them as spam, decreasing your overall reach.
3. Engagement Groups: This is a relatively new concept on Instagram. Basically, the purpose of engagement groups is to get your posts to the Top Posts section and obtain organic growth from then on. You drop your posts into a group at specific times of the day, and everybody agrees to interact with each other’s posts. Usually, this starts about 30 minutes before the actual time of engagement. Every group is different though, and it depends on the specific group’s rules and setup. Since these groups are
typically not promoted extensively, you can just send messages to accounts that seem to be doing well in terms of engagement, ask if they participate in one of these groups and if they could add you as well.
4. Being Unique: Generating a steady stream on unique content may seem like a struggle for small businesses, but there are plenty of ways to approach the platform to keep your feed fresh and your followers engaged. Find a niche, create your own style, post what you love and consider your audience! You have several mediums on Instagram to express your business while being creative and separating yourself from other brands. These include: image, video, Boomerang, hyper-lapse, going live, stories and more.