Did you know that Instagram is the 4th most-used social platform, with more than 2 billion active monthly users? Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has continued to evolve and grow, with a recent study listing it as the 8th most visited website in the world. So, what does this mean for your brand? If you aren’t already on Instagram, this is your sign to jump onboard.
While it may seem daunting at first, creating a social media strategy for your company is a great way to promote your content organically. While Instagram is constantly advancing, these 5 tips will help get your brand started!
Tip 1: Show Up
While this tip may seem vague, it’s one of the most important factors in social media. We tend to overthink our content because we want to make sure every post is *perfect*, when in reality, some of your best content may be from the “cutting room floor”. If you’re feeling stuck in your content creation, start with the basics—reintroduce your brand, film a “day in the life” Reel, etc. This will put a face and personality to your brand and add to your content library.
Tip 2: Ask Questions
If you’re unsure where to start with content creation, ask the source—your audience. Post a story with a question and review or share the answers. Add polls to your stories and incorporate quizzes. This will help you learn who your audience is and what they value from your content. It’s also important to add a CTA (“call to action”) to your captions. Ask a question related to your post and request a response in the comment section.
Helpful tip: always respond to your comments. The Instagram algorithm values this.
Tip 3: Use Reels
Created in 2020, the Instagram algorithm currently favors Reels. There has been talk lately that Instagram is beginning to prioritize photos and carousel posts again (thankfully), however, Reels are still a great way to increase reach and engagement from an audience outside of your day-to-day followers. A best practice would be to create at least 1 Reel per week, in addition to standard Instagram posts and daily Stories.
Tip 4: Add Value
Use your content to not only sell to your audience, but to also educate. Show the production process, include BTS (“behind the scenes”) content, include facts, etc. This brings greater value to your content.
Tip 5: Hashtags and Keywords
While the topic of hashtags has been a controversial one lately, my opinion falls in the middle—include them but don’t overdo it. It’s important to have a branded hashtag—user generated content is a great source, but that’s a topic for another day, along with 3-4 niche-specific hashtags and 3-4 general hashtags. I wouldn’t recommend going above 10 hashtags to avoid the algorithm from marking you as spam. There has also been more of a focus on keywords. At the end of your caption, test out adding some keywords (think: what you would as a hashtag, but just keep it plain text). The opinion on hashtags is always changing, but these are just my best practices!
*Source: social media stats – Hootsuite. Blog post written by Anna Coleman.
If you’re looking for a team to launch your social strategy or want to learn more about the benefits of social media, then contact Slicketts Digital today!