Instagram has quickly become one of the most popular social networking and mobile platforms on the internet today. With more people accessing the internet through their mobile device, users want instant gratification which means more images, photos, and visual engagement. That is exactly what Instagram is delivering to audiences around the world and why they are continuing to see explosive growth every single day.
As bloggers and content creators, it’s important for all site owners and brands to focus on the power of social media and what Instagram has to offer. In addition to creating content for your website or blog, it’s also important to make sure you are focusing equal efforts on Instagram as well.
Today we are going to look at seven of the best ways bloggers and brands of all sizes can get the most out of their Instagram content creation and marketing efforts, while reaching new audiences in the process.
1 – Take Advantage of Instagram’s BIO Link Feature
While platforms like Twitter and Facebook make it easy for you to promote your own content by including a link within your status updates, Instagram is all about user engagement and sharing photos and videos right on their platform. The only way you are going to get visitors to click away from Instagram and head over to your site is through the use of their bio link feature. Make sure you provide a nice call to action or engaging text to get users to click over to your website. If you have a call to action or a subscription form, be sure to use this as your URL and not just a link to your main website.
2 – Have a Great Instagram Profile Image
On the internet and social media, first impressions mean everything. When it comes to making a great first impression on Instagram, you want to make sure you have an attractive and high-quality profile picture. This is going to be the first thing someone sees when they visit your Instagram profile, so make sure it’s not just attractive and high-quality, but also engaging and represents your brand well. If you need to see some examples, just take a look at these top fashion bloggers on Instagram
3 – Incorporate Video into Your Instagram Feed
The majority of Instagram users are focusing their efforts on posting daily photos, but the best and most popular Instagram users also use online video as well. Anyone can easily start posting video to their Instagram feed through the use of their mobile device. It doesn’t matter how long you want your Instagram video to be, as long as you start integrating some new content into the mix. However, most users prefer short videos that are quick to the point. Not only will this bring a variety of content to your Instagram page, it will also leave your audience always wondering what type of content you might post next.
4 – Always Focus on Instagram Follower Growth
Just like on all platforms, it’s always important to focus on the overall growth of your reach and making sure you increase your follower count all times. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to make sure your other social networking platforms so they can follow you on Instagram as well. Be sure to also share your Instagram link through any emails or newsletters you might send out to your audience. Just as important as your follower count, is to gain Instagram likes. The more likes your status updates have, the more likely they are to be seen and liked by others. In the world of fashion, some of the top Instagram users already have hundreds of thousands of subscribers and some of them are already well into millions. With such a massive following in place, many of them will receive hundreds of likes within a few short minutes of a new update going live. Don’t discount the massive size and following that you can achieve through Instagram.
5 – Use the Best #Hashtags in Every Post
Each social networking platform is different and how you can connect with others and also increase how your content is being seen. When it comes to Instagram, it’s all about the hashtag. You will see some users and celebrities use nearly 10 to 20 different hashtags within each post. To make the most of your efforts, be sure to use only relevant and popular hashtags when creating a new post to your account.
6 – Respond and Engage with to Comments
As fun as it is to look at pictures and watch videos from users on Instagram, it’s also about engagement. Imagine how a user feels when a popular celebrity or someone they follow actually respond to their comment or feedback. It’s an amazing feeling and can make a huge difference in their admiration for that person or brand. This is something all bloggers and brands should do when creating any type of online social following. Engage with your audience and they will appreciate you much more.
7 – Spice Things Up with a Free Giveaway
With so many people using social media, it makes for a perfect opportunity to create a giveaway for something in exchange for some exposure or user engagement. This can be as simple as telling your audience to leave a comment on your latest post or to simply follow your Instagram account. No matter what methods you are using to promote or engage users in a free giveaway, it’s a great way to increase your following and brand awareness. There are also several applications that can better manage how you run giveaways and sweepstakes on social platforms as well.
Instagram is Here to Stay!
When it comes to growing a following on Instagram, we have really just scratched the surface. No matter what niche market you are in or the type of business you are trying to promote, know that your audience is already on Instagram and they are just looking for your content.
While Instagram is completely different than Facebook and Twitter, it can still do wonders for the marketing and brand loyalty for whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish online. Be sure to implement these methods into your social media marketing efforts today and watch your follower count grow tomorrow.