Succeeding on Instagram is like anything in life – what you put in is what you get out. While some experts will tell you that there are hacks, a lot of it is crap (just keeping it real). Aside from using beautiful photography and utilizing an effective hashtag strategy the name of the game on Instagram is being consistent. The purpose of this post is to offer 7 techniques you should execute on nearly every post – these consistent practices will help you grow exponentially!
Seven Techniques For Every Instagram Post
Focus on Engagement
If you’ve spent any time managing a business Facebook account, you may have noticed that the best way to gain engagement with your followers is to ask questions. The trick is to ask questions that allow for quick, one-word answers, like:
“Yes or No? Skydiving was the greatest thing you’ve ever done in your life.”
Engagement is usually strong on questions like this as it gives your audience permission to show off to their social network that they’ve done something as remarkable as skydiving.
Execute this strategy on Instagram. Ask questions in your posts to get more engagement from your audience. Don’t worry if engagement starts out a little slow, there’s a sweet spot and you’ll figure it out!
Acknowledge Your Followers
In life, we all like to be acknowledged and know we’re being heard. It’s no different on social and especially with Instagram.
If you get a new follower, send them a direct message thanking them for the follow – an even better technique would be to give feedback on what you like about their account whether it be with their content or photography. Simply giving minimal feedback is not as impactful – show your follower that you see them and like what they’re doing.
This is an effective technique to help not lose followers by acknowledging those showing an interest in your content.
Respond to All Comments
Do you like to be ignored? Nope. None of us do. If someone comments on your page – comment back. Be social on social media. If you don’t make time for your audience, they won’t have time for you and eventually will unfollow you.
The purpose for most business Instagram accounts is to grow their brand by building their audience – to keep your community together, you have to interact with them.
Keep It Real
A great Instagram technique is to comment on any accounts that interest you, but keep it real! If you use the same comment on lots of posts, it will seem disingenuous and your audience will begin to notice. To be social and make lots of friends in real life, you wouldn’t say the same thing to everyone you meet… that would be weird! If you’ve not noticed, following the traits of good social norms in normal life on Instagram is the best guidebook.
Like Photos… Lots and Lots of Photos
A great technique to capture the attention of those that you’d like to have following you is to send a signal of interest. Like several of their posts and then follow them. A good strategy is to follow hashtags (a wonderful Instagram feature) and engage with those that follow hashtags that intersect with your targeted audience which is men and women between the ages of 25 and 44 who generally like being outdoors or who live active lifestyles. Good hashtags to follow (for the Charlotte, NC market) would be something like #charlotteoutdoors or #charlottemarathon or #charlotterunning etc.
Use a Call To Action
Would you like your audience to take an action on your page whether it be to tag a friend, or a company or click on your bio link to an article on your website… If you don’t tell your audience what action you’d like them to take, then they won’t do it. Get comfortable with asking your audience to take an action.
Connect People
Be a magnet where you’re at the center of providing value. If you have a follower that should follow another Instagram user, connect these people together. Once again, just as in real life, if you provide value to people, your audience will grow.
Provide value on Instagram, connect people and be consistent in your content output, be strategic with your hashtags and be social, (really, really social) and you’ll win the day!
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