Instagram is currently the third-largest social media platform trailing Facebook and YouTube. If your business page is already on Instagram, great! It’s a competitive world out there, so what can you do to grow your Instagram business page above your competition? Here’s what our experienced South Florida marketing agency suggests to those businesses looking to gain loyal followers who will actively engage with their brand.

POST EPIC CONTENT

Instagram users want entertainment and they will continue scrolling until they find what they are there for. People who use Instagram as a source for entertainment don’t want to scroll through their feed and see content that appears as a blatant advertisement. Instead, they want to see interesting content that will capture and keep their attention. Clever methods of getting this accomplished include content that appeals to the audience you want to attract. This includes ideas such as featuring posts that show off a day in the life of your business, quality reviews from your clients and customers, events your business partook in or coordinated, etc. Whatever you do, keep it creative and interesting.

RESPOND TO COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

As you would in the real world, if someone were to discuss your business, you’d typically respond to them in a professional manner. This principle also applies to the digital world. If someone has a question regarding your content or anything in general, respond to them. This is social media, be social! You’re here to engage with your audience, and it’s proven to pay off in the long run. You should also respond in a timely manner if you wait too long it will have lost its meaning. In the digital world, people want immediate responses and respect them more as well.

POST AT OPTIMAL TIMES

To build a sizable Instagram following, you need to create compelling content that your audience actually craves. But if you don't post your content at the right time, most of them will never see it.

So how do you figure out the optimal posting time for your specific audience?

The best way to find an ideal posting time is by testing the timing of your posts to see which post time generates the most audience engagement.

Here’s an example of what this may look like while testing for results.

We advise continuing further than 2 weeks if possible to find the absolute best times for your posts.

An analyzation from Sprout Social in 2019 conducted an experiment in multiple industries and came up with these times as the most optimal times to post throughout the week.

On average, here are the best times to Instagram during the week:

• Sunday: 10 AM – 2 PM CDT
• Monday: 11 AM – 5 PM CDT
• Tuesday: 5 AM, 9 AM – 6 PM CDT
• Wednesday: 5 AM, 11 AM, *3 PM CDT
• Thursday: *5 AM, *11 AM, *3 – 4 PM CDT
• Friday: *5 AM, 9 AM – 4 PM CDT
• Saturday: 11 AM CDT

* = particularly high levels of engagement

USE 11+ HASHTAGS

Hashtags aren’t just important, they are crucial. We don’t recommend only using two hashtags, nor do we think you need 30 hashtags, but according to a study at TrackMaven, “interactions are highest on Instagram posts with 11+ hashtags”. Do your research as well on which hashtags will benefit your posts the most. Using hashtags that aren’t specific or don’t represent your post will diminish your level of visibility.

CAPTION THAT POST

Captioning your posts is arguably the most important thing when it comes to coming off as a creative profile. A good caption can easily turn a quality post into an epic post. Everyone loves a memorable joke, pun, or quote in the caption of a quality post on Instagram. This is the difference between one that may get the like to the one that will get the like, share, and the potential follow. Creativity is the key to a good caption and to most people is the most enjoyable part about creating your Instagram post. Think of it as the cherry on top of your sundae.

INSTAGRAM STORIES

Utilizing the popular Instagram Story feature allows you to engage directly with your followers by showing them a glimpse into the daily life of your business or promotional offers. You can include hashtags, locations, and other filters in your story posts. You may even post a story that allows your followers to communicate directly with your business without commenting on a post. Use this to engage with your followers in a fun, friendly and less obtrusive manner.

Instagram is one of the best social media marketing platforms for a reason. It allows you to share more than just pictures, it allows you to communicate, engage, and learn more about your audience. By implementing our suggestions along with your personal creativity, your follower base is sure to increase and your business will grow along with it.

Do you have any questions about social media marketing whether it be on Instagram, Facebook, or any other platform? Contact the experienced Boca Raton creative digital marketers here at Keenability! We’re happy to answer any questions you may have!

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