Using Instagram is a great way to grow your business, but it can be challenging to keep up with all the changes and updates. We have put together this short guide to help you in keeping up with the things you can do to expand your social media business.
1. Utilizing Different Content Types
Instagram used to be just scrolling through images. Today it is way more than just pictures. There are now
reels, stories, lives, and more. Instagram also now offers a time-lapse feature called hyperlapse. Users want to see more than just a photo nowadays. Collages are a great way to tell a story through a few pictures. Attention spans are shorter than ever. Therefore, short reels, hyper lapses, and stories are all a great way to keep followers engaged and change up your feed aside from just a photo. Keeping your content fresh and new is key to social media engagement.
2. The Importance of Geotags on Posts
Whether you’re a local business wanting to reach nearby customers, or a larger brand trying to reach target audiences in a certain region, geotagging will come in handy. Geotagging is one of the most underutilized tools in social media marketing. Posts with a geo tag get up to 79% more engagement, according to sources such as Sprout Social. It is not only engagement that will increase, but also your local visibility. This means that there is a greater chance Instagram users in that area will come across your page without searching for your business specifically.
3. Making the Most of Your Captions
Beginning with a great photo or reel is great, but the work does not end there. Creating a curated caption for your audience is the next most important step. Including what is called a CTA (call-to-action) could be one of the best ways to engage your followers instead of just scrolling by. This means directing them to do something, such as “comment down below”, “double tap if you agree”, asking them a question, or possibly directing them to a link to engage. The list goes on and on but finding some way to have your viewers engaged is crucial to your business’s
social media.
4. Engage With Your Following
Yes, having your followers engage with your posts is important, but engaging back with your following is equally as important. As your business grows, people are going to ask more questions, comment more often, and directly message you more. Responding to these acts of engagement in a timely and professional manner is necessary for growing your social media presence. Respond to messages, respond or interact with comments, and even share people’s posts that were at your business. Let them know you exist!
5. Value of Hashtags on Posts
Hashtags are arguably one of the most important tools for Instagram to sort and filter content. It’s a fact that they help you widen the reach of your post. According to the Influencer Marketing Hub, hashtags increase engagement by, on average, 12.6% more than those without. Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags per post, but this does not mean you should just throw 30 of them out there. As with anything, quality over quantity! You can hashtag things such as the #Location or #Food, but keep them relevant to the post. Use specifics to find people who take interest in that hashtag as a perfect match for your Instagram business account.
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