January 10, 2017
Instagram is one now one of the largest B2C social media channel with users between 18-34. To catch the attention of these users, here are a few tips to take your Instagram to the next level! We’re not talking about the basics but rather improvements to your existing Instagram to lift engagement and followings.
-
Update your name
Before we work on the profile, it’s time to update your name. Most businesses have their company name listed however you can utilize this to draw more traffic. The key is to incorporate your most popular search term into your name. When a user searches for Web Design, Instagram will populate accounts with names containing “Web Design” as a result. Check in with your SEO specialist or in Google Analytics to find your most popular search term and try to incorporate the term into your name.
-
Your Bio Matters
There is a character limit of 150 so make it count. Your description should include a brief summary about the content you’ll be sharing it sets the expectations for your audience. Think of it in the form of “If you follow my feed, you will get a daily post about XYZ”. While some argue that emojis are not professional, by using emojis you can add a level of connection with your audience and makes the account more personable.
The bio section is also prime real estate to feature new blog posts, promotions, or your company website. Instagram is now placing priority on relevance for all posts so be sure to feature content that your audience is looking for.
-
The Instagram Algorithm
Instagram feeds are populated in sequence based on an algorithm. The current algorithm is to show content that is most relevant to the user. When your audience decides to like and comment on your post, your post will now rank higher on their feed. It’s the constant interaction with your posts that drives it up to the top of their feed. Instagram places emphasis on the past content you’ve interacted with. The content that your friends interact with will appear in the Explore tab as well. Either way, Instagram is using the method of relevance and is showing you content based on your audience’s network. With engagement, a simple like is no longer sufficient to drive your post higher in the feed, instead the focus is on the length of the comment (minimum of 5 words) and your comment back to that individual.
-
The Effects of Hashtag
Hashtags work well for appearing in searches however, due to the popularization of automation and bots, many of the likes generated from hashtags are no longer as organic as they may seem. While hashtags do help with placing your posts higher on the feed, it won’t be able to give you the loyalty and engagement to sustain your account for long term growth. However, always include hashtags in your post because it will add value to your post.