Instagram Best Practices: Growing your Brand and Engagement
To retain a successful and engaging Instagram presence, it takes more than just posting a few still posts a month. It can be hard to navigate at times, but with the right tools and best practices, you can crack the IG algorithm and determine what works best for you and your brand.
The team at Lyv Marketing wants to help you figure out what works best for your profile and marketing strategy. Read the blog below for some tips and tricks on how to make the best use of your Instagram account.
The Importance of Optimization
The first step to growing your Instagram is making sure that your account is optimized. Optimization means to make the best or most effective use of a situation or resource. In this case, that resource is the Instagram profile and the way it is presented to the public. Making sure your profile is up to par with the algorithm and shows up high in search is paramount to success in this case. Some ways you can do this include…
Selecting a username that is clear and memorable
Using industry-relevant keywords in your bio and post captions
Include accurate contact information and action buttons
Action buttons include external links and options to schedule things or WHATEVER. These encourage user interactions and visits to the site. Also, enabling profile visibility settings allows Instagram to recommend your account to users that have similar interests, which significantly increases your exposure.
SEO can be applied by using important keywords in username, bio, and captions. Captions are also one of the best places to authentically include keywords. This not only helps Instagram understand what your post is about, which can affect where and how it is shown, but it also drives further reach to the audience who you are targeting.
Peak Engagement Times
Posting on Instagram requires planning. One of the elements to this coordination is the time that you post on the app. Some times of the day are better than others in terms of engagement. When evaluating peak engagement times, rely on the data to maximize your input. Research shows that weekdays between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., especially Tues-Thurs are the the best, according to Sprout Social. But, that being said, this time can vary greatly depending on the account and the viewer base. For example, posting early in the morning can be effective due to lower competition and morning user activity.
Determining the best times for you and creating a consistent posting schedule tailored to your account helps to cement your visibility to both followers and Instagram’s algorithm. This boosts overall reach and engagement. It is important to consult your Instagram Insights to learn what your viewer base is looking for and when your followers are most active on Instagram.
Stories and Reels
Instagram Stories and Reels are a fantastic tool for expanding your brand’s reach. These are alternate forms of content that are more engaging to the user.
Stories, because of their time limit, are great for day-to-day updates. You can use interactive elements on this type of content like polls and quizzes, which gets the audience involved. Stories are only viewable on your profile for 24 hours unless they are featured on a profile’s highlights, which makes them a permanent piece of the profile unless removed from the highlight.
Reels, on the other hand, are good for educational videos. They are also good for entertaining or satire content. Reels and short-form content often trend on Instagram, making certain audios more lucrative than others. Keeping reels under 10 seconds, using trending audios, and posting when your followers are most active can increase the visibility of your posts.
Engage with Comments and DMs
Making sure to respond to your comments and direct messages builds trust with your audience. One of the best ways to build this engagement is to interact with your viewers. Responding to comments as much as you can helps to build your credibility and shows that you care what your customers have to say.
Responding to comments and DMs humanizes your brand and gives your customers a look behind the curtain. It also shows that you value the feedback from your customers and you care enough to personalize your responses.
Refresh Content Forms
Refreshing your content regularly keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more. In the oversaturated landscape of social media today, staying relevant starts with staying interesting. Use the carousel features for posts of the same topic. Use reels for posts that require video content. Use stories for something tim-sensetive.
Along with the type of posts you are posting, it is important to keep the topics of your posts current as well. Take advantage of trends and adapt them to your business model. Try a Reel, Story or how-to post to keep your followers entertained and increase your chances of reaching new customers.
Takeaway: Lyv Marketing can Help you Level Up your Instagram
Without the proper knowledge, Instagram can be a tricky tool to market with. Here at Lyv Marketing, we want to make sure your Instagram is working for you and your customers. Our team of professionals is here to optimize your accounts and make sure they are reaching the correct audiences.
