Instagram is a platform with over 1 billion active users, and over 200 million business profiles experimenting with different marketing strategies to stay on top of competitors. Business owners recognize the marketing potential that Instagram has, and the platform is getting more and more popular for promoting various products and services. But, to attract followers and customers, there are several things you need to do, with creating engaging content being on top of the list.
Since content creation is so important, learning how to make engaging posts is a must. Social media can be a challenging field, but luckily there are some helpful, free Instagram tools available. By using these tools, you’ll be able to grasp your current statistics and see what type of content resonates with your audience. Read on to learn a few proven ways to improve your Instagram posts.
Ensure Your Content Is Top Quality
With so much competition on Instagram, it’s crucial that your content stands out. Make sure to invest time in creating high-quality images and videos. After all, Instagram is mostly a visual platform, where people first notice your photos, and only then do they read your caption.
Guarantee you have adequate lighting, amusing poses or angles, and various content so your grid doesn’t appear identical. You don’t need sophisticated equipment; a lot of the best creator content is produced by only using a smartphone, but you can always browse the web for some tips and tricks that’ll make your shots stand out.
Be Consistent
If you want people to think of you often, be consistent in your postings. You can set a schedule but make sure you follow it. Also, make use of the free Instagram tools that’ll help you remain consistent. Stories and Reels are a great way to connect with your followers and grow your account. Around 500 million people engage with Stories every day, which is half of all Instagram’s users.
If you can’t post for a few days, tell your followers in advance. Honesty is the best policy; letting your audience know what’s going on will take you further than you may think.
Make Use of Filters
Part of what makes Instagram so popular is the wide range of filters available to help make your content look its best. But with so many filters to choose from, it can be tough to know which ones to use.
You can use photo filters that will change the hue of your posts and Stories, or you can use live filters that will change the shapes, colors, and design of your content as you create it. Make sure you implement these free features to make your content diverse and interesting to the followers’ eye.
Plan Out Your Content
You cannot just open Instagram and post any random photo whenever you want. You need to have a calendar where you map out your posts at least one week in advance—but planning for a month is ideal. This will give you time to assemble everything together visually on your feed.
How often you post is very important. If possible, try to aim for posting four or five times a week. Using a scheduling tool that you find online will make your work life much simpler, as it’ll help you plan and organize your content calendar.
Ensure Your Content Reaches the Right Audience
To avoid becoming similar to the many business accounts already existing, make sure you use all the help you can get including using hashtags, paid ads, and influencer marketing.
Hashtags are free, efficient, and easy to write. However, you need to make sure they’re related to your content and use them sparingly. Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags per post, but 3-5 are more than enough.
Paid ads can be affordable and totally worth it in the long run. Keep in mind that it’ll take at least a few weeks for you to see results. Make sure you target the right audience and choose the right type of paid ads for your business.
Influencer marketing can be used by small businesses, as well as globally known companies. Search for the right micro-influencer who will spark conversation about your products and services, or choose an influencer who is powerful enough to make a market shift with a single post, according to your budget.
Bottom Line
By now, you should have a few content ideas from this guide that you can use to source your Instagram feed. Plan and curate your feed by trying out some of these methods, and you’ll be able to create engaging posts. By doing so, you’ll create a followership that will not only come back for more but also attract new followers.
