In today’s digital landscape, Instagram has become a powerful platform for connecting with your audience and building relationships. By harnessing the potential of Instagram engagement, businesses can unlock a myriad of benefits and opportunities for success.
In this guide, we will delve into the strategies and techniques that will help you elevate your Instagram presence, attract more followers, and ultimately grow your business. Let’s explore the key elements that contribute to Instagram success and how you can leverage them effectively.
How to Create an Instagram Business Account
The first step is to sign up. You can sign up with your phone number or email, or log in with Facebook. If you select the email option, make sure to choose your business email.
If you don’t have an Instagram account yet, you can download the app from the Google Play Store or App Store.
Next, enter your business name under the Full Name section. This name will be displayed on your Instagram profile. Then, pick a recognizable username. If you don’t like your username, you can change it later.
After that, go to Settings, Account, hit Switch to Professional Account, choose Business, select your category, and hit Done. That’s it! You now have an Instagram business account.
How to Optimize Your Business Account to Build a Consistent Brand and Boost Instagram Engagement
It’s not rocket science and you can do it in several easy steps:
Select a Consistent Branded Color Scheme
Color is a powerful tool that can be used to convey a wide range of emotions and feelings. A brand’s color scheme can help people instantly identify your company, or it can make your logo dull and easy to forget.
The key is to select a consistent branded color scheme that matches the overall tone of your brand and makes an impactful first impression on consumers.
Select a Clear and Recognizable Brand Profile Photo
The Instagram profile photo is one of the most important elements of your Instagram presence. It’s the first thing Instagrammers see when they land at your profile.
Choose an eye-catching branded profile photo that reflects the look and feel of your brand so it can represent your company in a way that grabs their attention and enhances Instagram engagement.
Build an Instagram Bio That Speaks for Your Brand
Username
There are a few different ways to come up with a username for your Instagram account. You can use your company name, your brand name, or even just pick something that is easy to remember and makes sense for your business.
Craft an Instagram username that will make your feed look more professional and will help you get more followers. It should be short and easy to remember, but also unique so that it stands out from all the other accounts.
While you can change your Instagram username at any time, there are a couple of reasons why you might want to pick a good one from the start:
- It makes your brand easy to be found by people. If someone searches for your business or brand name, they’ll be able to find you easily if it’s included in your username.
- It helps build trust with new customers. If people know who you are before they reach out to you, they’re more likely to take action and engage with your content.
Services and Hashtag Links
The bio section is one of the most important parts of your profile. Listing the services in your Instagram bio will help people find out more about what you do without having to ask you directly. It also tells them what types of projects they can expect if they work with you. That’s why it’s so important that you make sure it’s written well, clearly, and accurately. This can be as simple as having a link to your website.
Also, use hashtags in your bio to make your brand more searchable and discoverable.
A Website Link
Including a website link in your Instagram bio is a great way to drive traffic back to your site. It’s intended to encourage people who see your profile picture or bio link to click through and learn more about you or your business. Use tools like Bitly, or Linktree to keep your profile from looking cluttered by a long and hard-to-decipher website URL.
Contact Information
One of the most important things that you can add to your Instagram bio is contact information. Include your email address or phone number in case people want to reach out to you directly without having to message you through social media. This way, when someone finds your profile and is interested in working with you, they’ll have an easy way of getting in touch with you.
Introduce Your Brand Through Instagram Stories Highlights
Instagram Stories Highlights are a great way for new users to introduce themselves or their brand to other users. These highlights can include anything from videos and photos to text and links. They also have their own dedicated section in the Instagram app so people can easily find them.
Share your best content. You want people to know who your company is and what it does. If you have great photos or videos, they can be repurposed through the highlights feature. There are different ways to achieve that.
- You can highlight your products and services by regularly posting content related to them and their features.
- You can opt for another tactic – attracting prospects’ attention by sharing entertaining, visually appealing, or motivational content that resonates with your audience. You can simply try and make their day.
This is a way to make your brand known and engage with potential customers without being over and purely promotional. Adding relevant hashtags will let you better target your posts and attract new followers that match the specific demographics or interests.
Take a look at the following example. The Blurt Foundation uses a combination of motivational quotes, interactive quizzes, and educational content to build brand awareness.
When you have a strong brand presence on Instagram, people will start to recognize your name and associate it with high-quality products or services. This can build trust between you and them as they will feel comfortable buying from you. As a result, this will lead to more sales.
You can also use Instagram Stories highlights to share:
- Exclusive content that might not fit into your feed, like behind-the-scenes photos from an event or product demos
- Upcoming events or sales at your business by highlighting them in the Instagram Stories highlights section of your Instagram profile. This will help people find out about them even if they don’t follow you on Instagram
Remember, it’s important that you keep these stories short and sweet.
Arrange Your Content Pieces Including User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is any form of media that has been created by consumers. Interweaving it in your posts brings a number of benefits to your business:
- Your followers will feel part of the community and of the brand story, which will boost engagement
- People tend to believe other customers that have already tried using a product instead of just taking your word for it
- Using user-generated content will help build an image of a consumer-centered brand that cares about its customers
- Your posts will be seen by your user’s followers and will thus gain better visibility.
- You’ll be able to offer more diverse content
To encourage the creation and sharing of UGC, consider implementing specific strategies. You can run contests or campaigns that motivate customers to share their stories, testimonials, or creative content featuring your products or services. Engage with your customers and show appreciation for their contributions, as this will foster a sense of community and loyalty.
Airbnb does really great in incorporating user-generated content in their Instagram posts.
This strategy helps Airbnb encourage interactions of their followers with their content, driving more engagement and building trust.
Also, remember that the followers of my followers potentially are my followers, too. So, don’t miss the opportunity to expand your following by incorporating user-generated content. What other options do you have for this purpose?
How to Grow Your Instagram Following
Instagram is a great place for connecting with your audience and building relationships. It takes time and effort to get the word out about your brand and create new customers. Here are some of the most popular strategies you can use to grow your Instagram following and enhance Instagram engagement:
Create Valuable Content
If you’re just starting out on Instagram, the best strategy to grow your audience is by offering something of value to them. You can create useful, informative, and entertaining content. Whether it’s an article they can read, an image they can look at, or a video they can watch, people will want to follow you if they get something out of it. The more engaging your posts are, the more likely people will want to learn more about you and follow you on Instagram.
Once you have established yourself as someone who offers value and provides enough content that people want to see every day, then it becomes easier to grow your follower base.
Post Consistently
Consistency is crucial on Instagram. Posting regularly is a great way to keep your followers engaged and interested in. Develop a content schedule and stick to it.
By consistently posting fresh and relevant content, you can maintain follower interest and keep them engaged. Experiment with different posting frequencies and analyze your audience’s response to determine the optimal posting frequency for your brand.
Help Your Potential Followers Discover Your Brand More Easily
In the overcrowded Instagram landscape, it’s essential to get seen by the right users. Make sure to facilitate them by including hashtags in your content.
Research and use relevant hashtags that resonate with your target audience and industry. Consider including a mix of popular hashtags and more niche hashtags to optimize your reach and attract users who are genuinely interested in your content.
Also, tag other businesses and users whose followers are likely to be interested in your products or services as well. If you sell footwear, for instance, it makes sense to tag a business that offers bags or hats.
Or, imagine you’re running a spa center. Tagging a gym or a hairdressing salon in your area can potentially bring new followers to your business.
Encourage Followers to Interact with Your Content
Using Instagram story stickers is one of the effective strategies to encourage audiences to interact with your content and drive engagement.
Use the question sticker as they work really well allowing you to talk with your followers in an engaging way. They can ask you questions on a certain theme or you can let them ask about anything they need to know.
Another way to boost engagement is using memes. They’re also a fun way to spread your brand’s message and get more eyes on your content.
Memes are a great means to convey a message or show your personality. The best thing about memes is that they make people laugh, increasing the chances of shares.
So, the more people that interact with your posts, the higher your Instagram engagement rate.
Engage with Your Active Followers
Engage with your active followers by interacting with their content and comments. This will show them that you care about what they think and the fact that you are taking the time to engage with them.
Showing your appreciation for their support will encourage them to stay loyal and become your brand advocates. And this is one of the most effective ways to increase brand awareness and expand your following.
Final Thoughts
Boosting Instagram engagement is essential for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital age. By optimizing your business account, leveraging user-generated content, and creating valuable and consistent content, you can attract a loyal following, foster meaningful connections, and ultimately drive business growth.
Remember, success on Instagram requires ongoing effort and adaptability. Stay attuned to your audience’s preferences, track metrics to measure your progress, and continually refine your strategies. Embrace the power of Instagram engagement, and unlock the endless possibilities it offers for your business.
Take action today and implement these strategies to elevate your Instagram presence and propel your business towards new heights of success.
