Information in this blog post was obtained from Hubspot, Hootsuite, and Sprout Social.
Finding content to post on Instagram to keep your followers engaged can be challenging. You not only want to keep your followers interested but you also want to post fun content. With these suggestions, you can get your page to look great to gain followers and ensure your current followers stay active.
Develop A Content Strategy
First, you will need to create a content strategy on what you want to post to be interactive with your followers. According to Hootsuite, you should avoid posting random content because if you post too much or the same content over and over again, your audience will begin to get bored with your page. Finding a balance between promotional content and other content can be challenging. You should post a good mix of each type of content to keep your audience engaged. Within your strategy, you might also want to tag your products in the post. You can set up a shop on Instagram. This will make it quick and easy for your audience to purchase your product without having to go to your website. Customers are more likely to purchase a product if it is convenient for them, having a direct link to it will make it an effortless transaction.
Content Ideas
There are several forms of content you can post on Instagram to catch your viewer's eyes. You will have to figure out which type of content works best for you and your followers. You might have to do this by trial and error. Here are some of the popular types you can try according to Hubspot.
Behind-the-scenes content: Give your followers a sneak peek of what you are working on or where you are. You can promote events in which your brand will be present to gain an in-person audience to come see your product. Giving behind-the-scenes can also help your followers become more engaged to see what the end product of something might be. They will be looking for a part two which will drive attention to your page. If you are attending an event that they are not able to attend, keep them updated. Post something that they are unable to experience in real life. You can also post a picture of packing and sending orders. If a customer just recently made a purchase, they will be excited in the hopes that their package is getting sent out soon.
User-Generated Content: This is content that your followers willingly provide you. If someone posts about your product, use it. Check out the posts your business is tagged in. You might be able to use these posts to show your followers that everyday people use your products. This is free and very simple to do to help promote your brand. Your followers will be able to relate to these people more as they are everyday consumers, just like them.
Inspirational Quotes: Posting this type of content can help inspire your followers. It can also help them realize what your brand supports and represents. Most followers like being able to connect with a business on a more personal level. These quotes can give them an insight into what they are following. You might also be able to provide them with a quote they can relate to on that certain day. Customers are more likely to purchase from your brand if they agree with the company's views.
Current Events: Stay updated with what trends are popular and what is happening around the world. Followers want to see you post things that are trending and fun. Keeping up with these trends will let your followers know that your brand is keeping up with the rest. It is also more likely that your post will go viral if you are posting trends. Posting content about a current event can also show that your business is supporting something that might have happened in the world. When a world event happens, it is usually something everyone can relate to. If your customers are able to relate to it, they are more likely to post it and promote it. Knowing your target audience will help you decide on what posts are appropriate. Make sure if you are posting something political, you will not have severe consequences for it.
Funny Pictures or Videos: Make your followers laugh by posting something fun. This helps them interact with your page by liking or sharing the post if they find it enjoyable. Your page does not always need to be serious and formal. By posting these fun things your audience will enjoy it but it will also be promoting your product in a fun and unique way.
Stories: Instagram stories are a great way to promote your posts and also stay active with your followers. You can give them a quiz to take or give them an option of your products on which one they prefer more. This will not only make your followers feel like their opinion matters, but it will give you an insight as to how much you should carry one product compared to another. These posts only last 24 hours but they can be relatively easy to use. Several times, actual posts can get lost in your feed. Instagram stories are found at the top of the page and your followers will more than likely see this post before any actual post you create.
Tips For Posting
After you have decided which type of content you want to post, you should use these tips to further improve your posts. According to Sprout Social, these are some suggestions.
1. Write Your Caption First
Write your caption before you find your photo. This might be challenging at first but it will benefit your business long term. By doing this, you can ensure that your caption aligns with your picture. This can help you set the mood of the post before you take the picture. You might also find several ideas for a picture when you have the caption first rather than trying to find a caption that fits perfectly with your picture. You can insert certain props or products in your picture if you know they will fit with your caption.
2. Place a Link in Your Bio
You not only want to put your company website in your bio but you might also want to post a link that relates to a blog post you created. You can make a post on your Instagram and give your viewers an insight into what your blog post is about. Then lead them to your bio to read more about it. Instagram does not let you post a link directly in your caption. By posting the link in your bio, your followers are more likely to read other posts you might have created or search your website for a product they might be interested in.
3. Use Product Teasers
Instead of directly posting a new product your company might be offering, post a few teasers on what it might be either with an actual post or a story. This will keep your audience more engaged and waiting for you to release your new product. Your followers will enjoy this as they will know that there is something new to look forward to.
4. Promote Sales
When your business is offering sales, post about them. If you post about the sales, more people will be interested and will become aware of them. If you can get people onto your website or into your store to purchase things from the sale, they are more likely to purchase full-price products as well. They will also continue following your page waiting for more sales to happen. Letting your followers know there are current sales occurring within your company will also let them know that you are trying to help them buy their products at a discounted price.
5. Post Interviews
You can post an interview with a customer on their opinion of the company. This will give customers a reliable source of real-life opinions from someone on the product before they purchase it. You can also post a video answering questions that your customers have. This will help your customer relate to your brand on a more personal level. Other followers might have these same questions, so it is good to post your answers for everyone to see.
6. Go Live
Going live will help your account stay active. This will also alert your followers when you go live. This can help them remember your company and draw attention to your brand. On your live, you can address how-to videos or answer questions your followers might have.
Finding the correct content to post can be very difficult. Make sure you use a good mix of different types of content to avoid boredom with your followers. You also need to make sure you are posting things that your followers will find interesting. Use your content strategy to make sure there is a variety of different posts in your feed. As stated before, you might need to experiment with the different types of posts to see which ones are the most effective. Make sure to review the analytics after you post your content. This will help you decide which posts you should post more or less.
Resources
Cox, Lindsay Kolowich. “What to Post on Instagram: 18 Photo & Video Ideas to Spark Inspiration.” HubSpot Blog, HubSpot, 8 Nov. 2022, https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-to-post-on-instagram.
Newberry, Christina. “How to Use Instagram for Business in 2023: 6 pro Tips.” Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard, 4 Mar. 2023, https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-instagram-for-business/.
Chen, Jenn. “9 Instagram Post Ideas to Spice up Your Account.” Sprout Social, 27 June 2022, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-post-ideas/.
Comments