This post was originally published on December 1, 2021, and updated on May 7, 2023.
Information in this blog was obtained from SocialMedia Examiner, MOZ, and Sprout Social.
Social media marketing has become one of the top ways to grow and scale any business, and continues to grow year after year. Whether you are new to social media or an avid user, knowing how to create posts and optimize them on Instagram could possibly be one of the best things that could ever happen for your business.
Instagram is a social media platform that was created in 2010. According to Sprout Social, it is ranked the 4th most used social media platforms worldwide with an estimated 2 billion monthly users. It has also become the fifth most visited website in the world. There is certainly room for your profile to grow and listed below are 3 essential ways to do so.
1. Optimize Content
When posting to your profile you should think about how you want users to feel while visiting. You should know what action you want users to take. Do want them to visit your website? Maybe you want them to comment on your posts to increase engagement.
If you are having a hard time figuring out what to post and which posts will have the best results on the platform you are using, check out my colleague's post "How to Maximize Your Content on Instagram".
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your business, the consumers, and search engines. Make sure you are posting content relevant to your business, using hashtags and keywords your target audience would search for, and that your site makes it easy for Google to recognize what type of business you are running! This will enable you to garner a higher organic position on the search engine results page.
Take into account keyword difficulty and use your optimization tools to see what keywords have high volume such as the Keyword Magic Tool from SEMrush. Take these methods into consideration when posting any content to your social media profiles.
2. Join and Participate in a Community
One of the best ways to encourage users to engage with your content is to engage with others! Find your niche community and get active.
Comments are one of the best ways to increase engagement and gain authority on Instagram. Connect with other profiles in your industry and collaborate with influencers for even more recognition.
According to the SocialMedia Examiner, the $1.80 strategy has been proven to be effective when marketing on Instagram. The method is simply free! Just search 10 relevant hashtags, find the top 9 posts, and leave a meaningful comment on all of those posts (or your two cents). This strategy builds a community, but you won't see growth overnight, you have to learn to stay consistent.
Followers are not important if you do not have an engaging community to back you up.
3. Stay Consistent
One of the most important tactics when it comes to Instagram is staying consistent with your posts. The more active that you are the more likely you are to go viral and reach your target audience. Post quality, valuable content every day and continue to connect with other users in your field. Instagram's algorithm rewards consistency!
Whether you are trying to sell a product or service or just increase brand awareness Instagram is here to stay so start posting today. Stay up to date with the newest content marketing and platform features like Instagram Live. As stated by SocialMedia Examiner, Instagram Live allows you to build genuine connections with consumers through unscripted videos of tutorials, product packaging, or unboxing. You can have other people join your Live which makes it feel more like a podcast. When you start your Live introduce yourself and your brand and explain the topic of discussion. Answer comments and engage with viewers throughout the broadcast.
Other Tips & Statistics
When trying to narrow down a target audience on a specific social media platform it is best to look at the most recent statistics.
According to Sprout Social, Instagram has a popular audience of millennials or young adults aged 18-34. This makes up over 60% of Instagram's users. Interestingly there are more male than female users on the social media platform by 3.6%. The app is used worldwide but mostly in India and the U.S. When looking at what content works best on Instagram, reels have become more popular than stories reaching more consumers.
If you are looking to sell a product or service on Instagram you are in luck! 70% of people use Instagram to look at their next purchase of an item. People also use the platform to significantly do research on brands as it's the second most popular thing to do on the platform. Lastly, 90% of users do follow businesses not just friends or family.
Resources
Stelzner, M. (2021, October 28). TikTok Strategy: A Proven Growth Plan. Social Media Examiner. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from
Bond, A. (2021, September 21). How to Grow Your Instagram Following: A Strategic Plan. SocialMedia Examiner. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-grow-instagram-following-strategic-plan/
King, O. (2021, September 10). The Three Bosses of SEO. MOZ. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://moz.com/blog/three-seo-bosses
Zote, J. (2023, March 6). Instagram statistics you need to know 2023. Sprout Social. Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-stats/
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