What To Post On Instagram (for more followers, engagement & traffic)
At the moment, Instagram is the go-to social media platform for most digital marketers and brands. And for good reason. Out of the 4.8 billion active internet users in the world, 28.88% visit Instagram.
What's more, the incredible engagement rate on the platform gives brands much-needed visibility, engagement, and conversion.
But what can brands post to leverage these numbers for growth and sales?
Here are 8 ways to go about it.
1. Tell stories, don't just create content
Understand that, first and foremost, Instagram is a visual social platform. Your aim should be to captivate through your profile description, captions, Instagram stories, videos, but especially through images. Don't just go shove your marketing gymnastics down their throats.
Stand out as a brand and fascinate your followers. Become a storytelling brand.
2. Build a strong brand
The first goal is to be seen and known. The second goal is to be sought-after. Be creative with your post, let it always connect your brand to your audience. Be consistent in posting. And let the message always be clear. There's no room for guesswork here. Be intentional. Take note of posts that work and repurpose them for more engagement.
3. Curate a visually consistent feed
As you're posting, keep in mind that every post you upload joins others before it to make an online gallery of sorts. And this is the first thing a prospective customer will see. Get creative and make sure it's as visually appealing as possible.
Let your post reflect your brand, and more importantly, attract your desired audience.
4. Make use of user-generated content
This is when a piece of content is created by members of your online audience. There are many reasons why this approach is brilliant. For one it directly involves your followers and makes them feel seen. Thereby deepening their relationship with your brand without you spending a penny on marketing.
5. Explore the full range of video formats on Instagram
A picture is worth a thousand words but a video is worth millions more. For some reason, the Instagram algorithm encourages video content by ensuring video content do well. An example is their multiple video options, which include Reels and IGTV.
A simple Reels content can put you in front of millions of Instagram users, just like that.
6. Use subtitles and closed captions in your videos
This is a secret that many don't know. Instagram videos with subtitles and closed captions get more views than the ones without.
The reason is because of this Instagram stat:
60% of Instagram video posts are viewed with the sound on.
This implies that the remaining 40% are watched without sound. Take advantage.
7. Utilize Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories allows you to make temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours. Many brands and marketers still ignore them. This is unwise since Stories have grown into a popular Instagram feature that’s now being used by 500 million users daily. It sometimes even outshines the main feed.
Using stories gives your brand an intimate look, and hence, makes your brand seem more approachable.
8. Use emojis judiciously
The power of imagery on Instagram extends to emojis too. Emojis convey messages swiftly in ways words, images and videos can only dream of. The smart thing to do is to employ emojis to further your brand's image.
If done right, it gives a cool but not too informal personality to your brand. Making it appeal to Gen Z and Millennials, who, more or less, make up most of your target audience.
9. Add a call to action (CTA), always
Don't forget, you are online for a purpose. Reinforce it with every post.
What action do you want your followers to take?
Tell them.
Always tell your audience what to do. At the very least, imply it. It's a way to make your effort count for something.
Use short and direct CTAs like Learn More and Call now in your profile, main posts, Stories, everywhere. It works.
Conclusion
You can get more out of your Instagram if you post the right things the proper way. This article teaches you how.