Instagram marketing is a big thing these days. More and more brands throughout the world are starting to realize just how much of an impact a well-run account on this platform can have on sales and exposure.

Of course, not everyone is capable of reaching a point where you have enough followers to make a difference. This mostly happens because the engagement rate is not high enough. And then there are those who simply purchase their followers thinking that this would have a positive impact.

Buying followers (often illegitimate/false user accounts which Google and social media platforms have since caught on to) will not get you anywhere. As a brand, you must focus on growing your engagement rate naturally, and if you have been struggling with that, this article will give you an idea or two on how to change things up.

Story Mode

This is not something exclusive to Instagram. Facebook has had this feature for some time as well. Stories are great if you want to get people hooked. There are plenty of variations on how to make an Instagram Story stand out and attract the highest number of views, likes, and comments.

Some brands like to show exclusive footage, others are running contests, announcing upcoming products, and so on. Since this type of content is up for only 24  hours, people will be keeping a closer eye on your next story so as not to miss it.

Influencers

Influencers have become a big part of digital marketing as well as Instagram. The platform is often considered to be the hub of the biggest names in various industries. Both individuals and the biggest brands are there, constantly growing their audience.

Whether you can work with top influencers depends entirely on your budget. However, this does not mean that only the best of the best can make a positive impact. There are plenty of micro-influencers who are capable of improving your engagement. It will be much easier to deal with this type of influencer, not to mention the money you are going to save.

Hashtags

A good post requires many tactics to be successful. One of those is a hashtag. You have definitely seen various accounts abusing this part and putting as many hashtags as they can fill. But this sort of behavior can end up having a negative impact. Not only does your content looks unnatural, but the Instagram algorithm might punish anyone for putting in too many hashtags. Keep it simple. Do not overdo, and stick only to those which are relevant to your brand (studies show that anywhere from 4-11 hashtags in a post is optimal — but use your best judgement from the perspective of your audience).

Contests

Nothing is going to bring you more engagement than a giveaway or a contest. People love free stuff, even if they do not actually need it. Just ask them to like and comment below. You will be surprised by how quick the message spreads. It would not be a stretch to say that quite a few brands made a name for themselves by going viral using this particular method.

Follow a Schedule

Presence on social media will not work by itself. You need consistency. Even if you are finding it difficult to maintain a regular schedule, you should still strive towards achieving it. Otherwise, you are going to be forgotten. Building expectations and not meeting them is harmful, and your followers will reciprocate the same way.

Instagram Ads

Investing in ads can help a lot, especially if you are struggling with other methods. A well-run ad campaign will bring you more engagement, but you need to understand that this is going to cost. Make sure that you have some extra funds to spare for this.

Content Variety

Posting the same things over and over again will become stale and predictable. The people are always eager to find something new and fresh. If you are not making use of videos and other types of content, give them a try. You would be surprised by how big of a difference that could have

Research Competition

Looking at others for some inspiration should be a no-brainer. Do your best to discover what is working for your competitors and come up with your own strategy that you think may work for your brand. Recognizing other leaders in your industry and learning from them will go a long way when applied to your own social media campaigns. Find your competitors by searching for related industry search terms and brands through the same channels your own users would use to find you.

Trial and Error

Things rarely work out the way you thought they would on the first try. Trial and error are inevitable and you should prepare yourself for testing and adjusting the strategy of conquering Instagram.

As you see, there are plenty of different methods to improve your overall Instagram engagement rate. Keep in mind that you should not limit yourself to a single thing — instead, try to include as many of these tips as you can, and discover and iterate on what works best for your brand. Every brand and offering is unique, you need to find the strategy mix that works best for your customers and performance metrics.

If you need help creating or managing a digital media strategy for your brand, contact Bryt Designs today and we’re more than happy to discuss your goals and help you implement a successful digital marketing campaign.