Let me start off by saying this: this post is not about how to gain followers because it's not about the numbers at all. It's about the engagement. It doesn't matter if you have 1,000 followers or 100 followers, that number means absolutely nothing if you're getting little to no interaction on your posts. I'd rather have 100 followers that are actively engaging with my posts than 1,000 followers and only 100 of them actively engaging with my posts.
While I'm definitely not an expert at Instagram, far from it actually, I do think I have a pretty decent general understanding of how to maximize my engagement. I've listed out my top tips on strategies I use to boost my engagement to allow y'all to do the same in hopes of boosting yours too!
Use Hashtags
I was never one to use hashtags on my photos (and I still don't use them on all my posts) but I recently starting applying hashtags to my photos and almost immediately saw a huge jump in my post engagement! I usually will use hashtags relating to what's in the picture or if I featured a certain brand in the photo I'll use any hashtags that are unique to that brand. By using hashtags that are relevant to the photo you're posting, when people search that hashtag they're more likely to click on your profile since your photo was relevant to the things they were looking for.
Interact with your Followers
If I were to give y'all one and only one tip on increasing your engagement it would hands down be this one. It's so important that you interact with your followers because, news flash, their people too and not just another number to your follower count. Like their photos, comment on their posts, respond to their comments, reply to their stories! But when you do interact with your followers, make sure your response is relevant and make it personalized. It's easy to comment "cute top" but so many people already do that. If you want to stick out and make people stop and look at your profile, you need to personalize your interactions. Instead of commenting "cute top" I like to reply with something like "I love your top! It's perfect for summertime!" or "I love how you styled those shoes (insert name here!" By taking the time to write a longer comment, it shows that you didn't just copy and paste the same comment and that you paused from scrolling to react to their post.
You Have to Give the Likes to Get the Likes
Reciprocity is key to being successful on Instagram. If you want people to like and comment on your posts, you have to do the same! If people see that you're liking their photos or leaving comments on their posts, they're more likely to do the same on your posts.
Tag Companies Featured in Your Photos
One of the easiest ways to get noticed by other accounts in your niche is to tag companies and brands that are in your photo. Not only will the brand see that you posted about them and rightly potentially repost the photo, but other's that are posting the same content as you will also see it and when you find people posting similar content to you? You usually follow them.
Use Geotags
I don't know about y'all but whenever I'm about to go someplace new, I always find myself searching the location (geotag) on Instagram to see what other people are posting there and if I like the photos they post, I'm probably going to follow them to keep up with them and see if they share any cool places that I want to visit. It also allows people to find people who are from the same general area as them and there's a chance they'll engage with your photos because they're familiar with the place you're at. I know whenever I see people posting with the geotag Columbus, Ohio I'm always more likely to like that photo or even comment because I'm also from Columbus and that's something that we share in common.
Respond to Comments on Your Photos
If someone takes time to comment on your photo, you can take a few seconds to like their comment and reply to them. Even a simple "Thank you!" will work here. By replying to comments you're showing people that you actually saw their comment. It's one thing to like a comment but I know that whenever I get personalized replies I feel like the person genuinely appreciated my comment. Responding to comments let people know that you care about them and that you know they're there.
Post Frequently
If you post frequently, people have more things to engage with. If you only post once or twice a week, you're not giving people a lot to work with. Especially with Instagram's new algorithm and your feed not being in chronological order (am I the only one who misses that?) it's so easy for your post to get lost in the feed and odds are, a solid chunk of your followers aren't seeing your posts and that in return results in lower engagement rates for you.
Utilize Your Instagram Story
I was never big on using my Instagram story until a couple of months ago but once I started posting on it, even if it was just once a day, I saw a HUGE jump in my engagement. I typically post to notify my followers that a new blog post went live and once I started doing this I also saw a huge jump in my page views. People like to see what's going on in your day to day life and by posting little snaps of behind the scenes is a nice way to let your followers see what you're like in day to day life.
What's your #1 tip for increasing your Instagram engagement?
xoxo,
