While social media was initially created to allow users to communicate with their friends and families, they have evolved and changed a lot over the years. They are a powerful marketing tool that many businesses use to connect with customers.

Instagram is one of the most popular platforms. It’s rapidly becoming one of the most used platforms, with more than 800 million users.

The platform allows users to upload photos and videos, and followers can comment and like them. You can also share them with other users privately.

Instagram is unique because it focuses exclusively on visual content. You need to be creative with your videos and photos to make them work. You need to ensure that your content stands out in Instagram’s news feed, which is a mix of photos and videos.

How can you maximize your Instagram presence?

Contact us now to speak with a strategist regarding social media services at Kobe Digital. Or, keep reading for 11 best practices in Instagram marketing.

1. Keep your posts engaging

Instagram accounts should not be filled with images that are advertisements. You need photos that are interesting enough to make users want to look at them. This requires a creative approach rather than traditional advertisements.

Brand recognition is important, but it can be achieved with interesting content.

FedEx is an excellent example of a successful Instagram profile. The FedEx account’s approach is simple. They upload photos from users with FedEx trucks or planes in the photos. The vehicles are often not the main focus of the photos, but rather the surrounding area.

People will snap photos of FedEx planes and trucks in different locations. These photos are not only visually appealing but also include the company’s branding.

FedEx’s approach isn’t necessarily the best, but you can be as creative as they are. They were able to incorporate their brand without making it the focal point of the photo.

Check out companies similar to yours and with a similar target audience. Check out their Instagram pages to see the type of content they share. This will help you get a better idea of your target market.

2. Mix it up

You should not keep posting the same content. Keep your followers interested in what you post. If you keep posting the same type of photos over and over, they will quickly scroll past your content.

It is a great idea to upload both videos and photos. This will allow you to have a flow of content that’s not always in the same format.

You can post photos or videos in a unique style but still be unique in your content.

To grab people’s attention, many companies include animals and people in their photos. Mixing up your posts is possible by having a variety of them on your account. Post-holiday or sale-related posts to get people interested.

People are drawn to variety and will continue to be interested in it.

3. Encourage your followers to get involved

Photos are not shared to simply share. You need to consider how users will engage with your photos. A caption that is interesting and informative is a key element in creating engaging posts.

You shouldn’t just publish a photo and then make your captions. Consider what information you want to share with your followers about the photo. Also, consider whether there is a specific action that you would like them to take. When a user views a photo or video that they like, they will stop and read the description. You should take advantage of this opportunity to keep their attention.

You might add calls to action to some of your photos. These could be something like “Tag three friends who like this!” or “Tag someone you would take on this trip!” These descriptions encourage people to engage with your photos and take action. 

Encourage friends to tag you, and you can increase your reach.

Encourage your followers to use the branded hashtag in their posts. Target posted a photo showing a child in Cat & Jack clothes and encouraged others to use the #TargetLittles hashtag for their first day of school photos.

Hashtags can be a great way for people to interact with your posts. You can also use popular hashtags to help other users find your account.

4. Use branded hashtags

Because they allow users to search for and find the content they are interested in, hashtags are a vital part of Instagram. While Twitter users must limit the characters of their hashtags, it is common for Instagram posts to contain 11 hashtags.

Although it’s great to use hashtags that are popular already is a good start. You can also create hashtags to help build your brand. Encourage your followers to include them in their captions.

You should aim to create a hashtag that is simple and unique. Long hashtags can be difficult to remember. However, a simple but unique one will not stand out. There are likely thousands of people already using it for posts that aren’t related to your brand.

When you host a contest or launch a campaign, you can create a hashtag. These hashtags can be used to help you organize your posts by topic, and determine which campaigns are most successful.

Be consistent with your hashtags, and ensure that they are relevant to multiple posts. It won’t help to establish your brand goals. Users will not be able to use the hashtags you create every week.

Encourage users to use a branded # hashtag. Spend some time searching for it and looking at what they post. You can comment and like their posts, and you might consider republishing them on your page with permission.

Users’ photos can be featured on your page, which encourages others to use your hashtag. They know that having their post republished on your page will drive users there and increase their followers. This is why many people use branded hashtags.

5. Trending hashtags

You can use trending hashtags in your posts, but not just your branded hashtags. These hashtags are used by many people every week.

Some of the most popular hashtags include #motivationmonday, #transformationtuesday, and #tbt (throwback Thursday). These hashtags can be used in many ways.

These hashtags can be used to your advantage by you posting relevant photos. Users can search for that hashtag to find your post and may consider following you.

It is important only to use tags that are relevant to your brand if you are considering this strategy. Users can find irrelevant posts and hashtags annoying and it can end up costing them, followers.

6. Cross-promote your social accounts

A user following you on one social platform is a strong indicator that they are interested in following you on other platforms. This can be achieved by promoting other channels via your social media accounts.

You may find that your Facebook followers are not following you on Instagram. This is because they have never seen your Instagram account in their newsfeed.

This can be fixed by posting an Instagram post to your Facebook Page. This will allow your Facebook followers to get an idea of the content they can expect to find if you are followed.

This is particularly helpful for new users of Instagram. Sharing an Instagram post can help you gain your first followers if you have a strong following on another platform.

7. Don’t overdo it

Businesses make the most common mistake of posting too often. It is not a good idea to post too often so that it becomes annoying for your followers.

People may unfollow you if you post too often. You’ll need space between posts so that your content isn’t overbearing or annoying.

You can experiment with different post times and frequency intervals to see which one generates the highest engagement. It is important to post new photos when users are most likely to see them and engage with them.

This time can be used to determine which posts get responses. This will help you to create a strategy and understand how Instagram works.

Once you have established a posting schedule and a frequency that works for your brand, it is possible to establish posting times. While some businesses post multiple times per day, others publish a minimum of 3-4 posts per week.

It is often a matter of trial and error to find the right frequency. You can assume that you should post less frequently if you lose followers by posting four times per day.

You may lose followers but see less engagement overall. This could indicate that people don’t like your frequency of posts, and you might consider scaling back.

You’ll get more interest and engagement in your posts if you have the right schedule. To learn more, visit this infographic. Learn how to maximize your Instagram results!

8. Include calls to action (CTAs).

Many businesses fail to include calls for action or CTAs within their posts. CTAs can be a great way to encourage your followers to take action and tell them what to do after reading a post.

You have many options to encourage your followers. Encourage them to share a link in their bio, comment or upload a photo with your hashtag.

You must give them direction, whether you want them to make a purchase, use your hashtag, or increase your brand awareness. You could end up with them liking your photo and scrolling on without engaging.

9. Get in touch with your followers

Social media marketing offers you the chance to interact with your audience. However, it is your responsibility to make that happen.

If you receive comments on photos, please take the time to say thank you and answer any questions. Many people use the comments area to request additional information about specific products.

These questions can be addressed by directly responding to users. This allows you to build relationships with your followers which can lead to conversions.

You can find comments on your photos from users who will voice their dissatisfaction with your brand. It is important to take the time to listen to them and to direct them to the right place to get their issues resolved. This creates a positive relationship between you and your customers.

Companies that respond to comments are a great way for people to feel appreciated. Your account will grow and you won’t be able to comment on every comment. However, you can choose the comments that are most important to you to address.

Interact with everyone who participates in your contests and uses your hashtags. You should not only post photos on your page but also interact with others who use your hashtag. This is another way you can build trust with your customers.

10. You can monitor your performance

Monitor your account’s performance regularly to determine which posts are performing well and which ones are not. Instagram offers a few metrics that you can use for analysis.

These analytics allow you to see how many impressions and how much engagement you get, as well as which posts are getting the most responses. This information can be used to adjust your strategy. You can also test new posts to see if they work for you.

To see which photos and videos work best for your audience, you can also compare them. Instagram marketing will be more successful if you better understand your audience’s responses.

11. Advertise on Instagram 

You can reach new customers with Instagram without spending any money. However, the platform offers advertising options to businesses. Their advertising services can be used to reach new users or improve your results.

Instagram offers advertising options that allow you to appear in the news feeds of your target audience based on very specific targeting.

Instagram advertising comes in many formats. You can advertise with either photo or video posts. Carousel ads can be created, which show multiple photos.

These ads are great because they integrate seamlessly into the user’s newsfeed. These advertisements are labeled “sponsored” and include the word “sponsored”. These ads are a great way for you to increase brand exposure for your company.

Another reason to use a CTA is for this situation. They are displayed in a blue circle on the photo, making it easy to see the action users will need to take to find out more information about the item.

If you are looking to increase brand exposure, increase followers, or get people to take action, Instagram advertising is a great choice for your business.

Kobe Digital is an expert in Instagram marketing

Kobe Digital is a Miami digital marketing agency that can help you get started on Instagram. Kobe Digital is a digital marketing agency in new york that offers full-service marketing. We have the experience to create social media plans that will help businesses achieve their marketing goals.

Social media experts at our company keep up to date with social trends and know how to create campaigns that deliver real results. To create a custom plan that suits your needs, we will take the time to learn about your business and goals.

You’ll find a dedicated team who will see your business succeed when you work with us.

Get started today

Are you ready to increase your engagement and gain new followers for your company? Call us or contact us online to speak with a strategist. We are looking forward to hearing from you!