Always Include a Call to Action in Your Posts
Don’t leave it up to the reader to figure out what to do next. Invite them to take an action based on the content you have shared. Do you want their thoughts on the information? Do you want to know if they have other ideas you aren’t aware of? Ask them to let you know in the comments.
You can also invite them to save the post for future reference. Instagram rates posts that are saved to various accounts higher as it means that the person finds the information useful. This in turn helps your account to get more prominence and will be show more regularly in p
Use Instagram Features – Stories, Highlights, IGTV, Go Live
The Instagram algorithms give priority to accounts which actively engage with as many of its features as possible.
So mix it up. Use the stories feature to capture daily happenings and behind the scenes video you want to share with your audience. The highlights feature allows you to save stories in categories which can make it easy for people to find relevant tips and offers.
IGTV allows you to post videos longer than the 59 seconds allowed for upload to your feed. Use this to share webinars and other longer videos which teach and support your ideal customer.
Go Live on IG and watch your numbers increase. Instagram will highlight on your followers timeline when you are live. This can help to increase engagement and allows your followers to get to learn more about who you are.
Feed – Post at least twice per week
Whereas on Twitter, you need to post multiple times a day for your feed to receive traction, there is no need to do this for Instagram. You will be essentially spamming your own feed as the algorithm will always prioritise the latest content posted.
Some experts recommend posting at least once a day. If you can schedule a daily post then do so. If not, seek to provide valuable content at least twice a week which will keep your audience learning and engaged.
Use Hashtags
The use of hashtags (#) in your posts is key to finding and attracting customers. Your images alone won’t do the trick. There must be a way for people to connect with your service and hashtags offer this resource.
Social Media Examiner recommends that the best way to leverage hashtags for organic Instagram content is to use a combination of:
- Trending hashtags
- Moderately popular hashtags
- Niche-specific hashtags
- Personally branded hashtags
For example:
- Trending – #getaway #LuxuryVacation
- Moderately popular – #Vacation
- Niche-specific – #IslandHopping #CaribbeanTravel
- Personally branded – #Montserrat
Respond to DMs in a timely manner
Time is a premium for small business owners who are handling most if not all the aspects of daily operations. However, you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to acquire a new customer. Rather than checking your messages sporadically throughout the day, set aside some time each morning or at the end of the day to read and respond. Be sure to use the auto response feature which tells customers that they will receive a response from you within a specific period of time.
You do not need to be a master Instagrammer to see results. However, you do need to invest the time to learn about the platform and its features so you can use them to your greatest advantage.
Nerissa Golden is a media and business strategist and the founder of Truly Caribbean Academy, an elearning platform for entrepreneurs. She is the editor of Discover Montserrat and author of eight books, including Start, Grow, Thrive: Build a Business to Last. Follow her on Instagram at @trulynerissagolden
