Over 1 billion people actively use Instagram every single month, making it the world’s 5th most popular social media platform, and the 6th most visited website. Instagram is so popular that marketing can reach 19% of the population via Instagram advertising.
Social media advertising can be a powerful way of reaching new audiences, especially since the average person spends 2.5 hours on social media every single day. But if you’re new to promoting Instagram posts, where do you begin?
Learning the ins and outs of Instagram promotion may seem challenging. What content should you post? How can you make your uploads stand out? What’s the difference between hashtags and tagging? To discover the answers to these questions and more, keep on reading!
Before You Begin
There are some Instagram admin tasks that you will need to take care of before beginning your Instagram promotion. For starters, make sure that your Instagram profile is complete before you begin advertising it, including a high-quality display picture, an appropriate username, and a short and simple bio.
Make sure that your profile is publicly visible. If it’s set to private, nobody will be able to see any of the page’s content. They’ll also have difficulty finding you without a direct link.
1. Content Production is Key
One of the simplest, most overlooked steps to promoting Instagram posts is to upload content frequently. Uploads shouldn’t be limited to posts, though, as 500 million people access Instagram stories every single day.
To keep your Instagram page “hot” and at the top of everybody’s newsfeed, you need a steady stream of content. You should be uploading Instagram content 1-3 times a day. Uploads can be anything, including:
- Selfies
- Product photos or videos
- Offers
- Memes
- Infographics
- Promotions
- Competitions
The more creative you can be with your uploads, the higher the level of user interaction. Include calls to action within your posts. For example, “Like and share this post for your chance to win…”
2. Focus on People
Finding creative ways to promote your Instagram is particularly important with the content you upload. No matter what you’re promoting, whether it’s a product, service, or something else entirely, Instagram users want to see people (and animals).
For example, let’s say you’re promoting a new book.
Uploading images of the book is great, but content that shows people interacting with the book is even better! This could be the author, customers, or hired models.
If you’re promoting a surf business, people want to see surf content. They aren’t interested in pictures of surfboards laying on the beach or hanging in a shop. That means the content you upload needs to include people surfing.
The trick is to show human engagement with whatever you’re offering. The more relatable and realistic your content is, the better. Getting Instagram likes is about connecting to users.
To be clear, you can and should upload purely informational content now and again. But there is a fine balance between the two content types. You need potential customers to learn about your product while still feeling the human connection with your brand.
3. Using Hashtags Effectively
One of the most basic elements of promoting Instagram posts is using hashtags. A hashtag is used to identify digital content on a specific topic. Social media advertising tends to focus on three types of hashtags:
- Business-specific hashtags
- Industry hashtags
- General hashtags
Business-specific hashtags, as the name suggests, are those specific to your business. You can include these on your Instagram pages, as well as within any related content.
For example, Marvel used #TeamCap and #TeamIronMan during their promotion of Captain America: Civil War. Such a hashtag allows fans to use it to find content or add the tag to their own uploaded content.
Industry hashtags cover the whole industry. For example, #nopainnogain would relate to gym content and #ridethewave would be for surfing. These hashtags can be general or specific, but by using them, you can attract new customers who may stumble across your content by accident.
General hashtags are broad terms that won’t apply directly to your business or industry. For example, #deckthehalls or #Halloweenvibes will become common nearer each season. You can make use of popular, general hashtags, but moderation is key.
Any content should be a combination of these three types of hashtags. You should aim for around 60% business-specific, 25% industry, and 15% general.
4. Don’t Forget Tagging
Promoting Instagram posts is a team sport. By promoting the Instagram content of other people, they’ll often promote your content in return. Tagging is one way of doing this.
Tagging is like a hashtag, but it applies to a specific person or page. To follow from a previous example, #Marvel would relate to all content with that same hashtag, whereas @Marvel would be the Marvel Instagram page.
Tagging is a way of connecting with followers, locations, and other brands.
For example, if you use a local bar for promotional events, you might tag the business and the location. If they share your post or do the same back, you essentially share Instagram users. It’s a great way to attract the attention of new potential customers.
You can do the same with customers! Some businesses will take pictures of customers (with their permission) holding purchases or promotional props, such as inflatables or cardboard cut-outs. The business will upload this content and tag the customers’ Instagram accounts.
This type of Instagram promotion is popular throughout all forms of social media advertising. Not only will customers share these posts on Instagram. But they may share them with friends, family, and their other social media accounts.
Ready to Begin Promoting Instagram Posts?
Promoting Instagram posts can be a fun, creative, and simple process, but it can take time to get the hang of things. Try to focus on sharing content that is authentic and reflects what your product, service, or brand offers.
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