Although increasing Instagram engagement can take some time and a little added effort, there are a few ways you can help boost your engagement now and get the ball rolling. This article that the JC Sweet & Co. Team found on Hootsuite has some great tips for doing just that.
Simple Ways to Increase Instagram Engagement
In this article, you’ll learn what Instagram engagement means, different ways of measuring your engagement rate on Instagram, and simple things you can do to increase your brand’s Instagram engagement.
Know your audience
Track your audience metrics using Instagram Insights.
Under the “Audience” tab in Instagram Insights, you’ll find data about your followers. This helps you better understand who they are so you can create content that’s relevant to them.
Keep track of time
When it comes to timing, you want to make sure your followers see your posts. With Instagram Insights, you’ll see when your followers are online. The data shows which day of the week most of your followers are on Instagram and the time of day your followers are on the platform.
This will help you schedule your content at peak times. For example, if your data shows your audience is rarely on Instagram on a Monday morning, wait to schedule your content for a day and time when your audience is online.
And yes, there are optimum times to post on Instagram. Always keep track of your brand’s own metrics, but here we dig into the best and worst times to post on Instagram.
Make sure you post often — but not too often
One of the factors Instagram’s algorithm considers is recency. That means new posts are more likely to show in your followers’ feeds.
Your posts should be scheduled for when your audience is most likely to be online.That means they are more likely to see your content and are more likely to engage with it!
Consistent posting is key. But you don’t want to overwhelm them with content either. Try creating a content calendar to keep track of when and what you’re posting on Instagram. That way, you can make sure you’re not under-posting or over-posting.
For context, our Digital 2020 report shows that, on average, business accounts post content to their Instagram feeds 1.7 times per day. That means just over 7 posts a week.
Engage with your followers
It’s called social media for a reason. Be social!
Instagram is a platform for you to talk to your followers, for your followers to talk to you, and for you to engage with other users and brands. Respond to your followers’ direct messages. Reply to their questions or comments underneath your posts.
When you engage in the conversation on Instagram, this helps you understand your followers, how they connect with your brand, and what they’re saying about your brand.
Don’t forget about your caption
There are many ways to write a great Instagram caption to drive engagement.
You have 2,200 characters. That includes emojis and hashtags. That’s ample space to tell a story, write something thought-provoking, ask your followers a question, spend some time showcasing your brand’s voice, or provide some context for the image you’re posting.
Try a short caption
A 2,200-character caption isn’t always needed. Sometimes, less is more.
There are plenty of other ways to write a short yet engaging caption. For example:
- Pose an open-ended question for followers to answer in the comments.
- Encourage calls-to-action by suggesting followers tag a friend or vote on a multiple choice question.
- Encourage followers to click the link in your profile bio.
- Trade words for emojis.
- Launch a contest or giveaway.
Tag other Instagram users
Think your Instagram post will be of interest to other brands or to Instagram influencers? Want to get the attention of someone you admire? Hope to thank a celebrity or influencer who is working with your brand? Tag them in your caption.
This shows you value that person, but it also increases the chance of that user’s following of seeing your post. Because they can easily share it to their Story. And that increases your Instagram engagement!
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