Nine Ways to Increase Instagram Engagement

So you have the followers, but are you struggling to get them engaged? Well we’re here to help!

The good news is, there are so many features and tricks that can help you increase your engagement in no time. The bad news? None! 

The world of social media is all about engagement. You want your followers to not only see your content but notice it and engage! We are going to breakdown some simple ways to boost that Instagram engagement and get your business booming.

If you don’t already have your Instagram account set up as a Business Account, do this now! Instagram Business accounts offer fantastic features to help you track that increase in engagement you are looking for. 

Let’s jump right in!

#1: Create Content Worth Saving

Instagram allows users to add content to their Saved tab. This is great because you want your audience to revisit your posts multiple times. But how do you get them to save your content? You need your followers to find value in it. Think about your specific audience, and create content that contains info that they will want to easily access at a later time.

So, what would that be?

It may be a graphic sharing your 5-step morning routine for a more productive day! Throw one of your products in there that helps you get going in the morning. 

Or it may be a list of your favorite road trip snacks they can pick up at their local supermarket. 

Your business might be kitchenware. Target your audience’s interests, and share a recipe of your favorite dish to prepare for the upcoming holiday!

Whatever it may be, the goal is to ensure they deem that content ‘savable.’ And don’t be afraid to prompt them to save your post because your audience may be unaware or simply forget about this neat feature!

#2: Chat with your Audience!

It’s not called SOCIAL media for no reason! Get the conversations flowing. Not only will your audience learn more about you and your business, but you will learn more about them (which is soo important.)

You know those neat features Instagram stories have where you can add a question, a poll, a countdown, or even a quiz? To the drawing board because it’s time to brainstorm some fun ways to utilize them. 

We will save you some time and give you a jumpstart on great ideas!

Question: This can be formal/informal, whatever you’re just really curious about!

• What’s your favorite product?

• How do you unwind after a stressful day?

• What beauty product can you not live without?

• OR open the questions up to them, and tell them to ask you anything!

Poll: This is another feature where the options are endless! You can use polls to gauge what your audience wants to see in new products or maybe it can be about a recent trend just for fun!

• A list of possible new product releases, and ask what they’re most excited for!

• A list of spring fashion trends, and ask which one they’re most likely to try out!

Countdown: So, you used the poll feature, and your audience is wanting to see a new sunscreen just in time for summer.

• Create a countdown for the product launch! Your followers can click on the countdown directly from your story, and they will get a notification when the countdown is up.

• Or maybe: Seasons are changing, give them a heads up for your huge upcoming sale! 

Quiz: Make this fun! Consider offering some incentive for those competitive followers you’ve got!

• Test their knowledge on all things 2020 Oscars.

• Or test their knowledge on your business! Include questions about the benefits your products offer or the history of your company.

These simple features will give you a vast amount of info so you can truly dive into your audience and what they value. 

Note: Utilize the location and hashtag stickers on your stories as well because you will be increasing the likelihood of the story appearing on the Explore page!

#3: Change up your Content

Are you always posting the same kind of content? It’s 2020, let’s get creative and think outside the box! You don’t know what works if you don’t try.

Think about why you scroll through your Instagram feed. It’s entertaining because you see all kinds of things! Whether it be up-and-coming fashion trends, motivational quotes, the top trending meme, suggestions for best coffee shops in town; these posts all offer something unique. 

Test the waters, and see how your audience reacts. Note: Do keep in mind the aesthetic of your Instagram grid because you don’t want to compromise the hard work you have put in there. 

Make it fun! Share your “LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Tinder” meme and give your audience a laugh. 

Share a motivational quote at the start of every week.

As you’re trying out different types of content, don’t forget to check the Insights on your post to see how different types of content perform. Now, use this information to keep boosting that engagement!

#4: Create Content Worth Sharing

We’ve already talked about making content worth saving, now let’s talk about creating content worth sharing! We all know social media is a giant online hub, and the more your content is shared, the more other users will see it. This is great because your followers are doing the work for you!

I’m sure you have seen users share stories containing content from another Instagram page. Now, it’s time to have yours shared! 

The key to creating shareable content is similar to creating savable content. Be sure to tailor it to your audience and their likes. If they scroll through their feed and read the most relatable meme shared by you, they’re going to want to share that with their friends! Boom. Your business is out there in front of a whole new audience. 

You can track how many times content is shared and then use this to create future content.

#5: Be Vulnerable

Think of how you’ve fostered some of the strongest relationships with those in your life. Chances are you’ve bonded over a tough situation at some point. The second you open up, you will connect with your audience that may be going through something similar. 

This doesn’t mean you have to share your deepest, darkest secrets, but you can share some behind-the-scenes of the reality of running a business. Sharing those rough patches just reminds your audience that we all are human. 

Share some of your backstory that landed you where you are today. Share your passions and your goals and the hard work and determination it took. 

Many companies are veering towards a more authentic approach rather than putting on a perfect persona, and people are loving it! Go live and have a chat with your audience about what your day-to-day looks like. 

Share your stories, open up to your audience, and you will be pleased by the feedback you receive.

#6: Use those characters!

Have you noticed the increase in caption length over the years? Your words matter. 

Instagram users have grown to value not only the picture, but the words paired with it. So, think about how those words can impact your viewers, and tell the story. 

Use your caption as an opportunity to share more about your brand and your business. Talk about your new product and the health benefits. Share the details of your 2020 business goals. Go above and beyond a few quick words and emojis. 

Create content that invites your audience into the conversation, and you will see a boost in your engagement.

#7: Get Statistical

You may cringe at those words, but don’t run yet! Trends have shown an increase in posting personal data about your company, and it’s time to hop on the bandwagon.

Take a look at your data and decide what your audience would be interested in knowing. Share with your audience the data showing the top selling products for the month. Or share the results of your ‘favorite daily moisturizer’ poll you ran the previous day! 

These stats will intrigue your audience and keep them engaged. 

#8: Take Videos

Videos add a whole new level of emotion and excitement pictures can’t quite top. So, pull out those phones and hit record. 

This may seem overwhelming at first, but with a little practice and creativity, you will be a pro in no time. 

No need to hire a professional videographer because you can create your own engaging videos! Take a moment to think of the video content you see on your timeline. 

If your business sells any type of product, think about creating an unboxing video. Your audience will love getting a sneak peak into the packaging of a new product and some personal commentary straight from you! This is a super simple way to engage your audience and build excitement around product launches.

Never underestimate the power of a fun boomerang. You can turn any dull photo moment into live action!

If you’re interested in adding some dynamic video to your timeline, do some experimenting with cinemagraphs. Check out Enlight Pixaloop to start creating beautiful, living photos! 

Last, but not least, start brainstorming how you can utilize Instagram TV (IGTV) if you haven’t already. This feature will only send your engagement through the roof!

#9: #Hashtags

You know ‘em and you love ‘em, but do you really know how to optimize their potential?

Adding a hashtag to a post immediately shares it to a pool of similar content. Instagram users will search all sorts of hashtags in hopes of finding what they’re looking for or simply out of curiosity. It may be #morningroutines, #naturalbeatyproducts, #ecofriendlykitchenware. Whatever it may be, you want them to find your post! 

However, it’s not as simple as throwing any random hashtag on your post. The perfect hashtags will take some strategic thought. So take a moment to think about who you are wanting to target.

We suggest creating different groups of hashtags that you use on different posts. These groups should all have a slightly different target audiences and/or topics. Check the Insights on your posts and see how many impressions you made. This will help you decide which hashtag groups are boosting your engagement the most!

There you have it! Nine ways to boost your Instagram engagement. I will leave you with this takeaway. Stay true to yourself and your brand. Share content that you are proud of and believe in. 

Your followers will see that and love you even more for it!