How To Get More Engagement On Instagram

by Cedric Jackson

With 800 million users, Instagram is quickly becoming the go-to place for businesses. The audience is there, so it’s just a matter of finding out how to reach it. Once you reach that audience, you want to increase Instagram engagement to build your following and create brand advocates.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your brand is. These tips will help you increase your Instagram followers.

Post What Your Audience Wants to See

When you conduct market research, you should build a customer avatar. The avatar represents your entire customer base. Examining the avatar will give you a good idea of what your audience wants to see. If you upload posts your audience wants to see, you’ll increase your Instagram followers and your engagement levels. 

Starbucks offers the perfect example of posting what its audience wants to see. It knows its customers like more than coffee. Many of them also like their furry friends, so it posted a picture of a dog and a cat, each with its own cup of Starbucks coffee. With more than 250,000 likes, it’s clear that Starbucks knows how to increase Instagram engagement by posting what its audience likes, and you can do the same.

Use Hashtags Wisely

Did you know that posts with at least a single hashtag have 12.6 percent more engagement than posts without hashtags? If you want to increase Instagram engagement, use at least 11 hashtags per post. Also, include branded hashtags. This will allow you to link your posts together and reach people who are interested in your brand.

Engage with Potential Followers

You should know who your target market is. You need to reach out to people in that market to get more Instagram followers. Seek them out and engage with their posts. If they notice that you like and comment on a lot of their posts, they will check out your profile. That’s an easy way to get more Instagram followers quickly.

Engage with Your Current Followers

Brands make a huge mistake when they fail to engage with their followers. If one of your followers’ comments on your post, comment back. Creating conversations encourages and increases engagement.

What if the original comment doesn’t really warrant a response? If you can’t keep a conversation going, simply thank the person for leaving a comment.

Post Consistently

Consistency is key when posting on Instagram. You don’t want to post a lot, only to disappear for a long time. It’s important to maintain a consistent presence on Instagram if you’re serious about building a following.

You should post every day of the workweek, but the number of posts per day depends on your goals. While three posts per day is the sweet spot for many brands, others reach their goals by posting five or even 10 photos a day. Ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish with your posts and then create a posting schedule that makes sense for your brand.

Post at the Optimal Times

You come up with a great Instagram post and put it up immediately. Unfortunately, no one engages with it.

The problem likely has to do with the time you uploaded it.
If you want to get the most engagement, schedule your posts for:
• Wednesday at 3 p.m.
• Thursday at 5 a.m.
• Thursday at 11 a.m.
• Thursday from 3 to 4 p.m.
• Friday at 5 a.m.

Summary

If you use these techniques, you can increase Instagram engagement. That, in turn, will help you get more Instagram followers. Then, you can drive people to your website and increase sales for your brand.