Instagram is an essential platform for businesses and influencers looking to engage with a wider audience and drive traffic to their websites. With over 2 billion active users, the potential reach is enormous, but achieving high engagement rates requires strategy and consistency. Here are 11 actionable tips to help you increase your Instagram engagement and drive more traffic to your website.
Key Takeaways
Post consistently to keep your audience engaged and attract new followers.
Tell compelling stories instead of just promoting your products or services.
Build a strong, recognizable brand that resonates with your target audience.
Use the right hashtags to increase the discoverability of your posts.
Leverage user-generated content to build trust and community around your brand.
1. Post Consistently
Being active on Instagram is crucial to attract followers and boost engagement rates. But how active should you be? According to studies, the sweet spot is a consistent 1-2 posts a day. This way, your feed stays fresh and relevant, and you have more opportunities to attract eyeballs to your content. Knowing the best time to post on Instagram is also critical, especially when dealing with Instagram’s algorithmic timeline.
Commit to a consistent posting schedule to keep your feed fresh and your followers intrigued. If you post when your audience is asleep, you’re not going to see much early engagement. Fortunately, tools like Hootsuite Analytics provide a heat map that shows when your followers are most likely to be online.
After reviewing the data, experiment with different posting times and monitor performance. Consistency in posting helps in building a regular routine for your Instagram users to follow. Adjusting your posting times based on peak audience times ensures your content has the best chance of being seen and engaged with.
2. Tell Stories Instead of Preaching
Instagram is awash with mediocre brand messaging that forgets the social network is supposed to be a visual inspiration platform. You should captivate audiences through images, video, and text, not simply preach marketing missives at them. To increase engagement rates, become a storyteller instead, offering ‘micro-stories’ via your captions, videos, Instagram stories, and profile.
Live stories are ideal for drawing people in because they’re happening in the moment, while pre-recorded stories are perfect for in-depth coverage of your products, one-time quickfire promotions, or sharing narratives. Some of the best stories take advantage of the “FOMO” effect stories create by offering sneak peeks, or use interactive elements and clever storytelling to keep users watching.
People today crave connection, and storytelling is a way to create this experience. When people feel an emotional connection to your content, they are much more likely to buy into it and share it with their peers. For inspiration, follow innovative Instagram storytellers such as Airbnb, Red Bull, Lego, Patagonia, and Nike. You can also view these examples to help kickstart your creativity.
Stories in particular provide an excellent opportunity to connect directly with your audience through interactive features like questions, polls, and countdowns. This chance for followers to talk directly to you creates genuine two-way communication – aka engagement.
No wonder 58% of users say they’ve become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories.
3. Build a Strong Brand
Clarity, creativity, and consistency are king for enterprises aiming to build brand awareness on Instagram. An erratic, haphazard approach just doesn’t work.
Try to focus on core areas like presenting your profile, creating style patterns that keep your images looking fresh, and mastering hashtag use. You should also be interacting regularly with your followers to build up engagement and loyalty.
4. Maintain a Visually Consistent Feed
Instagram is a visually driven platform that rewards aesthetically pleasing content. Although glossy perfection is falling out of style, the heart of Instagram is visual content and that will never change. Today, users gravitate towards authentic expression and diverse perspectives.
But more important than following any specific editing style is to have a visually consistent feed. According to a WebDam social media report, 60% of the best-performing brands on Instagram have a consistent look every time they post. Your look should match with your brand identity and appeal to the audience you’re trying to attract.
Take the Five Minute Journal as an example. Their feed evokes a feeling of calm, thoughtful reflection—just like their brand.
5. Choose the Right Hashtags
Selecting the best hashtags for your Instagram posts can make the difference between appearing as a top post or sinking to the bottom of the feed without a trace. Make your hashtags too generic—think #christmas or #fashion—and your post will face competition from potentially millions of others. Instead, use a mix of trending and industry-specific hashtags to find the best hashtag to connect with your targeted followers.
For the best results, research each hashtag. Look at the type of content and the number of likes on its top-performing posts—if your content matches up, you’ve got yourself a winning hashtag.
Avoid overloading your posts with too many hashtags. Instead, focus on a mix of trending, niche-specific, and branded tags. To stay organized and consistent, keep a list of your most effective hashtags for easy access when posting. Regularly updating your hashtag strategy is also key, as trends come and go quickly on Instagram.
6. Focus on User-Generated Content
User-generated content on Instagram is the holy grail for marketers. It’s a chance for followers to involve themselves more deeply with a brand while reducing marketing costs because the content is being created and approved by your audience.
Encourage Participation
One of the best ways to get user-generated content (UGC) is by encouraging your followers to participate. Create a unique hashtag for your brand and ask your followers to use it when they post about your products. For example, the furniture retailer West Elm uses the hashtag #mywestelm to encourage UGC by promising to share the best shots.
Repost User Content
Reposting user-generated content periodically is a great way to build your Instagram presence. It looks real and genuine. That rewards and recognizes your fans, and you may see big results in engagement and follower growth. Unfortunately, it is not so simple to repost users’ content. You should use third-party apps to do this.
Collaborate with Influencers
Additionally, collaborate with influencers or other brands to tap into their followers and cross-promote each other. Encouraging user-generated content is also a great way to both collect feedback and build strong connections with your customers. Remember – a loyal and engaged audience is more valuable than a disinterested one, so prioritize quality interactions at all times.
Pro Tip: User-generated content on Instagram is the holy grail for marketers. It’s a chance for followers to involve themselves more deeply with a brand while reducing marketing costs because the content is being created and approved by your audience.
7. Explore Instagram Video Formats
Instagram offers a variety of video formats that can help you engage with your audience in different ways. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a video is worth 1.8 million. Let’s dive into the different formats you can use to boost your engagement.
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a great way to create visually arresting ads. You can mash up videos and stills into a single ad, making it perfect for Q&As or big reveals about new products or services. The vertical full-screen format is particularly engaging.
Instagram Reels
Reels are short, engaging videos that can be up to 60 seconds long. They are ideal for quick, entertaining content that can go viral. Use Reels to showcase your product in a fun and creative way.
IGTV
IGTV is perfect for long-form content. If you have a story to tell or a tutorial to share, IGTV allows you to go beyond the 60-second limit of regular posts. It’s a great way to offer up authentic, behind-the-scenes stories to your followers.
Instagram Live
Instagram Live is a fantastic way to engage with your audience in real-time. Whether you’re doing a live Q&A, a product launch, or just sharing a moment, Live videos create a sense of urgency and exclusivity.
Video Posts
Regular video posts are still a powerful tool. These can be up to 60 seconds long and appear in your main feed. They are perfect for sharing quick updates, product features, or any other content that benefits from a visual format.
Don’t underestimate the power of video. Whether it’s a quick Reel or a detailed IGTV episode, each format has its own strengths and can help you engage with your audience in unique ways.
8. Use Subtitles and Closed Captions
Let’s talk about subtitles and closed captions. Did you know that 40% of Instagram stories are viewed without sound? That’s a huge chunk of your audience that might be missing out on your message if you don’t use captions. Adding subtitles and closed captions can make your content more accessible and engaging for everyone.
Why Use Subtitles and Closed Captions?
First off, they help in making your content more inclusive. Not everyone can listen to audio all the time. Maybe they’re in a noisy environment or perhaps they have hearing impairments. By adding captions, you’re ensuring that your message reaches a wider audience.
How to Add Subtitles and Closed Captions
You can create an auto-captioned video on Facebook and save it to post on Instagram. Just make sure to check for any errors in the captioning. Alternatively, you can create your own dedicated captioning file. It’s a bit more work, but it can be worth it to boost your business with SEO content writing.
Benefits of Using Subtitles and Closed Captions
Increased Engagement: People are more likely to watch your videos if they can understand them without sound.
Better Accessibility: You’re making your content available to people with hearing impairments.
Improved SEO: Search engines can index your captions, making your content more discoverable.
Adding subtitles and closed captions is a simple yet effective way to drive qualified traffic and increase visibility on Instagram.
9. Activate Instagram Reels
Talking about videos, have you utilized the power of Instagram Reels already? This video feature has been out and about since last year and became immensely popular on Instagram. It’s a clone of TikTok’s fun videos that lets your brand engage with the community in short clips up to 30 seconds.
Why Use Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels provide a great platform for businesses and individuals to engage their audience. The site now lets users insert adverts into their reels. Instagram calls them “Boosted Reels,” and they feature in the following:
Feeds
Stories
Explore
The Reels tab
How to Create Engaging Reels
Creating engaging Reels is all about being creative and authentic. Here are some tips:
Keep it short and sweet: Reels can be up to 60 seconds long, but shorter videos often perform better.
Use trending music and sounds to make your Reels more discoverable.
Add text and effects to make your content more engaging.
Lastly, make sure to include relevant keywords in your caption. This will make your reel more likely to be viewed by your target users.
Boosting Your Reels
Recently, Instagram also started Reel Ads so now you can also invest into reaching and engaging even better with your audience. If you want to learn more about Instagram Reels check out this beginner’s guide for inspiration.
10. Embrace Instagram AR Filters
Instagram opened up the creation of AR filters to the public with its Spark AR Studio. Since then, AR has taken the app by storm, with some of the best filters getting well over 1 billion views. While still primarily popular among younger users, there is a growing industry around AR filters and many brands are opting for producing their own.
Just look at NARS cosmetics, who produced a bunch of filters allowing users to virtually try on their lipstick shades. Instagram AR filters have recently evolved beyond effects that are added to your face. Now, the most popular AR filters are all about color grading and enhancing your video. So, much like you would add a filter on a photo, you can now add an AR filter to make your videos more beautiful.
As a brand, try creating AR video effects that allow your followers to experience your product or recreate your visual style.
11. Utilize Instagram Video Ad Formats
Instagram offers a variety of video ad formats that can help you reach your audience more effectively. Mastering these formats is essential to drive engagement and traffic to your website. Here are some of the key formats you should consider:
Single Video Ads
These ads allow you to create up to 60-second commercials. They are perfect for delivering a concise, impactful message. Whether it’s a product demo or a quick tutorial, single video ads can capture attention quickly.
Carousel Ads
Carousel ads give you more message real estate by enabling followers to swipe across for additional images or videos. This format is great for showcasing multiple products or telling a more comprehensive story.
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories offer a vertical full-screen format where images and videos can be spliced together to create visually arresting ads. Use this format for time-sensitive promotions or to create a sense of urgency.
With 75% of Instagrammers stating that they take actions like visiting sites, searching, or telling a friend after being influenced by a post, utilizing these video ad formats can significantly boost your engagement.
AR Video Effects
Try creating AR video effects that allow your followers to experience your product or recreate your visual style. This can make your ads more interactive and engaging.
Live Video
Consider using Instagram Stories’ live video option for Q&A sessions or big reveals about new products or services. This format can offer an authentic, behind-the-scenes look that your followers will appreciate.
Conclusion
And there you have it, folks! These 11 actionable tips are your toolkit to boost Instagram engagement and drive traffic to your website. Remember, consistency is key, and patience is your best friend. Whether you’re telling captivating stories, using the right hashtags, or collaborating with influencers, every little effort counts. So, start implementing these strategies today and watch your Instagram game soar! Got any tips that worked wonders for you? Share them in the comments below. Happy Instagramming!
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I post on Instagram to maintain engagement?
It’s recommended to post at least once a day to keep your audience engaged and maintain a consistent presence on Instagram.
What type of content works best for Instagram engagement?
Content that tells a story, is visually appealing, and resonates with your audience tends to perform best. User-generated content and interactive formats like polls and quizzes also drive engagement.
How can I choose the right hashtags for my posts?
Research popular hashtags in your niche, use a mix of broad and specific hashtags, and consider using hashtag tools to find the best ones for your content.
What are Instagram Reels and how can they benefit my engagement?
Instagram Reels are short, engaging videos that can be up to 60 seconds long. They are a great way to showcase creativity, reach a larger audience, and increase engagement on your profile.
Why is it important to have a visually consistent feed?
A visually consistent feed helps in building a strong brand identity, makes your profile look professional, and encourages users to follow you.
How can user-generated content boost my Instagram engagement?
User-generated content builds trust and authenticity, encourages community participation, and provides social proof, all of which can significantly boost engagement.
