Instagram has made it easier for businesses to connect with potential customers. The social network has 2.4 billion monthly active users. Ad targeting and organic search allow brands to position their content in front of the right people and generate more sales.
However, showing up on Instagram isn’t enough. Business owners have to be more intentional about how they use the platform to end up with an ROI. These Instagram hacks can get you in the right direction and turn your followers into customers.
1. Use keywords in your bio
Your Instagram bio is extra digital real estate that can make your brand more discoverable on Instagram’s search engine. When people type keywords, Instagram’s algorithm displays posts, profiles, and other content that includes the keyword.
However, you don’t want to keyword stuff either. That’s when you throw a bunch of keywords in your bio without creating a good experience for potential followers. You can use keywords and inform people of what you do. Here’s a good example.
Amanda Auler is a self-published author who writes young adult fantasies. “Self published author” and “YA fantasy” are two keywords that Amanda includes in her profile. She also has “Indie Author” and “Free short story” which can lead to more visibility.
People who use those keywords to find Amanda are likely to be interested in what she does. You’re not looking up “YA fantasy” unless you enjoy the genre. You’ll get bonus points if you pick a specific niche like Amanda. She could have just said she is an author, but YA Fantasy sets expectations for her followers while putting her profile in search results for that keyword.
2. Having multiple links in your bio
Most businesses make money by attracting Instagram followers to their websites. Some companies want you to provide a business email address so you can be put into a marketing funnel. Other business owners want you to schedule appointments. Founders may also want to promote their books.
You can only include one link in your profile, but there are two useful workarounds. The first option is to periodically change your link based on what you want to prioritize. If you launched a new book and want to maximize your pre-orders, you can change the link to promote your book. Once the book promotion concludes, you can then change the link back to your opt-in page or appointment scheduler.
However, it is possible to have multiple links in your profile if you use a workaround like Linktree. This tool creates a small directory of links. Once people click on your Linktree, they get brought over to a small menu of options. People can then click the options in your Linktree and go to different web pages on your site. Also, consider adding a link to your digital business card to share more information about your brand and expand your network.
The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the many organizations that use Linktree. I’d argue that there’s too much going on, as the options can be overwhelming. It’s optimal to have 3-5 choices and prioritize the web pages that make your company the most amount of money.
Although the LA Clippers Linktree has too many choices, the NBA team leads with its Playoff Tickets sales page. Leading with a call-to-action that leads to sales is a great approach. You can include a free resource, but make sure you prioritize the content that generates the highest ROI.
3. Comment on other people’s Instagram posts
Have you found yourself scrolling through comments sections on various Instagram posts or videos? If you have, you aren’t alone. People read comments to see what others are saying and enter dialogue.
The top comments on popular posts can end up with thousands of likes. Leaving quality comments on numerous posts each day can result in a steady trickle of new followers. However, some posts are better than others.
Business owners should prioritize posts from people who attract their ideal customers. If you host a basketball YouTube channel, you may want to comment on posts from the LA Clippers. Young adult fantasy authors may want to engage in the comments section for Amanda Auler’s posts.
You should look for individuals and businesses in your industry that have thousands of followers. While some people naturally focus on influencers with millions of followers, you can attract the right followers by using this strategy with people who have 10,000 followers.
Following this strategy for 30 minutes each day can lead to meaningful long-term results. It’s even better if you set notifications on your smartphone so Instagram lets you know when these people post. Being one of the first commenters increases the likelihood of becoming the top comment for that post.
4. Reshape your Instagram posts on Pinterest
You don’t have to limit your growth to Instagram. Once you create a picture on Instagram, you can easily reshare it on Pinterest.
While Instagram is the top photo-sharing platform, Pinterest is no slouch. The company closed out Q1 2024 with 518 million monthly active users. You already did the hard work of creating an image and a caption. You might as well take those content assets and distribute them on other platforms.
5. Use highlight to make your IG stories evergreen
Instagram Stories only last for 24 hours before they no longer show up in your profile. Posting stories each day can keep you top of mind, but you can still use your old stories.
Instagram has a Stories Highlight feature that lets you group Instagram stories and display them on your profile forever. Guide to Investing does this well with four Instagram Stories Highlights: Tips, Motivation, Growth, and Books.
Using categories like these can keep people on your profile longer and prompt them to visit your website. These are some of the categories small businesses can consider:
- Customer Testimonials
- Behind the Scenes
- Discounts
- Industry News
- Products
Having multiple categories can also make it easier to create more Instagram Stories. Guide to Investing has four category ideas for each future story. Following the same approach for your business while producing stand-out Instagram stories can keep prospects engaged.
6. Post other people’s content in your Instagram stories
It’s normal for businesses to blank on a good Instagram story. You can come up with many ideas in a given week, but you may not feel like creating an Instagram Story on some days.
Even when you don’t create your own story, you can still show up by sharing someone else’s post in your story. Sharing insightful Instagram posts in your stories accomplishes several goals. You will be in front of your audience more often, which will make them more likely to become customers in the future.
Business owners benefit from more engagement, but they also get to interact with other business owners and content creators. If you tag the original poster in your Instagram story, that person or business will receive a notification.
Some people you mention may reshare your story with their audiences to demonstrate social proof. Sharing other people’s posts in your stories can also lead to new collaborations and partnerships.
7. Schedule your Instagram posts in advance
Business owners manage many tasks, and it can be easy to forget about your daily Instagram posts. You don’t have to post every day if it means losing consistency, but most businesses should post at least three times per week. This frequency is more manageable but also makes your audience more familiar with your content.
Instead of writing new posts each day, you can schedule your Instagram posts in bulk. Picking a day to schedule 1-2 week’s worth of Instagram content can save you a lot of time. You can create and gather the necessary pictures and write captions in a single work session. Then, you can focus on other tasks until your next content batch day.
In case, you use multiple systems, be careful to not put your Instagram logged in if it isn’t a trusted source. Just remember, maintaining security is crucial; knowing what to do if your Instagram account gets hacked can save your efforts.
This is especially important because compromised accounts can be used to spread misinformation or launch phishing attacks. Learning how to protect yourself from identity theft is a valuable step in online safety.
Keyhole makes it easy to schedule Instagram posts and stay on top of every social network under one dashboard. This centralized approach can save you plenty of time, and you’ll also receive analytics from each platform. Keyhole allows businesses like the USTA, Billboard, and L’Oreal to determine what’s working for their social media strategies.
A Keyhole account lets you manage two social profiles. You’ll get more social profiles, unlimited users, and other perks if you use any of the paid plans.
8. Review your analytics
Your social media analytics offer insights into what is working for your Instagram strategy. You can see which posts got the most engagement and what times of day work the best for your audience.
A data-driven approach does not guarantee success. However, it increases the probability of achieving desirable outcomes. Instagram stats can help you reverse engineer what works and do those activities more often.
KeyHole offers advanced social media analytics and lets you see the data from all of your social networks in one place. While businesses with more room in their budgets may want to consider this choice, you can get plenty of data from the Instagram app. You can see your top posts and check the audience insights for additional metrics.
9. Collaborate with micro-influencers
You can grow your Instagram audience on your own, but this growth hack can accelerate your visibility and translate into more blog traffic. Having micro influencers share your content will put you in front of more people. Joining forces with micro influencers in your industry increases the likelihood that any new followers are interested in your content and industry.
Micro influencers are Instagram users with 10,000 to 100,000 followers. These accounts aren’t the first ones most people think of for sponsorship deals. However, these influencers are easier to connect with since fewer people inquire about sponsorship deals. Furthermore, micro influencers with high engagement rates tend to have attentive followers. These followers may interact with your sponsored post to support the micro influencer.
Before working with a micro influencer, check their recent posts to gauge what type of engagement they get. Some people have 50,000 followers but only receive 10 likes and 1 comment per post. However, there are also accounts with 10,000 followers who receive 500 likes and 20 comments for every post. Engagement matters more than account size.
10. Use strategic giveaways to generate tractions
Running giveaways do a good job of bringing more attention to your brand. You can invite people to like at least three of your recent Instagram posts and leave a comment on the giveaway post to be eligible. This engagement will lead to more visibility for the giveaway post, and you can also get a boost for your older posts.
What you decide to giveaway will impact your visibility, engagement rates, and what happens after the giveaway. If you announce a $50 Amazon Gift card giveaway, you’ll attract all corners of the internet who won’t turn down the chance of receiving free money for very little effort. However, these people won’t care much about your brand after the giveaway concludes. You can use Giveaway tools like Rafflekey as well.
An author has a better chance of attracting targeted followers if they run book giveaways instead of Amazon Gift card giveaways. You will attract fewer followers with a more targeted giveaway, but they are more likely to become customers.
If you ship a physical product like a book for the giveaway winner, send it with a handwritten letter. People remember letters because they take more effort than a simple text. Enchanting your followers can turn them into loyal fans who eagerly share your content and possibly become customers.
Get more traction on Instagram
Instagram is a hot platform for companies that want to get more leads and sales. More than 2.4 billion people use the app each month, and many of those users also log into the app daily.
Attracting more followers and keeping them engaged can result in daily visibility for your core audience. As your posts get more engagement, the Instagram algorithm will go to work and share your content with more people.
Business owners who are looking for the right tool to assist them may want to consider Keyhole. This social media management tool helps business owners get a pulse of what their audiences are saying. Keyhole’s Social Listening feature keeps companies up to date on what people are saying about their brands, the industry, and other topics.
Author bio
Marc Guberti is a digital marketing freelance writer and Certified Personal Finance Counselor. He offers advertising services for small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I speed up my Instagram growth?
Posting on Instagram more often and reviewing your analytics can help you get more Instagram followers. You can also accelerate your INstagram growth by engaging with other accounts, partnering with micro influencers, and running giveaways.
2. How do I beat the Instagram algorithm?
You can see which posts are showing up the most often and use them as inspiration. Posting more often will give you more data. Each data point offers additional information on how you can beat the algorithm.
3. Should you post every day on Instagram?
Posting on Instagram every day will lead to more engagement. However, daily posts only make sense if your company can handle the workload and if you have a plan for turning your followers into customers.
