A recent question posed to us was how can a business stand out from the crowd on Instagram? When the platform calls simply for sharing images, it’s hard to stand out as easy as it would be on Facebook and Twitter with post varieties. So, here are some of our top tips on how we think you can begin to stand out from the crowd:-
- Make sure your profile impresses: this is something we’d encourage for Facebook and Twitter, so why should it be any different on Instagram? Get the bio right (avoid being boring) and make sure your profile picture itself gives you a good advantage. Did you know this image is shared on your friends feeds when you post and comment? So make sure it’s working for you.
- Use those hashtags! Instagram is basically the mother of the hashtag – it’s how you search on the platform, unlike other social media platforms where you can search also for words or phrases. So, make sure your hashtags are relevant, don’t go crazy on the amount and if you can, create one specific to your brand that you can use in all images.
- Post consistently – no need to post daily, but regular and consistent is key. On other platforms we’d recommend posting daily or more than once a day, but Instagram is a different being. Perhaps post 3 to 4 times a week, keeping a nice steady feed of images for your followers – no spamming as they’ll probably just unfollow you.
- Engage with your followers – same as on Facebook, get chatting, creating networks and relationships. Don’t just post and run.
- Create great photographs – this doesn’t mean you need to be a pro at photography, your smart phone should have a good enough camera! So take a look online for some tips on how to get create photos for social media, and utilise the filters that Instragram provide. Avoid feeling like you need to use them all of the time though, sometimes less is more.
- This next point is important from a business point of view – think of working with Instagram alongside a theme. When a potential new follower looks at your account, the initial first impression will be based on scrolling fairly quickly down your feed. Create a theme that promotes professionalism alongside your brand, showing that you’re not haphazardly posting as and when. Take a look at this account by cestmaria as an example.
- Be creative! Have fun with those photos = remember how Instagram line them up, so your photos can tell a story in grid format. Play about and have fun.
This is just a few of our favourite Instagram tips, keep your eyes out for more in the future!