Ever wonder how your competitors built such a large number of followers on Instagram? We’ll look at 5 ways to help you increase your visibility on Instagram too.
It may fall short of Facebook’s 1.2 billion members, but Instagram remains one of the most popular and widely used social media networks. Business owners can leverage the power of this network by maintaining an active presence and posting new content on a regular basis. But it takes more than just a handful of photos to attract a strong following on Instagram.
Image via http://blog.instagram.com
#Hashtags
Twitter originally pioneered the use hashtags, but since then many other social media networks have adopted the feature, including Instagram. Adding 2-3 relevant hashtags to each piece of content you post will make them easier for users to find. And when users are able to find your content more easily, you’ll naturally attract more followers. It’s just that simple.
Regrams
Who says you have to manually create and upload each new photo to your Instagram account? Much like Twitter allows its users to “retweet” other users’ content, Instagram users can “regram” content. Simply navigate to the photo you wish to regram and press the repost button. Look for relevant content that has a high number of likes and comments and regram it on your account.
@Mentions
If you are publishing a photo or video about another brand or person on Instagram, include that user’s name via an @mention. A study done by Simply Measured found that Instagram posts with mentions received 56% more engagement that posts without them. You won’t always be able to include a mention in your posts, but there are certainly times when it’s acceptable.
Split-Test Filters
Instagram has dozens of different filters, some of which will enhance your images with greater clarity, whereas others adjust the color or hue. So, which filter is the best? Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer to this question, as studies have found conflicting results. With that said, you should experiment by A-B split testing the same image with different filters to see what works and what doesn’t. Take notice of the number of likes, comments and regrams your content receives.
Interact With Other Users
This tip works for all social media networks. By interacting with other users, you’ll increase your brand’s exposure while attracting more followers in the process. Search for content that’s related to your niche and add constructive comments to it. Even if it’s just “What a great photo! Thanks for sharing,” a comment goes a long ways in boosting your social media visibility.
