How do i get more engagement on instagram
How to Increase Engagement on Instagram in 2022
Instagram Tips & Resources
By Jessica Worb
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Updated on May 6, 2022
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10 minute read
Your fast-pass ticket to more likes, comments, and shares on Instagram.
Published December 1, 2021
Are you wondering how to increase your engagement on Instagram in 2022?
From creating memes to hosting giveaways — there are tons of tactics to engage with your community and see your metrics skyrocket.
Ready to see what content gets the most engagement on Instagram? Here are 11 tried-and-tested ways to increase your Instagram engagement in 2022:
How to Get More Engagement on Instagram in 2022Engage With Your Audience Through Instagram Stories Stickers
Create and Share Relatable Memes
Create Saveable Graphics
Share Valuable Information in Carousel Posts
Include Call to Actions In Your Captions
Let Your Personality Shine Through on Instagram Stories
Host an Enticing Giveaway
Collab on Instagram Reels
Think About What Will Inspire Your Community With the Add Yours Sticker
Post When Your Audience Is Most Engaged
Use Relevant Hashtags
Instagram Stories stickers are a great way to encourage your followers to engage with you, which, in turn, helps create a loyal following that feels connected to your brand.
On stories, there are a number of quick and easy stickers to use like polls, questions, countdowns, quizzes, and emoji sliders to name a few.
One of the most engaging uses of Instagram Stories stickers is the question sticker.
The Instagram Stories questions sticker allows you to have direct conversations with your followers. You can prompt your followers to ask you questions on a certain topic or you can open the floor entirely.
One way you can use the sticker is by hosting an AMA (ask me anything).
The trend made popular on Reddit in the early 2000s has heavily made its way onto the Instagram Stories scene.
You’ll be surprised at how much engagement you’ll get from this simple little questions box. Instagram users like to feel like they’re part of something bigger. And opening up the floor to answering their questions is a great way to do that.
Once you’ve collected all of the questions, don’t forget to hop on your stories to answer them.
Each time one of your followers interacts with a sticker, it counts as engagement! So, why not tap on a sticker on your next Instagram story?
#2: Create and Share Relatable MemesMemes are the way to every user's heart.
They're funny, creative, and relatable. And in 2022, relatability is where it's at.
Simply put: Instagram users want to feel seen and heard.
And with the right meme, your audience will be liking, commenting, and sharing your post with their friends.
Regardless of your niche or industry, the opportunity to create a meme is there.
You can use branded text and a trending photo that ties into your content pillars, like Melanie Laurene:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Later: Visual Social Marketing (@latermedia)
Or source on-brand user-generated content (UGC) and credit the original creator like Later:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Later: Visual Social Marketing (@latermedia)
Whether it's someone reposting the meme on their Instagram Story or sending it to a friend, the more people who share your post, the more engagement you'll see.
Wondering where to start? See Later's top tips for creating Instagram memes here.
Start scheduling your Instagram memes with Later today!
#3: Create Saveable GraphicsQuotes, graphics, and repurposed tweets are everywhere on Instagram – and they're perfect for driving engagement.
You’ll find that Instagram users love to share quotes on their stories — especially if they’re both moving and aesthetically pleasing.
A recent trend is repurposing tweets into Instagram feed posts. This type of content is really engaging and popular on Instagram. Ironic, we know.
Similar to meme creation, these sorts of graphics don’t require many resources.
Even if you don’t have Twitter, there are many templates you can use to make it look like a tweet.
Designer or not, you’ve got this!
#4: Share Valuable Information in Carousel PostsCarousel posts are an engagement gold mine.
Instagram carousels allow you to share up to 10 pictures, videos, and text graphics with your audience in one post.
There are so many creative ways to use carousel posts. it's sharing educational content or supporting a social cause, carousel posts that offer some sort of value can help drive saves and shares.
Think about it: each slide in your carousel post is an opportunity to drive engagement – it's a 10-in-1 kind of deal.
#5: Include Call to Actions In Your CaptionsCall to actions (CTAs) continue to stand the test of time.
Including a CTA, more specifically, a direct question, in your caption is a sure way to get more Instagram engagement:
But remember to ask a genuine question.
You don't want your audience to think it's simply an engagement tactic. That's a big no-no.
For example, if you share a selfie asking your followers what their favorite food is, it can look like you’re on the hunt for comments and comments alone.
Whereas if you share a genuine anecdote and follow it up with a relevant question, your community is more likely to respond in your comments.
You can be creative with your questions. You can ask for advice, recommendations (restaurants, vacation spots, books), or what type of content they want to see from you.
Another way to drive engagement with CTAs is by encouraging your audience to click the link in your Instagram bio.
Since you can’t include direct links in your Instagram feed post captions, using a link in bio tool, like Later’s Linkin.bio, is a great way to combat this.
With Linkin.bio by Later, you can build a clickable version of your Instagram feed, along with the option to add customizable button links:
When your followers click the link in your bio, they’ll be able to tap on any image or button and be directed straight to the links you’ve added.
This can be a landing page for a product launch, a blog post, your YouTube channel, and so much more.
Ready to drive more traffic from Instagram? Join Later today to turn your Instagram feed into a clickable landing page!
#6: Let Your Personality Shine Through on Instagram StoriesIf you want to drive engagement with your community, bringing your personality to Instagram is a great place to start.
Stories are the perfect format for chatty, informal interactions – share a personal anecdote, ask questions, and show your face!
The popular podcaster and influencer @lexniko frequently jumps on her Instagram Stories to talk with her community directly:
Likewise, as a brand account, Later’s social team shows up on stories with tips or behind-the-scenes content:
As a brand, it’s important to show your face every once in a while. Your followers want to see that you’re more than a logo.
People tend to be more engaged when they see a face pop up on a brand account’s stories. If you're wondering where to start, here are 25 Instagram stories ideas to start building that engagement.
If you want to take your Instagram Stories strategy to the next level, try planning them out in advance.
With Later’s Instagram Stories scheduler, you can prep a whole week’s worth of stories in one go.
Set aside time in your day to batch film stories content — maybe that’s you talking to the camera about an upcoming sale or an upcoming project.
Next, upload your stories into Later’s Media Library. You can quickly drag and drop your videos into the right order, resize them, add links, and set a time for posting.
It really is as simple as it sounds.
Storyboard, plan, and schedule your Instagram Stories with Later today — available on all paid plans.
#7: Host an Enticing GiveawayEveryone loves free stuff. We don’t make the rules.
And with this knowledge, it only makes sense to include giveaways in your Instagram strategy.
But, not just any giveaway.
In 2022, giveaways need to be intentional, enticing to both your existing and target audience, and authentic to your brand.
Whether it’s a product, service, or experience, with the right prize up for grabs, you’ll be racking up the engagement.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Later: Visual Social Marketing (@latermedia)
If the goal for your giveaway is to increase engagement, the tag/follow/share entry requirement format may be best.
It’s a straightforward and clear way to gain tons of engagement on a single post.
#8: Collab on Your Instagram Reels
Instagram Collabs are a new way to boost engagement on Instagram — especially on Reels, which are only growing more popular.
The Collabs feature allows you to invite someone to collaborate on a Feed post or Reel, so they can share the content with their followers.
Essentially, you can co-author content with a fellow Instagram user, and the post will show up on both of your profiles.
This way, you’ll be able to share views, likes, and comments – allowing you to leverage and engage with each other’s communities.
With the introduction of the Add Yours sticker it’s now easier than ever to create a viral challenge with your audience and beyond.
From the recent tree planting fiasco to creators encouraging users to share embarrassing childhood pictures, the Add Yours sticker has already made big waves.
Even Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, is taking part:
If you’re a lifestyle brand, you can ask your audience to share their favorite home decor trend.
If you’re a skincare company, you can ask your followers to share their morning routine.
Or if you’re a photographer, you can ask your audience to share their favorite photos.
The sky’s the limit with this new trendy feature – you could reach hundreds of new accounts from one single sticker. Talk about engagement.
#10: Post When Your Audience Is Most EngagedPosting when your audience is most engaged is a great tactic for boosting engagement. According to Later, the best time to post on Instagram is 6 AM - however, your own personal best time will vary based on your audience's behavior.
So, how do you know when your audience is most engaged?
You could manually track when you post on Instagram, and see how your content performs over time in an Excel sheet or Google Doc.
However, if you want to skip the experiments you can make life easier with Later’s Best Time to Post feature:
It automatically calculates your top posting times based on your best performing posts from the recent month – game-changer!
Later’s Best Time to Post feature is available on all paid plans.
Upgrade now to find the best days and times to post on Instagram for maximum engagement.
Hashtags are, first and foremost, a reach tactic – but greater reach typically equals higher engagement levels.
Without a doubt, hashtags should be part of your strategy.
In a recent Later study, results showed that posts with 30 Instagram hashtags received the highest engagement rates, on average.
The trick to encouraging the most engagement possible? Make sure your hashtags are tapping into niche communities that resonate with you content.
TIP: Use Later’s Instagram hashtag tool, Hashtag Suggestions, to help find relevant hashtags.
There it is — 11 ways you can creatively increase your Instagram engagement.
Next time you’re planning and strategizing your content, try to incorporate these tips and watch the engagement roll in!
Sign up to Later and start scheduling your Instagram posts today! Your Instagram engagement will grow in no time.
About the Author
Jessica Worb
Jessica is a creative content writer and marketer. She lives and works remotely from Winnipeg, a city smack dab in the middle of Canada. Follow along at @jessicaworb.
Plan, schedule, and automatically publish your social media posts with Later.
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How to Calculate (and Improve) Instagram Engagement
What is Instagram engagement?
How to calculate Instagram engagement
What is a good Instagram engagement rate?
How to increase Instagram engagement: 23 useful tips
If you’re using Instagram for business, you know it’s more than just a platform for sharing your best product pics.
With one billion people using Instagram every month, it’s a powerful tool to build your brand and cultivate an audience online.
But to reap the rewards, you don’t just need an audience: You need engagement. You need comments, shares, likes and other actions that prove your content resonates with the people who see it.
And engagement only works when it’s genuine — coming from real people who really care.
You’re not going to find any tips here about getting into an “engagement group” or “engagement pod,” buying likes, or anything like that. That just doesn’t work — and we should know! We tried it!
The reality is there’s no shortcut to quality engagement. You get out of social media what you put in. So take the time to craft that great post, encourage conversation, and genuinely connect with your followers.
Read on for proven ways to make an impact with your Instagram audience and build strong, lasting engagement organically. We’ve even included a free Instagram engagement calculator!
Bonus: Use our free engagement rate calculator to find out your engagement rate 4 ways fast.
Calculate it on a post-by-post basis or for an entire campaign — for any social network.
Instagram engagement measures the interactions that your audience has with your content. It’s more than counting views or followers — engagement is about action.
On Instagram, engagement is measured by a range of metrics, such as:
- Comments
- Shares
- Likes
- Saves
- Followers and growth
- Mentions (tagged or untagged)
- Branded hashtags
- Click-throughs
- DMs
Check out our complete list of social media metrics and how to track them here.
Actions like these evidence that people aren’t just seeing your content. They’re interested in what you have to say.
Why do we care about engagement?
First of all, it means that your content is making an impact on your audience.
(They like you, they really like you!)
Secondly, strong engagement is a key factor in Instagram’s algorithm. The higher the engagement, the more likely the content will be boosted in the newsfeed, attracting more eyes and attention.
How to calculate Instagram engagement
Your Instagram engagement rate measures the amount of interaction your content earns relative to your followers or reach.
In other words, it shows the percentage of people who saw your post and engaged with it.
Depending on your social media goals, there are a few different ways to get to that number. You can calculate your Instagram engagement rate by impressions, posts, reach, or followers.
At its core, the engagement rate formula is pretty simple. Divide the total number of likes and comments on a post by your follower count (or post impressions, or reach) and then multiply by 100.
Engagement rate = (Interactions / Audience) x 100
Use Instagram’s Insights tool, Hootsuite analytics, or another Instagram analytics tool to grab the raw data.
Once you’ve got your stats, use our free Instagram engagement rate calculator to crunch those numbers.
Bonus: Use our free engagement rate calculator to find out your engagement rate 4 ways fast. Calculate it on a post-by-post basis or for an entire campaign — for any social network.
All you need to use this calculator is Google Sheets. Click the “File” tab and select “Make a copy” to start filling in the fields.
To measure engagement on a single post, input “1” in “No. of Posts.” To calculate the engagement rate of several posts, input the total number of posts in “No. of Posts.”
If you want an even easier way to calculate Instagram engagement, we recommend heading straight to your Hootsuite dashboard.
Not only can you view all of your key metrics (including engagement rate) for Instagram and other social networks at a glance, but you can also:
- Improve engagement rate. Hootsuite has integrated tools like Canva, a hashtag generator, and templates that help you beat writer’s block.
- Save a ton of time by scheduling feed posts, carousels, Reels, and Stories ahead of time, even if you’re off the clock. Plus, bulk schedule up to 350 posts at once to avoid content gaps.
- Reach more people by posting at the right time. Hootsuite will tell you the best time to post based on when your followers are the most active, so you always get the most engagement.
- See which posts work best and measure your success with detailed analytics tools.
- Simplify your planning with a calendar showing you all scheduled content for Instagram and other networks.
Try Hootsuite free for 30 days
What is a good Instagram engagement rate?Instagram itself is coy about what a “good” engagement rate is. But most social media marketing experts agree that strong engagement is anywhere from around 1% to 5%. Hootsuite’s own social media team reported an average Instagram engagement rate of 4.
59% in 2020.
Here are the global average Instagram engagement rates for business accounts as of October 2022:
- All Instagram post types: 0.54%
- Instagram photo posts: 0.46%
- Video posts: 0.61%
- Carousel posts: 0.62%
On average, carousels are the most engaging type of Instagram post — but just barely.
Follower count can also affect your Instagram engagement rate. Here are the average engagement rates per number of followers of Instagram business accounts as of October 2022:
- Fewer than 10,000 followers: 0.76%
- 10,000 – 100,000 followers: 0.63%
- More than 100,000%: 0.49%
Typically, the more followers you have, the less engagement you get. That’s why “smaller” Instagram influencers with a high engagement rate are often a better bet for influencer marketing partnerships.
Curious about engagement rates on other social networks? Check out Hootsuite’s Digital 2022 report (October update) for more performance benchmarking data.
How to increase Instagram engagement: 23 useful tipsTip 1: Get to know your audienceIt’s hard to make great content if you don’t know who you’re making it for.
The demographics of your target audience will help define the type of content you post, your brand voice, and even what days and times to publish.
For example, offbeat indie clothing label Fashion Brand Company targets people with a bold sense of humor. Both product offerings and the tone of its posts reflect that.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Fashion Brand Co Inc Global (@fashionbrandcompany)
For more info on identifying your audience, check out our guide to conducting audience research.
Being honest and relatable is better than being perfectly polished on social media. Share content that goes beyond slick marketing campaigns. It’s time to introduce the real people and experiences behind your brand.
That might mean sharing behind-the-scenes footage or writing a cheeky caption. It might also look like taking ownership of any mistakes.
This meme shared by A Practical Wedding garnered thousands of shares and comments. Looks like their audience found the less-than-perfect joke about wedding culture ultra-relatable.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by A Practical Wedding (@apracticalwedding)
Most people appreciate honesty over perfection… after all, don’t you?
Find more tips for sharing your authentic side here.
Instagram, in case you didn’t notice, is a visual medium. And while you don’t need to be an Annie Leibovitz to thrive on the platform, creating images that stand out from the news feed is important.
Even if you’re not a great photographer or graphic designer, there are a million tools to help you give your pic a little oomph.
You can edit photos directly in Hootsuite and add text and filters. (Or use one of these many other apps to take your Instagram posts to the next level.)
This image promoting Fast Company’s Creative Conversation podcast takes a standard headshot of model Ashley Graham and gives it a creative graphic treatment that helps it pop.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Fast Company (@fastcompany)
Tip 4: Post carousels
Once you’ve gotten the hang of creating eye-catching images, try posting a few with carousels.
Carousels — Instagram posts with multiple images — are a great way to build engagement. (As luck would have it, we have some beautiful Instagram Carousel templates right here!)
Hootsuite’s own social team finds that their carousel posts get 3.1x more engagement, on average, than their regular posts. Globally, carousels have the highest average engagement rate of all types of Instagram posts (0.62%).
The algorithm re-serves these posts to followers who didn’t engage the first time around. That means carousels give you a second (or third!) chance to make an impression.
Hack: Create your carousels in advance and schedule them for publication at the optimal time with Hootsuite. For step-by-step instructions, check out our guide to posting to Instagram from a PC or Mac.
Tip 5: Post video contentVideo is both eye-catching and engaging. So engaging, in fact, that posts with video receive about 32% more engagement than images.
Here’s a video from Carly Rae Jepsen, sharing some images from a new photoshoot set to music. How can you look away?!
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Carly Rae Jepsen (@carlyraejepsen)
Don’t overthink it, though. Video content doesn’t have to be overly polished or perfectly edited. (Remember that “authenticity” tip from earlier?) Shoot now, give it a quick edit, and get it out into the world.
There are a million tools to help you combine scenes or add music or text. We recommend downloading a free or paid video editing app, like InShot or Magisto. We’ve got plenty of other suggestions on our list of the best Instagram apps for business.
Tip 6: Write strong captionsA picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand words are… also worth a thousand words.
Instagram captions can be up to 2,200 characters long and include up to 30 hashtags. Use ’em! Good captions add context and showcase your brand’s personality.
Nike tells a compelling story with its caption here and asks its followers to share their own stories in the comments.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Nike (@nike)
Get our tips for crafting the perfect caption here.
Tip 7: Create saveable contentCreating reference material your audience will want to save in their Collections can also earn you a little engagement boost.
Instagram account So You Want to Talk About creates accessible reference material on complex topics. These posts are perfect for saving in a Collection or Story Highlight.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by So.Informed (@so.informed)
Add a “Save this post” call-to-action to a carousel post with tips, a how-to guide or a recipe video to encourage users to revisit this content later.
Tip 8: Go liveUsing Instagram Live to stream live video is a great way to connect directly to users, share news and build engagement.
29.5% of all internet users between 16 and 64 watch a livestream each week. Your audience is there — give ’em what they want!
With Live video, you can answer questions live, welcome viewers by name and generally welcome your audience into your world in an intimate, engaging way. You can also build an ecommerce audience with Instagram’s Live Shopping feature.
Here’s our Instagram Live how-to guide for getting your broadcast going.
Source: Instagram
Posting product pics every day will get a little old after a while. Mix it up with a varied content schedule.
Contests, polls, questions and quizzes break the routine and encourage your audience to get involved and active.
Hi Alyssa Comics, for instance, did a custom card giveaway to celebrate a follower milestone, prompting users to share and interact with the post.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by comics by alyssa (@hialyssacomics)
Find more Instagram post ideas here.
Tip 10: Share audience contentSure, treating your Instagram account like a one-way street is tempting.
But social media is a conversation, not a broadcast. Make sure you’re listening and engaging with fans when they reach out.
One great way to do that is to repost or share audience content. If someone tags your tequila brand in a post about a wild Margarita Monday, share that post in your story.
The Las Culturistas podcast shared listener compliments of its 12 Days of Culture holiday countdown in its own Instagram Stories. A shout-out within a shout-out, like a little Stories Inception.
Source: LasCulturistas
They’ll feel thrilled you were listening, and other followers may be compelled to tag you in their content.
Make sure you don’t miss a mention with the help of Hootsuite or other social listening tools for business.
Tip 11: Create custom stickers and filtersSprinkle a little of your brand dust onto other users’ posts by making custom stickers and filters available in Stories.
Sephora launched a special “Holiday Beauty Q&A” AR filter for fans to use on their own Stories over Christmas. Features like this help spread the Sephora brand and build community.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sephora (@sephora)
Here’s a step-by-step for making your own AR filters here.
Tip 12: Respond to questions and commentsWhen the comments start flying in, it’s only polite to respond.
When you join the conversation, your followers feel seen, heard, and excited to chat with you again.
Sunscreen brand Supergoop prompts followers to share their favorite products in this post. But they also chime in to share recommendations and offer support for everyone’s choices.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Supergoop! (@supergoop)
To track any indirect mentions happening outside your page, just set up search streams on your Hootsuite dashboard. That way, you don’t miss a chance to keep the conversation going.
Bonus: Use our free engagement rate calculator to find out your engagement rate 4 ways fast. Calculate it on a post-by-post basis or for an entire campaign — for any social network.
Get the calculator now!
Tip 13: Get experimentalYou’ll never find out what works best for your brand until you test, measure and tweak.
The beauty of social media is that it’s made for experimentation. If something works, you know pretty quickly; if it’s a flop, lesson learned with little risk.
So get creative… just keep a close eye on metrics to see the impact of your grand ideas. Dig into our guide to social media A/B testing here.
Tip 14: Post consistently and at strategic timesThe more you post, the more opportunities your followers have to engage. Commit to a consistent schedule to keep your feed fresh and your followers intrigued.
Of course, posting consistently at the right times is key, too. Because if you’ve got a post going up when your audience is asleep, you might struggle.
Here’s our guide to finding the best time to post on Instagram for your audience.
Tip 15: Drive traffic from other sourcesGet your Instagram handle out there in the world everywhere you can. You can share it in your Twitter bio, include it in your email signature, and throw it in your company newsletter.
This London account (alas, not the city) uses its Twitter bio to drive attention to its Instagram handle and content.
The more people you point towards the platform, the more chances for engagement.
Tip 16: Start the conversationYou wouldn’t just wait to be spoken to at a dinner party (a fun one, anyways), right? Some of the time, you’d be prompting the conversation.
The same goes for Instagram. Responding to questions and comments is great; getting out there and starting convos on other posts and pages is even better.
Think of it as a balance of reactive (responding) and proactive (conversation-starting) action.
Tip 17: Create topical contentIf there’s already a buzz around a current event or holiday, squeeze yourself into that conversation.
Taylor Swift’s pandemic albums got everyone talking about cottagecore, and clothing brand Farewell Frances took advantage of the opportunity. Tagging coats with #cottagecoreaesthetic allowed them to align themselves with the conversation.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Farewell Frances (@farewellfrances)
If there’s a trending hashtag involved, you’ve got an instant hook.
Tip 18: Get active on Instagram StoriesInstagram Stories have incredible reach. Half a billion people use Stories every day, and 58% of users say they’ve become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories.
Satirical news site Reductress shares its cheeky headlines in posts and Stories. That means two different opportunities to capture readers’ attention.
Source: Reductress
Not only will people be watching, but with Stories, you can engage with stickers.
Questions, Polls and Countdowns are all opportunities to connect directly with your fans.
Here are some creative Instagram Story ideas to get you started. Plus, we’ve got all the hacks and features every master Instagrammer should know.
Tip 19: Add strong calls to actionWant more engagement on your posts? Sometimes, it just comes down to asking nicely.
Welks General Store didn’t just tell the world it had puzzles with this post. It gave specific information about how to purchase them.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Welks General Store (@welksonmain)
When done with care, a compelling call to action can prompt activity, likes, responses or shares. Check out our guide to writing the CTA of your dreams here.
Tip 20: Harness the power of hashtagsInstagram hashtags are a double-edged sword.
Used correctly, you can drive some serious traffic and build buzz. Overdo it, and you come off looking spammy.
Be thoughtful and strategic about the hashtags you use. You can use them to reach a specific community, join a trending conversation, push a campaign or identify your service offerings.
Illustrator Cecile Dormeau, for example, tags her sweet drawings with both art-related hashtags and mental-health ones.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Cécile Dormeau (@cecile.dormeau)
The consensus is that 11 or fewer hashtags are the right number to look professional but not desperate. More info on making the most of Instagram hashtags over here.
Tip 21: Boost your postsGetting your post in front of more eyeballs is a good way to increase the odds you connect with the right audience.
You might even increase your follower count while you’re at it.
With a potential audience of more than 928 million users on Instagram, your next superfan could be out there, just waiting to discover what you have to offer.
Using Instagram ads or boosted posts can be a strategic way to get your name in front of the right people. Check out our Instagram ads guide here for more details on maximizing your reach.
Source: Instagram
Sometimes, the strongest engagement can happen in private.
Direct messages and story interactions are great opportunities to engage audiences and make direct connections. When someone reaches out in your DMs, make sure to reply and treat ’em right.
Tip 23: Embrace Instagram ReelsInstagram Reels joined the Insta fam in the summer of 2020 as an alternative to TikTok. With Reels, users can create and edit short multi-clip videos with audio and effects.
Drag artist Eureka O’Hara is using Reels here (well, a repurposed TikTok video within Reels, anyways) to promote an upcoming season of their show We’re Here.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Eureka! 💜🐘👑 (@eurekaohara)
Meta’s betting big on Reels, which means video posts are getting more love from the algorithm these days. More eyeballs mean thousands more people get to enjoy these sick dance moves.
Any new feature to social media tools typically gets a boost in the algorithm, so it’s in your best interest to try out the latest and greatest offerings. Reels are all over the Explore page, so embrace this new content form. You might just find yourself in front of some fresh faces.
Take a peek at ideas for memorable Reels here.
Whew! There you have it: your crash course on Instagram engagement. Check out our social media marketing guide for an even deeper dive into building a successful social strategy.
Increase your Instagram engagement rate using Hootsuite. Schedule and publish posts and Stories, respond to comments, measure your performance over time, and run all your other social media profiles — all from one simple dashboard. Try it free today.
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With files from Shannon Tien.
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9 proven ways to increase your Instagram reach
Why is there no Instagram reach? How to increase it and increase activity on Instagram? Known pain? For a few more years, answering these questions was as easy as shelling pears, but then the social network introduced the algorithmic principle of forming the feed, and everything broke down.
Let's go back to basics and talk about proven ways to increase reach and increase statistics on Instagram.
Find the optimal time for posting
Despite the algorithmic principle of creating a user feed, the moment of posting still has not lost its significance. The right time to post always helps boost your reach. Active engagement will tell the algorithms that the content needs to be shown to more people.
How to choose the best moment
The easiest way to do this is with the help of a business profile. Its owners have access to an advanced analytical tool - Instagram Insights. With it, you can understand when members of your target audience are most active.
Instagram user activity peak
User activity analysispng
According to observations, the best time to post on Instagram is evening, but there are no universal recipes, you still have to dig into analytics
If you need to increase the reach in a regular account, experiment with the post date: get a notepad and note when users react to the post most vigorously.
Manual analysis takes more time, but it is also a fairly accurate technique.
In order not to sit at the monitor waiting for the best time, use the delayed posting services.
Test aspect ratio
Numerous studies show that Instagram images get more likes and comments than videos. But on the basis of such analytics, it is impossible to draw unambiguous conclusions. Perhaps publishing only pictures is not suitable for a particular project.
What is the ambiguity
News Whip's user activity research shows that photos do generate more likes. But videos get about 2 times more comments than "hearts". No one really knows which of the factors is "more expensive" on Instagram. But if you follow the logic, you can draw an interesting conclusion. It takes more effort to write a comment than to get a like. Therefore, it can be assumed that content with a large number of comments has a priority in ranking, as it stimulates users better.
Ask questions and run contests
Polls and sweepstakes are classic promotions. They consistently provide good coverage on Instagram, as they form a motivated and direct call to the audience for “useful” actions for the account. The main thing is that polls and contests are really interesting and easy to perform.
Here are examples of successful ways to engage in activity:
- please show a funny thematic combination of emoji;
- call to mark on the page the user with the most creative signature in the account;
- flash mob “Tell me about the latest book/game/movie”;
- please draw a picture of a brand or event.
Burj Khalifa promotion
Instagram contest example
One of the most successful contests in our projects is the draw of two nights at the Burj Khalifa. Participants need to subscribe to the account, like and tag a friend in the comment
In order for the contests to consistently raise the asset on Instagram, you need to know when to stop.
One successful campaign does not mean that you should launch the next in a few days. Contests and surveys quickly get boring. Therefore, they should be carried out rarely, but with a really worthwhile idea.
How to administer sweepstakes on Instagram
Many novice bloggers and SMM professionals face this problem. A large number of participants is difficult to control. Any special service will help to simplify the task. Let's take You to Gift as an example. This is a fully automatic tool that will independently check the fulfillment of the conditions for participation and form a systematic user base.
The advantages of this service include:
- All features of the tool are free to use, making it accessible to everyone.
- Contests can be held in any popular format.
- The service has its own audience that will be happy to join the draw, and this can be considered free advertising.
- The platform uses a reliable randomizer.
Each user can be convinced of the objectivity of determining the winners.
It should be noted that You to Gift has enough competitors, so you can always choose the right assistant.
Work with user-generated content
Crowdtap research has shown that user-generated content is 50% more trusted and 35% more accepted by the audience. Own publications of commercial accounts are usually associated with advertising.
Therefore, it is highly recommended to establish communication with the target audience. Encouraging user-generated content isn't that hard. Post creativity and customer reviews on your page, offer discounts for product photos. Brainstorming will help you come up with a lot of successful motivators.
Post stories
Today even children know how to make stories. This is a very popular format that stimulates the activity of the audience well. Stories are above the main feed, so it's hard for users to "pass by".
It has already been noticed that popular stories are a powerful positive signal for Instagram algorithms.
Example of a survey in Stories
Instagram Stories
Activities can be combined. For example, in an automotive project, we conducted a survey in story
Use advertising
Despite all the obviousness of this recommendation, it is impossible not to talk about it. Promotion on social networks, including Instagram, is becoming more and more difficult. The most popular platforms have joined active monetization. Therefore, conditions are created in which significant success cannot be achieved without advertising.
Yes, Instagram ads are expensive, but you can work with them on a very limited budget. To do this, you need to learn to understand your target audience and set up internal targeting. Then even a small amount is enough to achieve significant coverage with the help of advertising.
Publish without fanaticism
Today, users are faced with an avalanche of content every day. If you load your audience with a lot of dubious posts, expect only a small reach on Instagram. It's always better to post a couple of really interesting photos than to fill your feed with mediocre pictures. Rare publications of high-quality content form the expectation of a holiday among subscribers, akin to information hunger.
If a social network is seen as a promising platform for promotion, forget about cross-posting and copying materials from other sites. For Instagram, you need to create an exclusive. They must exactly match the format and expectations of the target audience. Remember: bright visual images are most valued here.
Follow the trends
You can achieve genuine audience activity only if you follow the trends and maintain a truly live account. Business needs to use all available formats and tools.
For example, many people forget that new arrivals in an online store can be shown in stories. In the feed, it is worth making a carousel of beautiful product photos.
Live on Instagram
Sample Live
Live is an easy and inexpensive way to warm up your audience and answer burning questions
Another tool that is undeservedly rarely used to increase coverage is live broadcasts. It is not necessary to conduct long streams. It is enough to go live for a couple of minutes to show something really interesting or funny. Broadcasts are direct communication with the audience, which increases trust and engagement. Ethers also receive priority in the user's feed.
Automate
In the broadest sense of this concept, promotion on Instagram is the race to get the maximum audience coverage. Content creation, communication with users, analytics and other activities are only means to achieve the main goal.
Therefore, it is worth thinking about optimizing the promotion process on Instagram.
The use of various services to automate processes is the basis for effective work in social networks. Now there are a lot of tools, paid and free, that will help you publish materials at a given time, get a lot of analytical data, run contests, track competitors, and perform other useful functions.
Without their help, there is simply no time left to create interesting content. If you don’t want to be distracted from business processes in order to master these tools, write to professionals. The Ingate team is always ready to take your account to the next level.
The word is yours
Now you know how to increase your reach on Instagram on your own. It's not as difficult as it might seem. Perhaps you also know other ways to increase audience activity? Then share your experience in the comments.
SEE ALSO
Bowers & Wilkins case: how to promote headphones on Instagram and pass as an audiophile0003
How to Increase Instagram Activity: 7 Proven Tips
If you use Instagram for your business, then your analytics have probably noticed a decrease in subscriber loyalty to your content.
If you are faced with the fact that your content, products or promotions are less “liked” or commented by people, and the number of subscribers is growing differently than it was just recently - do not worry.
Not only you, but also other accounts faced the problem of a decrease in the activity of subscribers, regardless of popularity and audience coverage. Of course, given that Instagram plays a key role in promoting your brand or product, these statistics should worry you, so we hasten to calm your worries by offering 7 truly effective strategies to overcome the period of stagnation that will help take your audience of followers to a new level. growth, stimulate their interest in your products. But first, our tip number 1: for the most active and fruitful interaction with your audience, and therefore increase the number of customers, there is nothing better than regular, daily updates of your content!
Last summer, Instagram already experienced a decline in user activity, which was associated with the transition to an algorithmic feed, while it was expected that this innovation would improve connections between users on Instagram, but so far the results are not encouraging - a decrease in activity in various analytics parameters.
According to Instagram marketing expert Alex Tobo, while in the past Instagram users could count on a 3-5% increase in followers, at the moment this figure has dropped to 1-2%, and even large accounts with over 100,000 subscribers.
While it is difficult to determine what is the reason for the decrease in activity on Instagram, some experts believe that the new algorithm is to blame, while others blame the so-called "Instagram shadowban" (shadow ban), when Instagram for some reason removes your hashtags from hashtag search results, and sometimes even hides entire posts.
So, how to help yourself in this situation?
Instagram is a place where everyone competes with each other. In order for your content to find itself on the “Interesting” tab or in the top materials by hashtags, they must be appreciated by as many people as possible, which will be seen from the many “likes” and comments, which should be as many as possible. Since there are too many people like you on Instagram who want more user tags and comments, some of them are taking the path of least resistance, turning to popular services to help them increase the number of followers or tags on their posts.
These people are guided by this thought - “If I can’t get 2000 subscribers or likes within an hour, then why don’t I buy them in a bot service?”
In some cases, indeed, bots can be very useful for very busy people who are engaged in offline business and are not able to find enough free time to fully interact with Instagram followers, however, excessive use of bots can expose your account to serious risks, and here's why:
Recently, Instagram has updated its algorithm to be tougher on bots and accounts that use them. In fact, for several weeks now, users who have resorted to auto-comments, auto-add friends, etc. began to notice that their posts with hashtags were no longer displayed on the pages of search results for them. The fact is, if you use any automatic or bot program in your account, there is a chance that: a) Instagram will find out about it; b) You will be hidden or blocked. Therefore, we recommend that you opt out of their services because it is against Instagram's terms of use.
News timelines have already reported that Instagram penalizes the wrong, “spam” hashtag use or the use of banned hashtags. It is not yet known what this is connected with, with the official position or with a software glitch of the platform, but users have already noted that even if they insert one forbidden hashtag, their messages are still not displayed when the results for search hashtags are displayed, even if together with the forbidden one in the message will also contain “normal” hashtags.
Until this problem is fixed, we recommend that you create a set of your hashtags from those that you use frequently, after making sure that they are not prohibited. To do this, just try to find them in the search. If you see messages with one or another hashtag at the top, then everything is in order.
If you find a banned hashtag, be sure to stop using it, as it will prevent other, "correct" hashtags from indexing your posts on search pages.
Now for the good stuff.
Despite the issues above, Instagram hashtags are still one of the best tools for getting attention on your posts, especially if you want to get in the "Top Posts" for a hashtag.
If you've ever searched for hashtags, you've probably noticed the grid of the top nine posts displayed at the top of the results page. On Instagram, these are the so-called "Top Posts" - the most popular posts on a selected topic that have been tagged with this hashtag. Already below them are other, slightly less popular posts, chronologically and regularly updated, so getting into the top posts of the search results page means a big achievement for you and your brand!
The algorithm that selects top posts is based on several factors, including: the importance of your posts (likes and comments), the popularity of the hashtag, and the statute of limitations on your posts. If you want to get to the top of the hashtag, you need to optimize each of these factors.
One of the best ways to get your posts out to as many people as possible is to post content when they are most active.
The fact is that Instagram's search algorithm gives the "green light" first of all to messages that have caused the greatest resonance and user activity, which means that the more people read, like or comment on your message, the higher it will rise. in the search hierarchy.
At the same time, your message will rise up the subscribers' news feed, further promoting it even more.
That is why it is so important to consider the timing of content placement in your strategy. It is very convenient to use the free Instagram post scheduler if you want to prepare materials in advance for posting on the day and time of the day you need, without your participation.
Note: according to some users, updating content several times a day can lead to a decrease in activity on your page, and this is due to the peculiarities of the new algorithm, in addition, too frequent appearance of your posts in the subscribers' news feed may be perceived by them ambiguously, this will annoy someone and be perceived as spam.
If you're noticing that your view stats are dropping, try reducing your daily posts, down to once a day.
Your followers will be more eager and willing to comment or tag your posts if you encourage them to do so. For example, some kind of picture or product, as well as a question related to them, but addressed to the subscriber, for example: “Last weekend I fed deer by hand, what are you going to do this weekend?” A specially provided comment button will be very handy. The live feed of the conversation participants plays an important role in getting your post up the Instagram hashtag search rankings.
Ever since Instagram moved from a chronological to an algorithmic feed, users have been trying to “hack the algorithm”, with some users turning to using bots, while others have joined forces to create special Instagram modules, which include the so-called Instagram pods.
Instagram pods are a bit like WhatsApp group chats. These are groups of 10-15 users, bloggers or companies that have similar audiences and gather in order to “wind up” activity on their Instagram pages.
People communicate with each other via Direct Message Instagram and every time someone from the pod posts another post, they share it with the group. Members of the pod leave their comments under the entry, put "likes", thereby encouraging other users to also participate in discussions.
To join the Instagram module, you need to add (or request to be added) to an Instagram private group chat. Usually, people get to know about the right Instagram pod from each other through conversations, but you can also try your luck in finding the right Instagram pod in Instagram-focused Facebook or VKontakte groups. Once you've become a member of a Pod, learn the rules and ethics of the Pod to make new friends, colleagues, and followers.
At first glance, some isolation of people in Instagram pods may seem suspicious to you, but unlike bots, Instagram pods are legal communities of like-minded Instagram, so you do not have to worry about your page being blocked or blacklisted.
Instagram Stories have long gone beyond the fun pastime of ordinary users, becoming one of the most relevant tools for promoting brands and products on Instagram.
We can't confirm if there is any correlation between the reaction of followers to your Instagram Stories posts and posts posted in the usual way, but it can be noted that sometimes posts to Instagram Stories increase user activity. Thanks to the provided functionality, Instagram Stories can better unlock the potential of your branded hashtags than regular posts.
Another benefit of using Instagram Stories is that you can explore a selection of stories directly from the Explore tab. When you go here, at the top you will see the line Instagram Stories with the results of the selection of stories from the accounts you use and the posts you liked the most. In addition, Instagram will also show you stories that other people have rated.
If you want your posts to appear on the Instagram Explore tab as well, you need to focus on creating highly engaging and targeted content. The better your posts, stories, illustrations, and products fit your audience, the more likely Instagram is to add your account to the featured Stories at the top of the Explore tab!
A thoughtful approach to a hashtag strategy, participation in Instagram Pods and posting at the most appropriate time are essential conditions for “revitalizing” user activity on your page, but if at the same time you also aim to increase the number of subscribers relatively quickly, then you It is worth trying another way - to organize contests!
If you're looking for some high-profile Instagram contest idea, try teaming up with another interested account, brand, or influencer.
