Instagram is an exceptional platform for showcasing a brand, with 1.22 billion people using it monthly.
However, simply existing on social media with stagnant metrics is useless. It’s crucial for brands to understand how to increase engagement on Instagram, and numerous strategies can enhance results easily.
With people spending 145 minutes on social media each day, Instagram’s potential cannot be ignored.
Wondering how to get more Instagram engagement? Here’s how!
Table of Contents
- #1: Post Consistently
- #2: Tap Into Storytelling
- #3: Engage on Instagram Stories
- #4: Use Giveaways
- #5: Collaborate on Reels
- #6: Leverage AR Filters
- #7: Resort to User-Generated Content
- #8: Use Multiple Video Formats
- #9: Try Out GIFs
- #10: Use the ‘Add Yours’ Sticker Feature
- #11: Share Relatable Memes
- #12: Create Savable Visuals
- #13: Implement SEO Techniques
- #14: Add Value Through Carousel Posts
- #15: Add CTAs in the Caption
- #16: Pick the Right Time
- #17: Add Hashtags
- How to Increase Engagement on Instagram – Key Takeaways
#1: Post Consistently
Being proactive on social media helps showcase authenticity and builds strong relationships.
Ideally, brands should post once or twice daily and be careful not post excessively which can lead to overwhelm or kill the excitement. However, strategies and frequencies widely depend on the brand type.
A posting schedule ensures your content continues to appear on the top of the followers’ feed.
#2: Tap Into Storytelling
Instagram is a visual platform which makes it the best for storytelling.
Storytelling boosts connection with audiences, making them more likely to buy your products and share your content.The content should be a mix of videos, images, and texts rather than a text-heavy, generic post.
Detailed captions and storytelling elements also boost the brand-building element.
#3: Engage on Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are excellent for grabbing audiences’ attention and engaging with them.
It boosts loyal followers that feel connected to the brand. It adds a face to the brand instead of just a corporate image.
Stories can be used to post quizzes, polls, personal anecdotes, behind-the-scenes, countdowns, question stickers, and emoji sliders. They can also be used to talk about upcoming sales or offers and evoke FOMO through sneak peeks.
Question stickers let brands open the floor for followers to ask questions and use the feedback to work on problem areas. However, brands should remain proactive in responding to questions.
This feature skyrockets engagement levels, making users feel like a part of the brand.
#4: Use Giveaways
Who doesn’t love freebies?
These giveaways should be exciting for prospects and current audiences to derive brand authenticity.
Giveaway activities such as tagging, following, and sharing entry requirements will get the engagement ball rolling.
Be it a product, service or experience, the giveaway can be determined through planning, partnering with another brand, and defining key rules. These contests can be promoted via Instagram ads, email campaigns, social network plugs, and website banners.
Further, the giveaway results can be tracked via automated tools.
#5: Collaborate on Reels
Instagram Reels continue to grow popular and so do collaborations.
When collaborating with another Instagram user, short video clips are shared with both communities. This drives likes, shares, and comments from a wider audience, leading to brand awareness.
Instagram Reels offers creative tools such as adding effects and music, allowing brands to be creative and authentic.
Besides influential celebrities, brands can also engage with micro-influencers or thought leaders which pushes the message to a wider audience. This gives an authoritative voice and a personal connection and is more affordable.
Brands can opt to collaborate for a short period to gauge strategy implementation and results. The right tools, resources, and guidance are important to successfully implement the task.
Reels may include team introductions, short tutorials, product teasers, and more.
Brands can also invest in Reel Ads to drive better engagement results.
#6: Leverage AR Filters
No doubt, augmented reality is here to stay, and Instagram is successfully keeping up.
It has introduced AR filters to the public with Spark AR studio. The best filters have received over 1 billion views.
Many brands are now investing in their own AR filters as a lucrative marketing strategy. A key feature is enhancing the video with color grading.
AR filters allow followers to experience a product and recreate specific visual styles.
#7: Resort to User-Generated Content
Apart from creating a suitable social media content strategy, user-generated content on Instagram is a goldmine for marketers. It helps brands and followers get deeply involved in the engagement cycle.
User-generated content also reduces marketing costs, relying mainly on posts created by the public. Moreover, it is not limited to a specific industry.
User-generated content usually taps into everyday happenings and the humor of the users’ lives.
#8: Use Multiple Video Formats
What’s better than a picture? A video, for sure!
With 91% of active users watching IG videos weekly, videos’ popularity cannot be challenged. But with a platform as versatile as Instagram, brands can also leverage videos of multiple formats.
Brands can choose from different ad formats as per their strengths.
Quick 60-second videos are ideal for long-term features. Meanwhile, a live video option can be used for a Q&A session or for revealing new products or services.
Brands may also use video captions since followers may be comfortable viewing the content instead of listening to audio. This helps deliver messaging alongside visuals and boosts video effectiveness.
A way to create an auto-captioned video is to create it on Facebook which can be saved and posted on Instagram. The best video production companies that we have listed on DesignRush can help with this.
#9: Try Out GIFs
If you feel videos are long, why not try GIFs?
A GIF is a crisp way to communicate a message, although it is more appealing than simple pictures. They are cost- and time-effective compared to videos.
Instagram has the Boomerang feature that lets you create GIF-like content. It combines short sequences of stills and loops them.
#10: Use the ‘Add Yours’ Sticker Feature
Brands can use the “Add Yours “sticker feature in relevant ways.
For example, lifestyle brands can ask their followers about their favorite home décor. Likewise, skincare brands may ask about their skincare routine or their favorite product from the brand.
This Q&A session can lead to an Instagram engagement increase for brands.
Being a low effort-feature, it leads one sticker to reach a vast audience base.
#11: Share Relatable Memes
Memes can tickle the users while also creating relatable content. Brands may use trending photos to capture audiences’ attention.
Memes fit in every niche and industry, but brands must be careful about having a sophisticated and corporate tonality.
Memes are an instant way to have the content seen, liked, commented on, and shared.
Followers sharing brand memes on their Instagram stories can amplify brand visibility.
#12: Create Savable Visuals
Quotes, graphics, and repurposed tweets are surefire ways to boost engagement.
Instagram users love to share quotes with deep meanings and aesthetic design.
A popular way to do so is repurposing tweets into Instagram posts. These can be popular, relevant, and engaging posts that can ensue conversations.
Additionally, limited resources are required to create these assets. If the post isn’t from Twitter, using templates can make it look like it was posted on Twitter.
#13: Implement SEO Techniques
An SEO strategy is a rewarding step in online marketing verticals.
On Instagram, it can be used on the account name and handle. The “@” name should precisely reflect the business sector.
Since it appears below the profile picture, it should be concise and relevant and reflect the account handle and industry. When audiences search for relevant words and emojis, your brand will most likely appear.
Another way is to assess the most searched words. Insert the business or niche-related keyword to your business name for it to be discovered.
#14: Add Value Through Carousel Posts
Carousel posts are great for communicating informative and educative content. They are brimming with information and excellent for capturing attention.
Communicating the same through lengthy texts may lead users to scroll further without reading it. Instead, carousel posts break down the content into chunks.
Instagram allows sharing 10 visuals, videos, or text graphics for each carousel post.
Carousels can be used for educational purposes or to support a cause. Ones that add value are likely to be liked, shared, and saved.
#15: Add CTAs in the Caption
Despite new engagement tactics resurfacing, CTAs still hold a promising advantage.
CTAs that pose direct questions lay the groundwork for two-way communication. The questions must be relatable and genuine and not too persuasive.
CTAs should also drive users to click on the “link in bio.” The link in the bio directs users to an image, button, specific link, landing page, purchasing page, YouTube channel, or blog post.
If brands are working with influencers, ensure that they also promote the brand’s URL in their content.
Check the traffic, insights, analytics, and big data on social media with an automated tool that further helps target your customers.
#16: Pick the Right Time
Posting when your audience is most active can highlight your presence.
However, the ideal time varies based on the type of audience and their behavior. Brands can manually track the highest engagement timings and record them for future reference.
Brands may also use an automated tool or software for the same which also helps avoid trial and error.
#17: Add Hashtags
Hashtags may appear towards the end of a post, but they substantially affect whether it appears at the top or bottom of Instagram search results.
Hashtags must target the niche community. Generic hashtags may get lost in the noise, so using a mix of trending and industry-specific hashtags may help.
It is ideal to look at hashtags, content types, and the number of likes individually.
Instagram only allows 30 hashtags, and overloading your posts with hashtags makes them look unprofessional and may even be penalized by the platform.
To find the right number, evaluate the number of hashtags industry influencers and competitors use. Experiment on different hashtag volumes to find the one that works for you.
Creating custom hashtags may also add a creative layer to the branding, making it easy to find it. Likewise, hashtags can also be created for campaigns.
How to Increase Engagement on Instagram – Key Takeaways
While it may sound daunting, Instagram engagement can be increased with careful thought and planning. Likes, shares, and comments, will continue rolling in despite the competition.
Besides the ones mentioned above, there are lesser-known promising tactics such as geotags, that can increase the engagement rate by 79%.
Instagram never fails to show impressive results, if the right strategy is followed. Creativity, clarity, and conciseness can derive brand awareness, while a hasty and haywire approach may not work.
We hope this post helped you understand how to get more engagements on Instagram! To make the most of the platform, make sure to check out this complete Instagram marketing guide.
