An Instagram profile will always reflect the owner of the account. As the saying goes, a first impression will always make a lasting impression. With the popular influence of social media nowadays, your Instagram profile will say a lot of your brand or product. You’ll always want that your viewers will be attracted to browse through your profile and become your potential followers as well. That is why, it is important to craft a feed that is consistently visually pleasing and in doing this takes a lot of planning.
But don’t worry because we will give you some useful tips to take your Instagram to the next level!
1) Build a Content Calendar
Content calendar is an excellent way to make your Instagram content is organized. It makes you think strategically rather than putting random content on your profile. Content is the basic foundation of your Instagram presence.
Through your content, you can showcase your brand by developing a plan that integrates key dates and campaigns. This way, you can deliver an eye-catching content in a consistent basis. By preparing the content and setting a schedule in advance, you can allow flexibility to happen if there are some necessary changes to happen.
Marketers should be mindful in developing a thoughtful sequence of Instagram content to create a brand that is comprehensible by the viewers.
2) Profile Tracking Link
The link in your account profile is very important. The URL link will land to the web page of your product/brand. Tapping its power will boost your brand and business in a big way. Some marketers still make mistakes of using a non-tracking link. If the link cannot be tracked, it’s impossible to know how many visitors or customers were referred from Instagram.
You can use the Instagram analytics platforms or custom URL builder like Bit.ly so you can see how many Instagram users are engaging with your Instagram link. You can simply create a post and politely ask your fans to check out the link in your Bio.
3) Plan Your Photos
It will be better to plan your photos in advance. This way, you can properly lay out the order of photos that matches your theme, rather than posting randomly. However, there some basic principles that you have to consider in planning for your photos.
First you have to consider is the background that you will use. The standard background these days is minimal; white. Typically, backgrounds are clean and fresh but that doesn’t have to be. That depends on how you want to visually present your brand and products. Then, a perfectly chosen color can do wonders on the background of your product. Choose a color that works better for you.
Do you prefer in layering the colors of your photos or use white and neutral colors. You can also use one color palette for your account or for a specific campaign only or would black and white create the mood that you’re looking for? Also you can experiment with textures by providing props or a background that gives textural interest on the product that you present. Most images with a single dominant color generates 17% more likes than photos with multiple dominant colors. That is why, it is better to plan your photos ahead of time that works better for your brand.
One last thing, make sure your photos are square because it is a great method to compose better photos. Most smartphones and digital cameras today has an option to square your photos.
 
4) Filters and Edit
Instagram has variety of filters that can really enhance your photo. A filter can change the mood of your picture and it can even lead to more likes and comments. Experiment with different filters that help your photos pop.
5) Feature People in Photos
One thing to include in your Instagram calendar is featuring people in your photos. Not just people, but also people’s faces. Photos with faces drive more engagement. Based on a study, photos showing faces get 38% more likes than photos without faces. You can be the own star of your social media posts or other options will be your customers, employees, suppliers, partners, and models. Make sure you that you’ve got their permission before posting it.
6) Multi Grid Images for Bold Statements
Instagram marketers should design a profile that makes a bold statement. The best way to do this is to create a multi-grid collage that forms a comprehensible image. The collage can be anything that promotes an image of your brand. Just format the image properly for the site, make it the right kind of square and upload it. Uploading a series of photos that is unclear can draw curiosity from your followers. This then causes them to visit your profile to see the whole image.
7) Create Posts Based on Words
Posting on Instagram is not limited only in photos but you can also include posts that is based on words or quotes. You can also brand it with your logo and website. This is the best way to mix your content with images and words.
8) Featured Videos
A good marketing tip is to mix up your posting strategy is by including videos in addition to photos. Featured videos can be used to engage followers, grow your following and drive traffic.
9) Hashtag All Posts and Use Location Tags
In every post nowadays, you can see a variation of hashtags. This is something you should do also. Hashtags generate more interaction and engagement to followers and other potentials as well. You can search through trending hashtags and if it is relevant to your brand, then include them in a post.
Also, Instagram allows you to tag locations and search for users who are in a specific locations. Through this, you can find users who are in a targeted geographic location and able to better strategize your geographic advertising. Â
10) Drive Users to Your Website
Use your Instagram post creatively to drive users to your website or targeted landing pages. Through this, you are attracting potential customers and real followers of your account. The trick here is to use relevant or an up-to-date clickable link in your profile. You can feature this clickable link in  your bio or direct them to your post. If you make a post that catches their attention, most likely they will get interested in clicking through the link. You may wish to direct them to your home page, recent blog post, or sign-up page.
11) Post Consistently
If you post infrequently, your followers will forget that you exist and if you’re posting too often, you will become a nuisance to them. In Instagram, what matters in posting is consistency. When you post several times a day and then transition to only few times a week, you will start to lose followers and generate less engagement. Make the frequency of your Instagram posts consistent that you can reasonably maintain.
12) Connect with Like-Minded Businesses and Influencers
In order to boost your engagement, the best way is to engage with like-minded businesses and influencers. You won’t have a hard time finding them since you can search them using relevant keywords and locations. Follow their accounts and engage on their posts. Tag your customers and key influencers on their post because it helps in increasing your reach and exposing your account to new audiences.
13) Use Sponsored Ads
Instagram gives you an option to use Sponsored ads to reach your new and targeted audience. Just like Facebook, you can use a plain image, a carousel or a short video and choose an audience based on gender, location, interests and current followers.
14) Quality Over Quantity
Lastly, focus on quality over quantity. When they say that it is better to have few close friends than hundreds, the same also it applies on Instagram marketing. Many would think that having a large number of followers is important to fully optimized your Instagram profile. However the focus now is to develop a strategy that engages with a more targeted audience rather than boosting the number of followers. The quality of your followers will drive real engagement and target audience. This is the goal, right?
BONUS TIP: Use Email Marketing
It’s easy to forget about your email marketing when most of our day is spent on Instagram. However, leveraging your email list is a great way to gain new followers quickly. Take a moment to send a solo mention to follow you on Instagram. We recommend not adding any other links or information to get optimal results. You can also note that you plan on reciprocating by following all your fans back. Easy and quick!!!Â
Conclusion
Are you ready now to take your Instagram to the next level? Take your Instagram to the next level in the best way. Plan it strategically and value quality over quantity. I hope these tips that we shared will make your Instagram experience easier and better.
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