It can seem quite daunting when starting out on Instagram, especially when you scroll through and see all these great businesses with hundreds of thousands of followers.
However, it is definitely possible to grow your account organically and gain a strong following without resorting to spamming techniques or using bots.
Here are 15 tips on how to get started with marketing your blog or business on Instagram.
If you’re in a rush at the moment, don’t sweat it! You can always pin this post and come back to these Instagram marketing tips later.
Tip #1. Use High-Quality Images
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s essential to use high-quality images on your Instagram account. People are much more likely to engage with and follow accounts that have visually appealing photos.
If you don’t have access to a professional photographer, plenty of great editing apps (like VSCO or Afterlight) can help you take your photos to the next level.
Tip #2. Create A Consistent Aesthetic For Your Account
When someone lands on your Instagram account, they should be able to get a good sense of what your brand is all about just by looking at the overall aesthetic of your feed.
Consistency is vital for creating a cohesive look for your account- so make sure to choose a color scheme and editing style that you’ll stick with long-term. Having a consistent image also helps you be recognized easier in a scroll.
Tip #3. Post Interesting And Engaging Content
Of course, the most critical part of Instagram is the actual content that you’re posting. To grow your following, you need to be posting interesting and engaging content that will resonate with your target audience.
Think about what kind of content would be most useful or interesting to them, and try to mix things up so that your feed doesn’t become too repetitive. Posting a mix of photos, videos, behind-the-scenes content, quotes, etc., will help keep things fresh and exciting for your followers.
Tip #4. Divide Content Ideas Into Categories To Schedule Evenly And Keep Your Posts Feeling ‘Fresh’ To Viewers
When first starting out, it can be helpful to brainstorm a list of content ideas that you can rotate through. This will help ensure that your feed always has fresh, exciting content and keeps users engaged.
You can divide your content categories into things like:
- Product photos
- Inspirational quotes
- Behind the scenes
- User-generated content
- How-to videos/tutorials
- Contests or giveaways
Tip #5. Geotag Your Posts For Increased Visibility
There are plenty of reasons to utilize geotags in your posts. Geotagging can help increase the visibility of your posts, especially if you’re tagging a famous or well-known location.
This will help get your photos in front of more people, but it can also help you connect with other Instagram users who have visited the exact location. This can be extremely useful if you have a local small business.
Tip #6. Find A Problem Your Users Face And Try And Solve It
If you want to succeed on Instagram (or really, any social media platform), you need to be providing value to your followers. One of the best ways to do this is by finding a problem that your target audience faces and then creating content that helps them solve it.
This could be in the form of helpful blog posts, infographics, how-to videos, etc. If you can position yourself as a valuable resource for your followers, they’ll be more likely to engage with your content and continue following you.
You can offer this Instagram Downloader if your followers are looking for a tool to download videos and stories.
Tip #7. Connect With Other Users On Instagram
Another great way to provide value and build relationships with your followers is by connecting with other users on Instagram. This could be done by commenting on other people’s photos, joining in on popular hashtags, or participating in Instagram challenges.
By taking the time to interact with other users, you’ll increase your visibility and start to build up a community of engaged followers who are more likely to stick around long-term.
Tip #8. Run Contests & Giveaways
Contests and giveaways are a great way to increase engagement and grow your following on Instagram. People love free stuff, so offering a prize in exchange for engagement is easy to get people interested in your account. You can offer incentives to drive more traffic to your blog, website, or any other site you may sponsor from these leads.
When running a contest or giveaway, make the rules clear and easy to follow. You should also try to make the prize something that would interest your target audience.
Tip #9. Use Relevant & Trending Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to increase the visibility of your posts and reach new users. When using hashtags, be sure to use relevant ones to your photo and/or your blog or business.
Using generic or popular hashtags (like #love or #instagood) is not going to do much in terms of helping you reach new users who are actually interested in what you do. It’s important to research to ensure you make the best use of the limited amount of hashtags you can use per post.
Tip #10. Use Instagram Live To Connect With Your Audience
Instagram Live is a great way to connect with your audience and give them a behind-the-scenes look at your business. When using Instagram Live, be sure to promote it ahead of time so that your followers know when to tune in.
You can also use Instagram Live to answer questions, give product demos, or even host mini-contests. Whatever you do, just ensure that you’re providing value and that your Live session is interesting enough to hold people’s attention.
Tip #11. Use Instagram Ads To Reach A Wider Audience Faster
If you’re looking to reach a wider audience quickly, Instagram Ads can be a great option. With Ads, you can specifically target users based on their interests, demographics, and even previous interactions with your brand.
When setting up an Instagram Ad, use high-quality images and compelling copy. You also want to make sure that your Ads are relevant to the rest of your content and fit in seamlessly with your overall Instagram strategy. You also want to ensure that what you buy in ads is getting you results.
Tip #12. Analyze Your Results & Adjust Accordingly
One of the most important things you can do when marketing on Instagram is to analyze your results and adjust your strategy accordingly. This means taking a close look at your analytics to see what’s working and what’s not. Whether it’s analyzing SEO and backlinks to try and get a better google ranking or just looking at engagement, every aspect of improvement is as important as the last.
Based on your findings, you can change your content, hashtags, target audience, etc., to help you better achieve your Instagram marketing goals.
Tip #13. Keep Up With Instagram Algorithm Changes
If you want to be successful with Instagram marketing, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest algorithm changes. As Instagram changes its algorithm, the way that users see and interact with content will also change.
By keeping up with these changes, you can make sure that your content is being seen by the right people at the right time. You can also avoid any potential pitfalls from not understanding how the Instagram algorithm works.
Tip #14. Take Advantage Of Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels is a new feature that allows you to create short, 15-second videos. These videos can be edited with filters, audio, and other creative effects. Typically, videos have outperformed all other forms of content, as long as the quality is maintained. Video content is more engaging, but it is also easier to stop customers from scrolling through their feed and capture their attention.
Reels are a great way to add variety to your content mix and give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Simply create a new video and select the “Reels” option to get started with Reels.
Tip #15. Engage Your Users Across Multiple Platforms
It may not need much being said, but engagement through multiple platforms is extremely important. As simple as it may seem, having omnipresence amongst multiple social media platforms is what creates confidence and loyalty from your audience by providing social proof. Having reviews is also a great way to be engaged with your audience and also show new customers the value you can provide with whatever service or product you have.
Parting Shot on 15 Instagram Marketing Tips for Beginners
As you can see, there are several different ways to use Instagram to market your blog or business. If you’re unsure where to start or feel like you could be doing more, these Instagram marketing tips should help get you headed in the right direction. Just remember to constantly experiment and analyze your results so that you can continue to improve your Instagram marketing strategy over time.
1 thought on “15 Easy Instagram Marketing Tips For Beginners”
Super tips here. Geo-tagging draws locals toward you because you posts pop up in their stream with priority.
Ryan