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Well, it’s finally the autumn season, the leaves are starting to fall…and so is our Instagram engagement.
Like many of you, I have been affected by the algorithm updates; cutting my exposure and engagement in half. All of this hard work to put out quality content and get NOTHING in return. Trust me, the frustration and disappointment has made myself and others question the platform's worth. We’re here to let you know that there is good news and to not lose hope! But first, full disclosure, there isn’t a secret formula to “beat it”, but there are a few specific strategies and tactics that we’ve discovered to get the 2019 algorithm working on your side. It’s time to take back control of your Instagram marketing!
1.Publish content MORE
When in doubt, post! When you take the time to push out a consistent stream of content, the more likely your audience will see and engage with your content. The algorithm favors patterns, so it’s extremely important that you commit to a posting schedule. Even if you decide to post twice a week or once every day, just make sure you keep at it and you will be rewarded.
2.Take the time to comment
The algorithm factors in your relationship with your followers—Yep, you read that right. It’s always important that you’re responding to your own profile comments and DM’s, but it’s SUPER important to comment on other profiles’ posts if you want to achieve real relationships with your followers. Conversation is a two-way street—really take the time to contribute to the discussion. Show love and you’ll get love back.
3.Post Instagram Stories daily
Okay, this is a big one. Recently, Stories have become more favorable in the algorithm than regular posts—surprise! You know what that means? More work for us! If you haven’t already, it’s time to create an Instagram Story strategy. Here are some of our favorite strategy tactics to get the most out of your Stories:
a. Be Interactive
Utilize the interactive features Instagram offers such as polls, question boxes, and quizzes. Polls and Questions are both amazing tools to help brands understand their audience and simultaneously make them feel part of the brand. Another fun way to engage your audience is by incorporating gifs, stickers, and music into your Stories. Gifs and stickers are a fun way to create interest and add more character to your posts—You want to stand out, don’t you?
b. Tell a story
Don’t post just to post. Think of each post as a brand new opportunity to connect and start a conversation with your audience. Instagram Stories is a place for brands to expand their story beyond just their Instagram feed. An effective tactic is behind-the-scenes content. What could be considered just a normal day in the office isn’t so typical to your audience! Take the time to plan out your storyboard for the week. Who’s coming to the office today? Are you celebrating a milestone? Take a photo or video of your coworker's desk decked out for the holidays (but always remember, a photo is great, but video is better 😉). Sharing your story makes followers feel like they’re getting an inside, exclusive look into the brand. Whatever it is, make it count!
c. Use a call to action
Get more from your audience by including a call to action in your story. Make it interesting for them by including a link to “Swipe up” for more. Ask your audience to send you a message for something in return or visit your store website for a promo code. Give your fans an incentive to take that next step.
d. Keep it consistent
It’s important that your brand’s aesthetic should be carried over to your Stories as well. Use the fonts, brush options, colors, stickers, and more to keep a consistent style and personality in your Instagram Stories. We recommend creating a template for your brand—it’s easy, cohesive, and keeps you on brand. Check out our top 3 favorite Instagram Story Templates apps (they're FREE!):
The main goal: Make sure your followers know it’s your brand when they watch your story and that they know what to expect from your brand’s account.
4.Use Instagram’s newest features
Instagram LOVES profiles that use their new features such as, the Chat Sticker! There is so much opportunity to be innovative and generate extra engagement with this tool! Here are a few creative ways we’ve found the chat sticker to kick start interaction.
a. Create mini-communities to chat about a specific topic. Ask your audience what they think about something that’s relevant to your brand.
b. Invite followers to be a part of an exclusive chat where you plan to make an announcement and share a promo code or offer.
c. Give away a free resource within the chat.
d. Ask your fans what their favorite things are. For example, “what’s your favorite book?” This gives you more insight on what your followers like—take it a step further and use this information when you write your content.
Remember, for each interaction, Instagram’s algorithm brings you closer to the top of feeds, so always, always find ways to use the newest features Instagram has to offer.
Need help getting started on your Instagram strategy? Have more questions? We would love to answer them. Give us a call or email us today: luis@trendingsocials.com