Instagram is by far one of the most powerful social media tools to grow your business online. However, there are a lot of accounts that we have noticed which aren’t using the platform to its fullest potential.
That is why the Coast Creative team put together 5 tips on how to build your Instagram audience which you can start implementing today!
1. Set SMART Goals
Before you focus on your content, the number 1 thing to do is to focus on your goals for Instagram. Who do you want to reach? How many hours per day/week do you want to set aside for posting + creating content? What number of followers/engagement rate is a success in your book?
We at the Coast Creative are big subscribers to SMART goals. A S.M.A.R.T. goal is defined as one that is specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound. Lofty goals are an easy way to set yourself up for failure. If you’re just starting out on your Instagram account, instead of having a goal of gaining a bunch of followers, a s.m.a.r.t. goal would be to grow the Instagram channel by 10% in three months. A goal that is both achievable and measurable.
2. Stick To A Schedule
After you set your goals, the next step is to plan out a set schedule for your Instagram posting and community management/engagement. This part is really up to you and how much time you can dedicate to the platform. If 3-4 posts a week is too many (or too few), adjust to your own needs and goals. Once you find a posting frequency that works best for you, it is super important to stay consistent. The quickest way to build an audience is to stay consistent with your posting schedule. Your fans will tune out if you go weeks without a post.
3. Remember Content *Still* Reigns Supreme
Beyond setting goals and sticking to a schedule, an equally important task is creating compelling and engaging content for your audience. It doesn’t matter if you have the best target audience and schedule set in place, if your content is terrible, then your audience will look elsewhere.
We also recommend to our clients when creating content that each piece should inform, reveal and engage. We tend to stray away from promotional/advertisements in our organic content because the user can easily get turned off to it. Building brand awareness and affinity with our content are what to strive for.
4. Don’t Overlook The Power Of Stories
If you’re currently not using Instagram Stories in your marketing strategy, then it is time to make a change right now. Instagram Stories are not only arguably the most fun and creative part of Instagram, but they also are such an easy and an effective way to have your posts seen and shared by millions of daily users.
Instagram stories are meant to showcase and highlight content that you don’t need to have on your regular feed. For example, if you are a restaurant you don’t need to post about your weekly happy hours on your feed, but creating captivating Instagram story content is perfect to promote your specials without backing up your curated feed.
Instagram stories only last 24 hours (unless highlighted) so you also don’t have as much pressure in perfecting the content as you would on a regular post.
5. Here Come The Hashtags
If you aren’t promoting your Instagram content via ads then it is extremely crucial to be using quality hashtags on your posting. Using hashtags helps your content reach your target audience and also can build your following at the same time. Not to mention, potentially getting on Instagram’s explore feed as well.
Instagram allows each post to include 30 hashtags in the copy. Even though you have plenty of hashtags use, you should make the most out of them, and make sure they’re relevant and targeted to your audience base.
One Final Word
It is safe to say there are plenty more tips & tricks on growing your Instagram audience, but they all start with creating a strategy + implementing it. If you’re overwhelmed on keeping up with social media trends, send a message and see how we can help!