23 Tips to Increase Instagram Engagement
For now, Instagram remains the darling of marketers in the social media scene. And it’s not hard to see why, because 13% of all people on Earth are on it, and 80% of them follow signs.
According to Oberlo, engagement – as measured by consumer likes, shares and comments – also stands out from the average, boasting a rate of 4.21%. That’s 10 times more than on Facebook, 54 times more than on Pinterest and 84 times more than on Twitter.
In addition to these impressive numbers, there are issues that point out that Instagram’s marketing potential is declining due to reduced engagement rates and competition from new challengers like TikTok.
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In this situation, proactive marketers are looking for ways to increase engagement on Instagram despite some setbacks. That’s why we’ve put together these 23 tips to help you ensure your paid and organic marketing campaigns continue to reach their goal and protect your Instagram marketing tactics now and in the future. Let’s dive in.
- Post consistently.
- Don’t preach – tell stories instead.
- Build a strong brand.
- Have a visually consistent channel.
- Choose the right hashtags.
- Focus on user-generated content.
- Explore the full range of video formats on Instagram.
- Use captions and captions on Instagram videos.
- Activate Instagram Reels features.
- Use Instagram augmented reality filters.
- Use Instagram video ad formats.
- Give gifs a chance.
- Use Instagram traffic to increase website traffic.
- Use SEO to “win” on Instagram.
- Work with micro-influencers to create brand authenticity.
- Host a contest on Instagram.
- Turn Instagram followers into email subscribers.
- Accept Instagram Stories.
- Add a link to Instagram Stories.
- Use emoticons effectively.
- Promote your Instagram channel on other social accounts.
- Add CTAs, everywhere.
- Follow and learn from your most successful content on Instagram.
1. Post consistently
Brands need to be proactive to attract followers and increase engagement rates – but how active?
According to studies, the best solution is to consistently publish 1-2 posts per day. This way, your channel will stay fresh and relevant, and you’ll have more opportunities to attract viewers to your content. Knowing the best time to post on Instagram is also very important, especially when it comes to Instagram’s algorithmic timeline.
The recommended posting times can vary greatly depending on which expert you are listening to. Some advocate 8:00 – 9:00 or 14:00 – 17:00 for your first post and even after 5:00 for your second post, this inconsistency can cause real confusion among content planners.
Just look at FashionNova and National Geographic. FashionNova, a global online fashion retailer, posts an average of 30 times a day – that’s approximately one post every 30 minutes! It may sound like an over-the-top effort, but the brand’s 17.3 million followers don’t seem to think so. With that number of followers, the engagement rate is 0.07%.
Publishing up to 30 times a day ensured that the target audience would see at least a few Fashion Nova posts every day.
In contrast, National Geographic is betting on a much more conventional strategy: the brand publishes posts up to 5-7 times a day. With 135 million followers, their engagement rate of 0.24% is a big achievement.
What does this mean? Two very successful brands, two very different strategies.
So there’s no magic formula for when or how many Instagram posts to best post.
What you should do is to reveal the habits of your own Instagram followers using the Insights feature on your Instagram Business or Creator account.
This will help you see when your followers are most active and allow you to schedule it accordingly so that your posts continue to appear at the top of their feeds.
2. Don’t preach – tell stories instead
Instagram is flooded with mediocre brand messages that forget that the social network is supposed to be a “platform for visual inspiration.”
You should engage your audience through images, videos and text, not just preach marketing slogans to them.
To increase engagement, become a storyteller instead, and offer “micro-stories” through your captions, videos, Instagram stories, and profile.
People today crave connection, and storytelling is the way to create that experience. When people feel an emotional connection to your content, they’re much more likely to buy it and share it with their peers.
For inspiration, follow innovative Instagram storytellers such as Airbnb, Red Bull, Lego, Patagonia, and Nike. You can also check out these examples to help you jump-start your creativity.
One way to incorporate elements of storytelling into your Instagram strategy is to share user-generated content that resonates with your brand. Another way is to focus on telling a story using captions.
Longer captions with elements of storytelling and authenticity are particularly powerful because they allow brands to appear more human and build deeper connections with their target audience.
When executed correctly, word captions will also stop scrolling users and increase the time they spend viewing your post.
Long captions have become something of a trend, first adopted by influencers who use Instagram captions as microblogs.
According to Instagram influencer Christina Galbato, who has worked with brands like Revolve, Four Seasons and Olay, “microblogging captions are great because they’re very engaging, help you with the algorithm, and encourage saving and sharing.”
In addition to being a trend, long captions are part of a larger shift toward authenticity and bring more credibility to a platform that has long been criticized for being too superficial.
Brands are slowly catching on to this shift.
Let’s take Patagonia as an example. This sustainable outerwear brand is a master of storytelling and its account is teeming with content about the environment, nature and outdoor sports.
In this example, Patagonia opted for an insider’s headline about protecting indigenous areas in Canada.
Another example of great storytelling is Airbnb. This brand uses Stories to showcase interesting hosts, experiences, and places.
Enlightenment? Don’t just post product images and sales quotes – provide content that aligns with what your audience is interested in or helps them with their issues. Do it well by utilizing different content formats such as stories, IGTV, videos, photos, and captions.
3. Building a strong brand
Clarity, creativity and consistency are key for businesses looking to build brand awareness on Instagram. Irregular and haphazard access just doesn’t work.
Try to focus on basic areas such as presenting your profile, creating stylish formulas that make your slides look fresh, and mastering the use of hashtags. You should also communicate regularly with your followers to build engagement and loyalty.
By planning your processes and best practices for the Instagram brand, you can present a positive and consistent brand to your target audience.
4. Have a visually consistent Instagram feed
Instagram is a visually oriented platform that values aesthetic content. Although shiny perfection comes out of fashion, visual content is at the heart of Instagram and that will never change.
Users today gravitate towards authentic expression and different perspectives.
Visually highly saturated filters and perfectly placed avocado toast have been replaced with honest images, muted, earthy tones, and an unpretentious editing style.
Reducing the lights and increasing the brightness of the photos is popular, without interfering too much with the colors themselves, resulting in a natural look. Some people even choose “edit without adjustments”.
However, more important than following any particular editing style is having a visually consistent source.
According to WebDam’s social media report, 60% of the most successful brands on Instagram have a consistent look every time they are posted.
Your look should match your brand identity and reach the audience you’re trying to engage.
Take the Five Minute Journal as an example. Their channel evokes a sense of calm, thoughtful reflection – just like their brand.
In contrast, Glossier is consistent and authentic by posting product photos, close-ups, and memes that are honest and natural. Without fancy edits and professional photography, their content feels down-to-earth and accessible.
For a consistent look (whether you’re looking for a sleek look or a no-edit finish), using photo-editing apps like VSCO Cam and Adobe Lightroom is key. An enviable aesthetic look can also be given to you by apps for old cameras like Huji Cam, which deliberately add graininess and dust to photos, especially popular with Generation Z.
5. Choose the right hashtags
Choosing the best hashtags for your Instagram posts can mean the difference between appearing in the top places or dropping to the bottom of the channel without a trace.
If your hashtags are too generic — such as #christmas or #fashion — your post will face competition from millions more. Instead, use a combination of trending and industry-specific hashtags to find the best hashtag to connect you with your target followers.
For best results, research each hashtag. Look at the type of content and the number of likes on its top posts – if your content matches, you have the winning hashtag.
The number of hashtags deployed is also decisive. Instagram allows up to 30 of them, but there is a risk that the number of tags under your headline will look untargeted and unprofessional. According to some, posts with more than 11 hashtags have the most interaction. Even one hashtag can increase engagement with your post by up to 12.6%.
To decide which number is right for your brand, find out how many hashtags your competitors and sector influencers typically use, and then experiment with different volumes of hashtags in your posts until you find your “sweet spot.”
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Keep in mind that Instagram’s algorithm penalizes “spammy” behavior, so change the number and type of hashtags you use to reduce the likelihood of this happening.
Likewise, make sure that the hashtags you choose are really what they seem. Some brands have gotten into embarrassing situations when they innocently use hashtags that actually belonged to certain internet subcultures and communities.
A branded hashtag is often a key part of a successful Instagram marketing strategy.
The best starting point is a generic branded hashtag. It should be short, memorable, and include your brand name in some form. Think of #FrankEffect from Frank Body or #ColourPopMe from Colour Pop Cosmetics.
The benefits of a branded hashtag are to make your content more discoverable, increase traffic to your profile, and create a stronger community around your brand. It will also help you organize your content so it’s easy to find and follow.
Place the hashtag in your bio so it’s easy to see for anyone who visits your profile.
And no one says you only have to have one hashtag. You can also create hashtags for a specific campaign or contest, present brand advocates, or promote user-generated content.
Take as an example the brand Athleta, which deals with sports. The brand chose the hashtag #PowerofShe, which fits perfectly into its mission to empower women.
Another example is furniture retailer West Elm and its hashtag #mywestelm. This hashtag promotes user-generated content by promising to share the best footage.
6. Focus on user-generated content
User-generated content on Instagram is the holy grail for marketers. It’s an opportunity for followers to get deeper into the relationship with the brand, while reducing marketing costs as content is created and approved by your audience.
It’s an approach that has paid off for the best user-generated content campaigns. For example, the Starbucks #RedCupContest competition is a perfect example of transforming followers into brand advocates.
The campaign, which launches every December, asks its followers to send creative photos of Starbucks’ famous red Christmas cup. To date, the hashtag has 37,000 posts, so it can be said that it is successful.
Virtually every industry can benefit from user-generated content. Just look at Santander and his “Prosperity” campaign.
The campaign harnessed the emotion and humor of everyday life by requesting short user-generated clips from its followers, which it combined into a video clip about what prosperity means to its customers.
The result was a heartbreaking and compelling campaign that succeeded in enhancing the brand image.
7. Explore the full range of video formats on Instagram
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a video is worth 1.8 million.
Although lovers of Shakespeare may vehemently disagree with such statistics, the effectiveness and popularity of online video content cannot be questioned. Instagram recognizes this and offers marketers a set of options to deploy videos.
From Instagram Stories that can combine videos and photos into a single ad, to standalone 60-second videos ideal for long features, be sure to tap into the strengths of each video format.
For example, consider a live video within Instagram Stories for questions and answers, or major product or service revelations, or use a pre-recorded ad to offer authentic behind-the-scenes stories to your followers and increase engagement on Instagram.
Instagram Reels are Instagram’s biggest star these days and this platform is trying to compete with TikTok.
8. Use subtitles and captions on videos on Instagram
According to Instagram, 60% of stories are shown with sound on… which means that 40% is displayed without sound.
As video increasingly dominates the online space, audio has become a poor relative, with a significant proportion of users preferring not to turn on sound when viewing video. That’s why subtitles have become so crucial for marketers, as they allow you to convey the main message on screen along with visual effects.
Research from Facebook (Instagram’s parent company) shows that captions on videos increase average watch time by 12%. It also significantly increases the effectiveness of the message, which boasts an 82% success rate compared to 18% when the sound is on and subtitles are zero. Another study found that 80% of people said subtitles made them more likely to watch the entire video.
You can create a video with automatic captions on Facebook that you can save and post to Instagram (but be sure to check for errors), or you can create your own special caption file. Learn more about how to add closed captions here.
Although no one can deny that headlines attract attention, they are not officially part of Instagram’s best practices for stories.
Most stories are still watched with sound on. And once a user turns on the sound, it stays on until they turn it off – that’s why it’s important to keep investing in providing a great audio experience.
9. Activate reels on Instagram
Speaking of videos, have you used the power of Instagram Reels yet? This video feature has been on Instagram since last year and has become immensely popular. It is a clone of funny TikTok videos that allows your brand to engage in communication with the community in short clips within 30 seconds.
The app allows you to play with creative tools and add effects and music, so your video can become an absolute Instagram star.
Allow yourself to be creative and activate your Instagram shooting to show your brand authenticity. For example, you can pull back the curtains and show what’s going on behind the scenes in an entertaining way. Here’s an example from Sephora:
From short tutorials to introducing your team to teaser product videos, Instagram Reels can be a great playground to showcase your brand. Here’s a great example from GoPro of how you can use this feature to share engaging user-generated content.
Instagram recently launched Reel Ads as well, so you can now invest in even better reaching and engaging your audience. If you want to learn more about Instagram Reels, check out this beginner’s guide for inspiration.
10. Adopt Instagram AR filters
Instagram has made the creation of augmented reality filters available to the public through Spark AR Studio. Since then, AR has taken the app by storm, and some of the best filters have over 1 billion views.
Although they are still popular especially among younger users, there is an industry growing around AR filters and many brands have opted to make their own.
Just look at the NARS cosmetics, which has produced several filters that allow users to virtually try out their lipstick shades.
Augmented reality filters on Instagram have evolved recently beyond the effects that are added to the face.
The most popular AR filters now focus on sorting colors and enhancing video. So, similar to adding a filter to a photo, you can now add an AR filter to beautify your videos.
As a brand, try creating AR video effects that allow your followers to experience your product or portray your visual style.
11. Take advantage of Instagram video ad formats
With 75% of Instagram users reporting that they take actions such as visiting a site, searching or communicating with a friend after being influenced by a post, mastering the platform’s many ad formats is critical. While photo ads remain a fixture of the platform, Instagram video formats are an increasingly invaluable tool for targeting a select audience.
The platform offers several key video formats for creating ads on Instagram: individual video ads offer the ability to create ads of up to 60 seconds, carousels allow more space for messages by allowing followers to swipe over other images or videos, and Instagram Stories offer a vertical full-screen format where images and videos can be stitched together to create visually compelling ads.
For specific information on how to promote your business on Instagram with a video ad, check out this step-by-step guide.
12. Give GIFs a chance
Research shows that more people watch videos that are 15 seconds or less until the end, so marketers should learn how to create and post GIFs.
The GIF format, which in 2017 celebrated 30. anniversary of its creation, it is more attractive than photos – GIFs are shared more than JPEG or PNG formats – and are more cost-effective and time-efficient than producing videos.
It’s also the medium that apparently inspired Instagram to create its own GIF-based riff — Boomerang — that records a short sequence of images before joining them together and then playing them back and forth in a loop, ready to be uploaded to Instagram.
Considering that there are more than 1 billion gifs today, these videos are surely a gif that keeps repeating.
13. Using Instagram traffic to increase website traffic
Instagram traffic can help increase traffic to your website due to the fact that the platform allows you to place a single clickable link in your bio.
Maximize the potential of your link with special offers and promotions that encourage followers to click through. You should also combine strong call-to-action with your URL in a text overlay on all images or videos.
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You can insert a link with a “Swipe Up” CTA into your Instagram stories if you have more than 10,000 followers.
Keep in mind that all Instagram ad formats offer a call-to-action button that followers can click to take them to your website.
If you’ve partnered with influencers, work with them to promote your URL in their own content.
Finally, to see relevant traffic statistics, deploy analytics software that allows you to gain insight into which Instagram content is driving traffic to your website so you can further target your campaign.
14. Use SEO to “win” on Instagram
Instagram and SEO may not seem like the most obvious connection, but creating an SEO strategy for your Instagram account is vital on this increasingly competitive platform.
The two key areas that influence SEO are the handle and the account name. The first is the name “@” under which you register, which should clearly reflect the industry in which your business operates. Make it short, sweet and memorable.
Next, it’s the account name that appears below your profile photo and should reflect your account handle and industry. When people search on Instagram using words or emoticons, it’s your account name that Instagram will use to control searches.
To get the most out of this feature, enter your industry or keyword related to your business in the title field. The key here is to think about the words people would use when searching on Instagram.
The relationship between social networks and SEO is mutual. Not only do you want to optimize your profile for search engines in your channel, but you should also take into account that signals from social networks (such as likes, shares, and comments) can play a role in your SEO ranking.
Although Google does not officially confirm that social signals are part of its ranking algorithm, studies have shown a significant correlation between social engagement and ranking in Google.
15. Work with micro-influencers to create brand authenticity.
Instagram influencer marketing is becoming increasingly important, enabling marketers to collaborate with key industry leaders and spread the brand message to a wider audience.
Since influencers are perceived as “independent,” aligning your brand with their authoritative voice can add real authenticity to your messages.
However, how to choose the right influencer can be challenging. Marketers can fall under the spell of working with a celebrity instead of focusing on what the influencer can actually bring them.
It’s important for marketers to understand the definition of what an influencer is in the first place, and plan an influencer strategy that includes a short trial period for the campaign to see how the influencer’s follower network is receptive to your brand.
We all remember the resistance Pepsi faced when trying to use social movements like Black Lives Matter with its campaign with Kendall Jenner. While the reach of a celebrity like Jenner is enormous, she wasn’t the right influencer to run a campaign that was already seen as an inauthentic and co-opting BLM revolution.
Consumers today are increasingly desensitized to traditional advertising, incredibly aware of social issues, and have finely tuned BS-filters, so authenticity is a major requirement for brands.
Instead of spending money on well-known names, partnering with micro-influencers can be a golden ticket to creating an authentic brand.
Micro-influencers are generally more affordable, have a more personal relationship with their audience, and are perceived as more authentic. In fact, micro-influencers have consistently higher engagement rates of around 2-3% compared to an average rate of 1.7% for macro-influencers.
Sand Cloud is a perfect example of how micro-influencers can be used to build an authentic brand. This beach towel company uses micro-influencers and regular customers as brand ambassadors and gets almost all of its content from its followers. This strategy has proven successful, with 775,000 Instagram followers and over $20 million in revenue to date.
Remember to ensure that your influencer gets the right tools, resources, and guidance they need to effectively fulfill their role and work on the campaign hand in hand with you as true partners.
16. Hold a contest on Instagram
Contests are a powerful engagement tool on Instagram that generates more engagement than regular posts.
A particularly popular type of contest on Instagram is giveaway. This is a giving away of a product or service, and users enter the contest by following your account, liking the post, and tagging their friends in your post. If the giveaway is well done, it can be an effective tactic to increase engagement and brand awareness.
Running a contest on Instagram requires planning, from collaborating with another brand to increase reach and determine the contest’s rules and goals – such as “sign up to win,” “Like to win,” or “follow to win” — to creating an engaging contest entry.
Once the contest is ready to be deployed, devise a strategy to promote it; In addition to advertising on Instagram, think about email mailing, banners on websites, plugins on social networks and more.
Monitoring the competition while it is running is also crucial. Use hashtags, Google alerts, and social media management platforms to track the results of the contest. When it’s over, promote the results on social media.
17. Converting Instagram Followers to Email Subscribers
Email remains a virtual channel for building truly deep customer relationships.
That’s why brands are trying to turn Instagram followers into email subscribers through three established steps designed to create effective Instagram marketing for email.
First, create a clickable cue in your Instagram posts depending on your audience. For example, consider offering a price, free content, or discounts.
Second, once your audience clicks, make sure your landing page includes a strong call-to-action associated with the email submission form.
Third, create a mailing list to effectively acquire new email subscribers and start developing more meaningful relationships with them.
18. Accept Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories has become the platform’s most popular feature, with 500 million users using it every day. There is even talk that stories will become the main feature of Instagram, and even replace the main feed.
Stories lets you post a combination of photos and images in a single post that disappears after 24 hours. However, their benefits can last much longer for your reach and level of engagement, which increases your chances of appearing in the Explore section and helps you gain new followers along the way.
Using stories can make your brand feel more authentic and accessible, and create a sense of urgency that keeps users coming back to engage with you.
Live stories are ideal for attracting people because they take place in the moment, while pre-recorded stories are perfect for in-depth coverage of your products, one-time quick promotions, or sharing narratives.
Some of the best stories take advantage of the “FOMO” effect that stories invoke to offer previews or use interactive elements and clever storytelling to keep users on the screen.
Keep in mind that 60% of stories on Instagram are watched with audio on, so be sure to invest in quality audio for your audience.
Airbnb is a master of using Instagram stories.
19. Add a link to Instagram Stories
Previously, links in stories were only available to owners of verified Instagram accounts, now they are available to everyone.
To add a link, you need to upload a photo or video to Instagram as before. Then tap the link icon at the top of the screen. Enter the link, take a quick preview to check if everything is in order and hit the “done” button. Don’t forget to add a CTA to your story so users know what to swipe up for.
It may seem like a simple option, but it’s an essential option to drive even more Instagram visitors to your website.
20. Effective use of emoticons
The power of images over words also applies to emojis – especially on Instagram. With thousands of emoticons available (and growing), it’s essential to develop a strategy on how to use emoticons to reflect your brand and not feel too casual.
When used correctly, emojis help you put personality and fun into your brand and help you build a more emotional connection with your audience. In fact, millennials and Gen Z are so accustomed to emojis that they perceive messages as more “cold” without them.
First, consider whether your brand should deploy emojis at all – for example, if you offer a financial aid service, for example, are they suitable?
Second, check if you understand their meaning to ensure their use remains appropriate, and assess how many to use and how often to increase engagement on Instagram.
Finally, remember that emoticons have a two-sided meaning and reflect what your followers think of your posts, so keep an eye on your comments and look for emoticons in them that you can use as sentiment indicators.
To learn everything a marketer needs to know about emojis, read our Emoji & Emotions report.
21. Promote your Instagram channel on other social accounts
Spread the word about your Instagram feed as much as possible. Promote your Instagram account, such as Facebook, by posting a clickable link to your Instagram page.
You can also use Instagram’s auto-publish and cross-promotion tools. Cross-promotion tools allow you to instantly post from Instagram to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other networks, bringing together followers from different social networks.
Remember that you can’t cross-promote all of your Instagram posts on other social channels, or you risk “cannibalizing” your content, eliminating the need for followers to visit your Instagram channel in the first place.
22. Add CTAs everywhere
Followers may love your ads on Instagram, but make sure all that love actually leads somewhere with a strong call to action on Instagram.
Although CTAs can be rolled into your profile, images, or copies of captions, the most direct way to increase engagement and nudge followers in a certain direction is to take advantage of the official CTA buttons that Instagram makes available to businesses.
These appear below your post and are perfect for providing short, punchy CTAs like “Find out more” and “Call Now” to grab followers’ attention. For top examples of calls to action on Instagram and how to create them, click here.
23. Follow and learn from your most successful content on Instagram.
Learn the “formula” of content that will increase engagement on Instagram and use it to further refine your Instagram marketing strategy. There are many ways to do this, whether by identifying the most effective hashtags and visual styles, or by figuring out when it’s best to post.
Through such monitoring, you can create best practices for your own brand. Also consider deploying a social media package like Brandwatch. Social listening and analysis can help you fine-tune your marketing strategy and increase engagement on Instagram.
And our last bonus tip?
Remember that your Instagram journey never ends.
As daunting as it may sound, your Instagram profile is like your business — a business that is constantly growing and evolving, while forming ever deeper bonds with its followers.
By following these tips to improve engagement on Instagram, you can maximize the potential of your Instagram channel. So no matter how the network evolves, you can increase engagement on Instagram and keep the influx of likes, shares, and comments going.
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