Let’s talk about marketing on Instagram!

Have you tried, and tried, and tried some more to grow your account with very little growth? Have you refused to pay for followers? Are you new to Instagram and everything is so confusing?

If you’ve answered yes to at least 1 of these questions you’ll want to keep reading. If not, read anyway because you most likely need to hear it again.

I’m going to start with blowing your mind with some Instagram facts.

Did you know 50% of the average engagement on a single post is done within the first hour! Yes, the FIRST HOUR! Say Suzy posts a really epic picture of the juicy burger she’s about to eat, her engagement depends on how many people see, like, and comment on it within the first hour, she can only expect it to only double for the lifetime of the post. For this reason, businesses and many people who are selling a product or service will post something and remove it after an hour.

Mind blown? Great! There is more, let’s continue.

Did you know that if you comment on a post, Instagram only recognizes a certain amount of words? Your comments need to be 3+ words, if you comment any less Instagram does not count the comment in their algorithm for deciding the most active posts. So posting a flex symbol or #truth doesn’t help your friends out.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been going about this whole Instagram game all wrong. I’m not a marketing expert, and it’s taken me years to figure this all out. Heck, I’m still learning! But I figured since Instagram is the biggest social media platform for building a business, I better learn how to use it properly.

Unless you’ve established your brand and big following somewhere on another social media platform, you’re probably starting out with your mom and dog following you. Below I’m going to share what I’ve learned, just some tips on how to maximize your Instagram account without going broke.

1. HASHTAGS. Hashtags can be annoying but they are there for a reason. They can help you spread and share your post in several areas not just your page. When using hashtags try to use the most popular tags.

Top 10 Hashtags:
1. love.
2. instagood.
3. me.
4. tbt.
5. cute.
6. follow.
7. followme.
8. photooftheday.
9. happy.
10. tag4likes.

2. FOLLOW OTHER PAGES. For some reason people on Instagram want to build a following without actually following other accounts. This is a huge mistake for newbies. The more pages you follow that are similar to yours, your account will pop up as a suggested page to follow for others.

3. COMMENT & LIKE. One of the best ways to grow is by commenting and liking other people’s posts. How I do this is by searching a specific hashtag, and scrolling through liking and commenting on pictures I do, in fact, like. Remember, as I mentioned above to make sure your comments are 3+ words.

4. POSTING TIMES. When people are following thousands of accounts your posts can get lost in the mix. Try to utilize these times, they even have apps you can use to post for you.

Best Times to Post on Instagram by Day of the Week
Sunday: 5:00 p.m.
Monday: 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 3:00 a.m. & 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 7:00 a.m. & 11:00 p.m.
Friday: 1:00 a.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 12:00 a.m. & 2:00 a.m.

5. FILTERS. Filters on your images are great and can be eye-catching. However I suggest using a separate app than Instagram to filter your photos. Using the Instagram filters lowers your post engagement as well. So filter, save to device, and post clean to IG.

6. ENGAGEMENT GROUPS. Where the hell were these years ago when I needed them!? But seriously engagement groups could be your #1 source for getting the best response out of your posts.

How engagement groups work:
1. They are done through IG Direct Message (DM).
2. You create a group message with only 15 people max.
3. You share your most recent post immediately after posting.
4. The post other people share, you MUST go to their page and like and comment 3+ words.
5. It ONLY works if everyone is involved and contributing.
6. This is crucial to do within the first hour. To help your friends get the engagement they need.

Like I said, I’m no expert and definitely don’t claim to be. Just sharing some tips I’ve  learned the hard way.

Thanks for reading my blog. If this helped you please like and comment in the comment section. Sharing is always appreciated!! ❤