8 Ways to Optimize Instagram Audience Engagement

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the industry today. According to surveyed marketers, 89% indicated that Instagram was the most important social media platform for influencer marketing. Additionally, it is the second-most logged-in social media site, so it's safe to say that just about anybody and everybody can become an influencer. But in order to be an effective on who can actively engage and influence their audience, use these tips below: 

1. Switch to a Business Profile.

If you switch your account to a business profile, you can easily track the best time to post. You’ll be able to assess your target audience by gender, age, and location. Generally, the more you post and the more you vary your posts, the more accurately your insights will measure which content at what times will most successfully engage your audience. You can then use this information to schedule your posts ahead of time using Snips Schedules.

2. Write Engaging Captions with Your Posts.

Instead of writing generic captions, ask a fun and intriguing question, so your followers will stop to answer it instead of just swiping past your post. This will significantly boost the numbers on your comments section because it’ll be easier for your followers to know what to write once they are already given a prompt.

But, don't just stop there. Make sure to reply to your comments. This shows that you are engaged with your followers and actually care about their input. These replies don't have to be super long and insightful; a simple encouragement or acknowledgement is enough for a follower to want to further interact with you.

3. Be Careful with Your Hashtags.

You can use hashtags, but be specific and selective with the ones you use. It clutters a person's feed if someone you follow tags their post with 50 different hashtags that aren't necessarily helpful. For example, if you use too vague of a hashtag (like #makeup or #clothing), then your post will get lost in the millions of others that are also tagged the same thing. Instead of just tagging #clothing, maybe try tagging the specific brand and clothing item (like #nordstromlongdress).

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Input.

Get creative with the way you interact with your followers. They want to get to know who you are beyond just a paid promoter. You can create Q&A-style stories that allow your followers to send in personal comments, questions, requests, etc. Maybe even set up a specific day each week for a Q&A session. Just have fun with it and ask unique questions that you know will start a conversation.

For example, you can take a video of yourself asking your followers for recommendations on their favorite Netflix shows or their thoughts on a specific topic/brand you are interested in. 

5. Take Advantage of Instagram Stories.

Don't just rely on the posts alone to drive traffic to your account. For every post, create a correlating Insta story that showcases it. According to Instagram, over 500 million accounts use Instagram stories every day. For the accounts who follow hundreds or even thousands of different influencers, it’s really easy for your post to get lost in the mix. So if you create an Instagram story, a follower can see your account pop up at the top of their feed and will be more likely to see your post.

6. Make Your Posts Shoppable.

Make all your posts shoppable using Snips Collections. Nothing is less enticing than having to click through multiple links just to check out a product that an influencer is promoting.

You can avoid this hassle with Snips Collections by getting instant access to products from over 200 of the world's top retailers and brands, including Amazon, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Target, and many more. You'll be able to tag any and all products on your pictures and videos, and the best part: you'll earn revenue on both commissions from sales AND on ad views. 

7. Have an Overarching Theme for Your Account.

Set a theme for your feed. Apply the same filter or preset on all your posts to create a more aesthetically pleasing look. This then can also apply to your stories and highlights, as well.

You can also play around with the order in which you upload specific posts. For example, you can decide that all your posts on the left side of your page will only contain text, the middle will only contain pictures of your favorite products, and the right side will only contain pictures of yourself. This way, with just a quick glimpse, any follower can see that you have a consistent and reliable marketing strategy for your account.

8. Create Saved Instagram Stories.

Anybody should be able to get a generally accurate reading of who you are as an influencer and what type of lifestyle you promote just by glossing over your Bio and what you have saved to it. But since your Bio only allows you to type in so many characters, this is where the saved stories feature comes in play.

You should create different categories of saved stories for your followers to access, so that they can get a better sense of who you are. For example, some categories can be: favorite products, workout routine, funny memes, favorie recipes, clothing, family, vacations, etc. This way, new followers can quickly click through your stories and get to know you who are without having to scroll through all your posts, and current followers are able to go back to any of your old stories and remind themselves of your recommendations.

This would also be a great place to save responses to any one of your Q&A's.

These are just a few tips and tricks you can use to boost your audience engagement, but as long as you are actively trying to interact with your followers, you shouldn’t fret too much over the numbers. Make sure to check out our tutorials to learn how to use our Collections, Billboards, and more!