In 2022, new platforms are emerging as the place to grow an audience and build a personal or professional brand. Tik Tok has taken over in recent months, and Twitter is seeing a resurgence.
But when people are scrolling on their phones in bed, in the drive-thru line, or while sitting at their desk at work, there’s still a very high chance they’re on Instagram. Instagram is still the king and is the best place for most people to grow an audience.
But building an Instagram audience isn’t as easy as it used to be. As platforms evolve, the algorithms change, and it becomes more and more difficult to get your Instagram content seen.
So what are some creative ways to improve your Instagram engagement and get more eyeballs on your posts? Keep reading below for five tips on improving social media engagement.
- Use Instagram Stories and Reels
In the old days, the only thing you could do on Instagram was to post static images on your feed. But today, that’s the least effective way to experience Instagram engagement.
People have moved past the desire to see nice photos. Today, it’s all about video content. It’s all about sharing more content and keeping people engaged for longer periods of time.
Stories give you the opportunity to truly connect with your audience. They don’t have to be polished. They don’t need to be professional.
They can just showcase you in the real, raw moments of the everyday. And it’s that type of content that is most interesting and relatable.
Most of the static Instagram posts these days are staged photos that have been edited a little too much. Although they like nice, they feel inauthentic.
- Reel Collabs
Instagram reels are another newer option for customized content. They’re kind of like stories and static posts combined.
They give you the option of creating short videos that entertain or educate and are easily consumable and shareable. They let your brand be a little more creative than with stories.
But you don’t have to create them alone. With reels, you can invite a co-creator to also participate in the content creation.
Whether that’s a brand, a friend, an influencer, or a notable figure in your industry, collaborating on reels can be a win-win situation. When you do so, the reel will post on both creators’ profiles. That means that the reel gets leveraged by both audiences, boosting engagement.
- Post Gifs and Memes
It’s 2022 and memes aren’t dead yet. In fact, memes remain one of the best ways to continue to keep the engagement going.
Of course, memes can be overused. If you’re using the same images or gifs that countless other people are using, you may be ignored. Instead, try finding unique memes, or creating one from scratch, in order to cut through the noise and encourage virality.
Memes that tie in your brand to current trends or events can be very effective.
Also, focus on posting gifs. Whether it’s a meme gif or your own post as a gif, they are more engaging than a static image but require less effort than a full video. Here’s how to post a gif on Instagram the right way.
- Create Saveable Content
One of the best ways to get people to engage with your content is to create content specifically designed to be shared and saved. Usually, this is in the form of a custom graphic, as opposed to a nice photo.
Graphics that teach people how to perform a specific task, or how to achieve a major goal, are very effective. If you tell people to save that graphic or to share it with someone who needs that information, you could experience an engagement boost.
The content that you create could be an inspirational quote. But for best results, keep it practical. People love short, easily digestible, practical tips that can help them improve their life or reach a certain goal.
But it also has to look nice as well. If you don’t have a graphic designer that can create it for you, then use a free tool like Canva, which has templates in place specifically intended for this type of content.
- Use Calls to Action
CTAs are always one of the biggest drivers of engagement. If you tell people what to do, there’s a better chance that they’ll actually do it. It’s pretty simple but often overlooked.
Give people a reason to like your Instagram posts. If you post an image of you enjoying some fresh air and sunshine, then use a simple CTA. You could tell your audience to like your post if they plan on getting outside this weekend.
Or if you post a picture of two people enjoying your product together, you can give a CTA telling your audience to tag the friend they’d want to share the product with.
Questions and polls are other subtle calls to action that increases engagement. Ask a thoughtful question to your audience and encourage them to leave a response.
You can also post a poll or a quiz on your Instagram stories. These are very easy for users to engage with, involving only the press of a finger. But doing so keeps them engaged with your content, so they are more likely to see your content on a regular basis.
Lastly, giveaways are one of the best forms of a CTA. By giving away products, or partnering with other brands to give away freebies, you can instruct users to follow you, reshare the post, and tag their friends in the comments for a chance to win. Giveaways have always been one of the best ways to grow a following and experience a big engagement boost.
Serve Your Instagram Audience
Ultimately, the best way to engage your Instagram audience is to help them, to serve them, and to encourage them to be their best selves. Contrary to popular belief, social media isn’t about you. It’s about the people who follow you.
Create content that helps and inspires them, and you’ll have a loyal, engaged following.
Looking for more social media tips? Head over to our blog to find more articles.
