If you haven’t optimized your Instagram profile, you’re not going to get the results you’re hoping for. There are various sections that comprise your profile, so I’ll walk you through how to best utilize each one of them.
The first is your bio and this is arguably THE most important in terms of areas you can control. So much so that I’ve written an entire blog post 3 Secrets to the perfect IG bio which you need to read now if you haven’t already.
No seriously, you’ll want to learn about the ONLY 2 searchable areas on your entire profile, what your ‘name’ should really be, how to craft the meat of your bio and lastly where you’ll want to be sending your audience when they leave Instagram.
Now that you’ve got the perfect bio let’s continue...
CHOOSE A THEME
This could be a color palette, a filter, a topic, a visual pattern or all of the above. Remember to go with something that compliments your brand and/or products.
Having a theme helps two-fold: it gives you a clear idea on what content & images you need to include and it is also visually appealing for followers when scrolling through your feed. If done right, people will begin to recognize your images in their feed before even seeing whose image it is.
ENGAGE, IT’S NON-NEGOTIABLE!
It’s all well and good having an Instagram account and expecting people to support your business and interact, but you will only get so far without reciprocating and encouraging conversation.
You need to be engaging with current followers as well as potential followers. A great way to encourage conversation is to ask questions in your captions and when people respond with answers, continue the conversation.
TIP: Actively search through some of the hashtags you use and find like-minded people/potential followers or customers to engage with.
USE HASHTAGS
Love ‘em or hate ‘em hashtags are the backbone of Instagram. They help your potential followers and customers find you and by not using them effectively you’re only hurting yourself/your brand.
There is so much to be said about which hashtags to use, how to find them, when to use them etc. but here are the basics:
You’re allowed 30 hashtags per post, and I strongly recommend using all 30.
Think of and use hashtags that your audience is searching for and not just ones that you are interested in.
Have multiple sets of hashtags to cycle through, to avoid angering the Instagram algorithm and get banned or blocked in any capacity. TIP: Have a set of hashtags for each type/category of post you do.
Use hashtags of moderate popularity. Too popular and you’ll never be seen, and too unknown and you won’t be reaching anyone.
BE CONSISTENT
This is pretty straightforward but posting regularly and keeping conversation flowing with your audience is vital. It increases the chances of your posts being seen on the regular and also means that you’re more likely to be front of mind should someone require your service/product.
VARY YOUR CONTENT
The last thing people want to be faced with every day when scrolling through their Instagram feed is pushy sales posts. While it is perfectly acceptable to promote your services/products to your audience, posting only sales-oriented posts is not. Think of the type of people who make up your followers, what do they enjoy, what type of lifestyle do they lead, what are their pain points – use these answers to help guide you in creating posts that compliment your offering and are most importantly, relevant to your audience.
Here are few more ideas of categories you could include in your feed, no matter what your service/product:
Tutorials / Tips & tricks
Educational
Quotes
Behind the scenes
Answers to FAQ’s
User-generated content (ask your followers to share posts of them using your products/showcasing your services)
HAVE FUN + CREATE CONTENT THAT’S TRUE TO YOUR BRAND
This might sound obvious but people want to connect with real people and welcoming brands. Using tools such as IG Stories + Reels can help give a peek at more behind the scenes moments and a less curated version of yourself. Plus, the Instagram algorithm LOVES accounts that use the new Reels feature and definitely gives them extra brownie points. To do what with, we’re still unsure, but we’re not one to turn down extra points!
Did you find any of these tips helpful? If so, share with a friend + don’t forget to save so you you can refer back to this later. Have any questions? Feel free to leave a comment below...
