I have been upping my Instagram game these past few months so I thought I would share a bit of what I've discovered over that time period. Just like all the other social media platforms, it is key to have a strategy when it comes to posting to Instagram. Much of what I have learned over the past few months I garnered from Alex Tooby's Infamous to Influential Instagram course. I highly recommend it!
How I Manage Instagram
- I revisit my profile often to make certain it is fresh and the links are up to date and relevant.
Keep profile up to date and fresh!
- I chose a theme and stick to it. I do change the theme every now and then but I work really hard to be consistent with my Instagram feed. For example, I post one image and one quote each day. The quote has the same design and the image is beautiful and within context. This creates a cool visual snapshot easy for the eyes to digest.
- Be consistent with your posting and batch create designs & batch schedule posts.
- I use stock photos and my own photos.
- I write a story in the description.
- I add lots of hashtags and emojis.
- I use my everyday moments as part of my story. These images and videos are not included in my feed. I view my story as my behind the scenes.
- I connect back to my blog, a product, or a promotion. Think about the monetary endgame always: Ad sales from traffic? Product conversions? Promotional sales?
Instagram Tools I Use
Canva
I use Canva to easily create, design, & organize templates for Instagram.
Log into Canva (or add an assistant to your team)
Click on the square social media template to create your Instagram post
{Pro tip: use an existing design as a template by clicking on the drop-down arrow in the upper right-hand corner and then clicking on “make a copy”.}
Name the copy something different that lines up with your organizational approach & save final products in the Instagram folder. Simply drag the design and drag it over.
{Pro tip: For quote posts, it is best to create in batches and schedule out in batches. Cultivate a “quote vault” for easy access to add to your Instagram design.}
Iconosquare
I use Iconosquare to manage comments, to study analytics, & to batch scheduling.
Analytics
Study what is working and what is not working. Then adjust your strategy accordingly.
Comments
Comment in bulk on this page. A huge time saver for engagement. Engagement is important to Instagram.
Batch Schedule Posts
I post twice a day – one a quote post and one an image with content from my blog. I batch schedule these posts.
Everliker
I use this tool, a simple chrome extension, for “bulk liking” based on hashtags
Download the Chrome Extension from the Chrome Web Store
Make sure you’re logged into Instagram, click on the Everliker icon, and simply let it run while you’re doing other stuff.
It is THAT easy!
Remember to be consistent with your posting, be consistent with your style, and show up! You have to engage if you want to build a warm audience that will one day convert.
Hope this run down helps you in your Instagram strategy.
Marnie
