How to Take Your Instagram Engagement to the Next Level
Being successful on Instagram doesn’t happen overnight. Your brand needs to put in a lot of time and effort into content planning, posting, and commenting in order to see your follower and engagement numbers go up.
Even though this process takes time, it doesn’t mean that increasing your engagement needs to be complicated.
Keep reading to find out how you can take your Instagram engagement game to the next level.
Instagram engagement, explained
Instagram engagement is how users on the platform interact with the content you publish. Your engagement rate is the formula that measures the amount of interaction your content earns relative to reach or other audience figures (eg: likes, comments, shares). Engagement rates are healthy metrics to monitor because they show how frequently users interact with your content.
There are many ways to calculate your engagement rate. One of the most popular ways to calculate ER by engagement with content is by reach (ERR).
ERR measures the percentage of people who interacted with your content after seeing it.
ERR = total engagements per post / reach per post * 100
To determine the average, add up the all the ERRs from the posts you want to average, and divide by the number of posts.
Average ERR = Total ERR / Total posts
Learn more about the different types of engagement rates here.
When it comes to engagement rate, there’s no “one size fits all” solution, as your ideal ER depends on a variety of factors. However, the median engagement rate is 1.60%.
Remember, Instagram’s algorithm is always changing, which means your brand’s engagement rate will likely fluctuate as a result.
Ways to increase engagement
Get creative!
You don’t need to stick to the same type of content all the time. Changing up the type of content you post on Instagram and adding a little creative flair can help greatly. Creating content that users can bookmark and come back to later (like a checklist or infographic) or visit time and time again (like an instructional video) will lead to an increased engagement rate on Instagram.
Jump on trends, when appropriate
Stay up-to-date with social media trends and pop culture news shows that your brand is in the knows about what’s popular on the internet. It’s also a way to showcase your playful side and have a chance at going viral by using the proper hashtags.
Tag other users
Tagging an influencer you’re working with or reposting a customer shows you value that person. In addition, it increases the chance of that user’s following seeing your content, because they can easily share it to their Stories.
Engage in conversation
This may seem like a no-brainer, but engaging with your followers and fellow brands is key! Respond to DMs, reply to comments on your posts, comment on other people’s posts, and so on. When you engage in conversation, this helps you understand your followers, how they connect with you, and what they’re saying about your brand.
Geotag your posts
By taking advantage of geotags, you have your content show up when someone searches or clicks on said tag. For example, you can geotag your brick-and-mortar location or the town or city your business is located in. Additionally, you can use geotags to showcase all of the great places your company visits and posts photos of.
Take advantage of Stories Features
Use stickers or other interactive features, such as polls, question-and-answer boxes, quizzes, and countdown tickers to encourage viewers to engage with your posts.
Use hashtags
Hashtags help users find your posts since your content will be visible when someone searches that tag. Don’t overdo it, though. To pick the most relevant hashtags, research popular tags, track which are trending in your industry, and monitor what tags your competitors are using.
Ready to increase your Instagram engagement? Call, DM, or email me at sbellem@bbrookstone.com to discuss ideas. We would love to help you raise your brand’s ER!
