I created my first IG profile back in 2011 (yes I’m one of the original OG’s) and I feel like I am just now figuring out this platform. Between struggling back and forth with the algorithm, dodging all the bots, and figuring out the perfect hashtag(s), I’ve managed to find a groove with my brand.
I intentionally started tracking my IG growth since April of 2020 and according to my numbers, I’ve averaged around 94 new followers a month. This wasn’t just by happenstance or taking shots in the dark and seeing what sticks. With strategy and patience, I figured out the best ways to help my brand grow on IG and to boost my engagement.
According to Later.com, your engagement rate can be calculated in two different ways:
Engagement Rate = (likes + comments) / Followers x 100
Engagement Rate = (likes + comments) / Impressions x 100
I take all of these factors into account when creating content on my page.
Grab your pen and pencil or open up the notes tab on your phone:
Remove Followers You Don’t Engage With
I know how easy it is to get caught up in the vanity metrics - having many more followers than the number of people you follow. But if engagement is something you are striving for, having followers that you don’t engage with dilutes that percentage number. Instagram considers engagement the number of likes, comments, saves and shares that your post receives. If your followers don’t do any of the four, what’s really the point?
*I should’ve prefaced this by saying you can keep track of all of this if you have a business account.
I know you may be thinking, “shouldn’t I want to have a lot of followers? If I want to work with brands, isn’t this what they want to see?” Yes and no. The numbers don’t mean anything if you are speaking to a dead audience. Are you able to build community on your page? That’s what matters and we’ll talk more about that further along in the post.
To remove followers, simply go to the page(s) of IG followers you have the least amount of engagement with (IG actually lets you know this when you click on Followers). Find a profile, click on the three dots in the top right corner of their page and select Remove Follower.
Diversify your Hashtags
Up until recently, I spent a great deal of time just aimlessly using hashtags I felt were fitting to my post without much research or intentionality. For instance, if I am talking about documentary filmmaking, i’d use hashtags like #documentary and #filmmaker. On the seurface that seems fine but both of those hashtags have over 6 million posts so the likelihood of my post even getting seen from those hashtags are slim to none. Use smaller-niched/industry specific hashtags that have a small number of posts to sift through. For example, if I combined those two terms into one hashtag #documentaryfilmmaker, I have a much greater chance of being seen as that only has 25,000 posts.
Another good tip that I learned is to research hashtags related to my brand pillars and keep them on an excel form for reference. I actually visit the form quite often and continue to add to it when I come across new hashtags. For example, if you are in personal finance, some of your brand pillars can be ofcourse saving, finance, budgeting, debt free, etc. You will then use those pillars to dig deeper into finding less saturated hashtags.
Engage with Others
While this post is about boosting our engagement, it’s important to engage with others as well. Not just some surface level emoji’s left under someone’s picture but with the same care and concern you want others to show your content. Find others in your industry and interact with their pages, answer their call to actions, share their value on your IG stories, follow them.
Building relationships with others helps in the longevity of your brand. It helps to make collaborators out of competitors and to get put on the radar of potential clients.
Add a Call to Action to your Copy
Speaking of call to actions (often shortened and referred to CTAs), this is super important when it comes to increasing your engagement. A call to action is a way to guide your audience to their next step after engaging with your content. Do you want them to share with a friend? Save the post for future reference? Tag a friend in the comments who they think would find your content helpful? Book a call? Buy your product? There are several requests you can make and it is okay to make them as direct as they sound. Don’t assume the reader knows what you want from them.
Post a Reel
I know you’ve all probably been seeing this new added feature to IG and if you haven’t made one yet, you are truly missing out. Very similar to Tik Tok, reels are short and engaging video clips that range from 15 to 30 seconds. Because it’s such a new feature, IG is boosting it to get its users to get with the hype and it’s a VERY easy way to get found on the explore page and get increased viewership which means greater engagement and more followers. My very first reel had over 11,000 views. Don’t believe me? Just try.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Actually, try them out and track your engagement. Revisit this post and let me know how it worked for you ( ← my CTA by the way).
