1. Embrace the hashtags:
“I hate using hashtags because it looks like I’m trying way too hard to get strangers to see my photos!”
….But…. you DO want strangers to see your photos! Remember, you’re building a brand! What brand doesn’t want people to see their photos? So, ignore the nay-sayers, and embrace the hashtag. They were designed to help you get yourself out there. The trick is HOW you use your hashtags.
Do research on what hashtags are popular for your audience. This includes which hashtags other industry influencers or competitors are using (with success). Then, spend some time monitoring the content of each tag to decide how you can appropriately engage.
For example:
A popular hashtag amongst photographers is #VSCO, and it is used when people are using the VSCOcam app to edit their photo. If you’re looking to market to photographers, a smart move to build a community around your product would be to search the #VSCO tag and look for ways to engage with that community through your content. How are other people using the hashtag #VSCO? How can I use #VSCO to relate and engage to these users?
The hashtag #FitFam, for example, is another popular hashtag, this time used by fitness enthusiasts. People use this after posting pics of themselves at the gym, making their fave post work-out smoothie, or even planning their meals for the week. However your community of choice chooses to use hashtags, you can do the same as a tactic for connecting with this community, and growing your list of followers.
Photo by @FitFam
2. Comment and like photos:
This can get exhausting, so I’m not suggesting you do this all the time. But, keep in mind that commenting on photos is another way of being seen. That said, don’t like/comment for the sake of liking/commenting. People can smell a tactic from a mile away!! If you like a photo – like the photo. If you have something to say – say something specific (in other words, not “yay!”……. what is anyone going to do with that?).
The Instagram user will appreciate the engagement, and their followers will see your comment. This opens the possibility of your own page being checked out by either the poster, or one of his/her followers.
3. Don’t make your posts all about selling:
Did you know there is a hashtag geared to spreading the word about others? #MakePortraits is for friends posting pics of friends, which tells me, we’re saying bye to the #Selfie, and hello to the shout-out!
People get very easily turned off by posts geared to selling service and products. I’m not saying they aren’t necessary, of course they are! But you need the right amount of selling and the right amount of service to avoid turning people off. Service comes in a variety of forms, one of them should be aiding others.
At a certain point, shout-outs will happen just because you want to give a shout-out. But, if you’re in a place where you really need to spread the word about something and your very good friend or fellow business owner has a great relationship with both you and their following, perhaps you coordinate some posts? There’s nothing wrong with offering to spread the word about one of their causes in exchange for some exposure for you and your business.
That said, please make sure you’re approaching this request with sincerity and not merely to snag some exposure. Choose to spread the word about something you believe in, and make your offer in the best interest of the person you’re asking from as well as you.
4. Dog photos and other Instagram cliches: 
People should be getting to know the “emotion” behind the brand, as well as the brand. Someone who I think is doing a great job at this is Reese Witherspoon and her new lifestyle line, Draper James. There are so many photos of strolls around town, kids playing, Reese and her morning cup of coffee, etc. This is a wonderful way of offering a glimpse “behind the camera,” so to speak. This way, they’re not selling their product as much as they are exhibiting joy, fun and love — all emotions which we automatically tie to their brand.
I find myself browsing through their photos with a smile on my face and wanting everything she’s selling because the emotion she’s tied to it is so desirable. Truthfully, nothing is even my style. DING, DING! Their strategy is totally working.
Also, I understand that posting pics about your own life feels like a laughable cliche. Who really wants to see pics of me with my dog?
Honestly? …loads of people! Thousands of Instagram followers love photos of dogs, and if they stumble on one of you with your dog, they might also choose to check out your page, discover that you’re selling something they’ve been looking for, and end up being your next customer. The same can be said for those loathed #FoodPorn photos, or laughed at #LOTD (Look Of The Day) photos. By integrating these “cliche” themes into your strategy in a way that is true to you, your personality, and/or your brand, you’re able to engage with hashtags you wouldn’t normally be able to, which means your Instagram audience can start growing.
(Please note the bold in the above. If you hate food or cooking — don’t post pics of food just to snag followers. Again, we can smell a tactic a mile away. Be yourself. Always.)
5. When should I be posting?
Everyone should do their own research on this, all audiences are different. That said, Latergramme, a program that allows you to schedule and automate your Instagram posts, ran an analysis of over 61,000 posts earlier this year to determine when the highest percentage of engagement (likes and comments) takes place. Below are their findings.
The below graph shows the best times to post for highest percentage of engagement. According to Latergramme, the best time to post is 2AM (say what!?) and 5PM.
The below graphs look at Latergramme’s results Monday – Sunday. The results are shown by engagement percent vs. time of day. The higher the bar, the better.
Sunday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
And, last but not least, which day is the best day for posting?
We can now confirm that it is indeed Wednesday!! … but not by much. The very best average of percentage of engagement for the week was 4.9%, and the very worst was 4.4%.
Take a look:
Questions? Feel free to comment or ask away on Facebook!
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