Instagram has changed a lot since its inception – with the addition of the algorithm being the biggest change. Since its introduction, many brands, businesses, and individuals alike have noticed lower engagement and reach on their posts, and you may have seen it as well.
However, this does not mean you must experience this. The surprising fact is that you can use this development as a method to reach more followers without waiting for the Instagram algorithm to promote your content. The best way to increase your overall brand reach is by understanding the algorithm and how it works.
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Ways you can use to increase your reach on Instagram
Know the best times you can post
Although Instagram uses the algorithm to determine which content becomes popular and what does not, knowing the best times you can post is still important – and the ideal is when your target audience is mainly online.
Knowing this information is easy since you can check the Insights Page once you activate an Instagram Business profile. Once you figure out the best time, you can schedule all your posts ahead of time, and make sure you are consistent about posting high-quality content.
Consider posting videos
At first, you may see that photos get much better engagement rates compared to video content, and several studies show it may be the case. However, observing the behavior of Instagram users over time may lead to a different result, and that is videos generating more comments compared to photos, even though photos will get more likes compared to videos.
It is unclear if you are entirely better off posting videos or photos, as many people do not know if the algorithm prioritizes likes or comments more, or treats them equally. However, the assumption is that comments are more valuable in the long term, as they require audiences to make more effort in engaging with the post compared to simply liking it, and the algorithm may place these posts higher than a post with more likes.
Additionally, more people are watching videos on Instagram, according to a recent finding from Instagram, with a 6-month frame showing a 40% increase. Considering this growth, it may be a good decision to experiment with video content and see if it boosts engagement and lands new audiences, without necessarily going to websites where you can buy cheap Instagram followers and increase engagement in this way.
Encouraging engagement by asking questions or hosting contests
Among the most effective ways to boost your post engagement and create buzz around your brand is to ask your audience questions, or encourage them to act on a post, such as participating in giveaways and contests.
Giveaway contests are a tried-and-tested method of boosting comments and overall engagement, but be careful not to overdo them – it is always best to give a few months between different contests to keep them fresh.
Additionally, you can ask your Instagram followers questions and allow them to respond, and this is another good way of increasing your reach.
Posting user-generated content
The effect of user-generated content is interesting – you are giving your audience a chance to interact directly with you through posting content, engaging with it, and sharing it. Since the algorithm will prioritize the relationships of users and creators when they are ranking content, it is a classic method of creating and enhancing relationships with your audience.
A recent Crowdtap study, for instance, showed that user-generated content is more memorable to audiences by 35%, and people will tend to trust it more compared to traditional media and non-user-generated content by up to 50%. This alone makes it a valuable option to try out.
Do an Instagram story
Instagram stories are surprisingly underutilized by many brands and businesses, with a study from Buffer revealing that only 16% of them use this feature. That already tells you everything you should know; there are plenty of opportunities in this area to stand out before the space becomes crowded.
Instagram stories are at the top of all user feeds, so it is the first thing your audience will see when they log in. Using this as the basis will let you stay on top of their feed, and they will pay more attention to you and your posts.
Instagram, like other social media platforms, mainly exists to help users enjoy their experiences, so ensure you create these experiences and your brand will benefit from that.
