Are you looking for Instagram success in 2020? Well, you are in the right place. Instagram has become the main platform that many social media influencers, bloggers, content creators, brands and entrepreneurs focus on. I know for me it’s the platform where I get the highest level of engagement. One of my goals for the year is to continue to increase engagement and grow on Instagram.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram then you know I recently started a series called #LetsGetSocial where I share all things social media and blogging too! So I decided to create this blog post for you all as well. I’ve been researching all the new trends and the latest tips on how to grow on Instagram because not only do I want to help myself be more successful on that platform, I also want to help you! Check out these 10 tips for Instagram that you can implement to see success on Instagram.
Create More Video Content
Video will always remain king. Video content has continued to grow over the last few years on Instagram. If you are not creating videos on Instagram you need to start right now!
IGTV Will Continue To Grow
IGTV is growing in popularity on Instagram. You can now even create series! I currently have 3 series on Instagram. As stated earlier Video really popular on Instagram and a lot of brands are now using IGTV to create long-form video content. Have a theme and style that is repeatable, for example, I have a series called #letsgetsocial where I share all things social media. So my followers will know what to expect in each episode.
Amp Up Your Instagram Stories
Instagram stories is not going anywhere anytime soon. More brands are asking for Instagram stories for campaigns in addition to in-feed Instagram posts. Many influencers use stories so show behind the scenes and just more real-life moments.
Create Longer Captions
Yep longer captions equal more engagement. Long gone are the days of super short captions on Instagram. Longer more meaningful captions are the way to go. The truth is the longer people spend reading your caption and also engaging with your post, the better your post will do within the Instagram algorithm. This is a win right!? It is said that in 2020 Instagram feeds will be filled with an average caption length of 405 characters.
Respond To DMs
This should be a given but respond to your DMs! Respond with a really nice message to engage with your followers. If someone is asking a question answer it. I even heard that sending voice messages helps with the algorithm but that is something that I will be testing out over the next few weeks.
Create A Hashtag Strategy
Related: How To Start a Successful Blog Step By Step
I recently created a new hashtag strategy for my Instagram and I’ve seen the results. It’s not good to keep using the same hashtags over and over again because Instagram will think that you are a bot and may shadowban your account. Here is what I’ve been doing for my hashtag strategy:
- Using location-specific hashtags. I usually use #chicagoblogger because I am from Chicago and I’m a blogger. It helps when brands may be searching for specific bloggers in Chicago.
- Use hashtags with fewer photos. I try to use more hashtags that have 100k or fewer photos in each hashtag.
- Category-specific hashtags (what is your photo about)
Engage ENGAGE ENGAGE!
Engagement is huge now more than ever. Make sure that you are engaging with your following. Responding to comments helps you in the Instagram algorithm. Make sure that you are going to your followers’ pages and also engaging with their content.
Make Sure Your Email Is In Your Bio
I can’t stress this enough. I’ve talked about this plenty of times already. Make sure that your email is listed in your bio. I know that there is a button where you can add your email but if a brand is searching for you via a computer they won’t be able to find your email. This may result in you being skipped over for a campaign. So, place those emails in your bio TODAY!
Be Authentic
People want to see the real you! Authenticity always wins and Instagram Is focusing more on this in 2020. Being authentic can go a long way in building a connection with your audience. When you can showcase the good moments and the not so good moments, your struggles and your wins too you will be more relatable to your audience.
Tell Your Story
As I said longer captions are GOLD these days and people really want more in-depth captions. If you are a great storyteller then this will be super easy for you. IG story is a great place to tell stories as well. Take your followers through your day, show some BTS, make it feel like they are there with you.
