The social media game is always changing and it can be hard to keep up. Algorithms change, new trends pop up and leave old ones behind, tags get banned, new tags become popular, and so much more. TAB Media is here to keep you in the loop and help you grow your social media following. Below are some do's, don't's and tips for building your business page on Instagram in 2020.
DON’T
Use overly popular tags, ie: instagood, instadaily, picoftheday, igdaily etc.
These tags are so saturated with thousands of posts that it’s incredibly hard to get noticed, let alone convert to clicks to your profile. By using these tags you’re taking away valuable tag space for more relative tags that will bring you better results.
DO
Use tags that are popular to your niche. If you’re a florist in Toronto, use tags like #torontoflorist #torontoflowers #torontoarrangements - you get the idea. Though some of these might have been tagged hundreds of thousands of times or more, it’s specific enough to drive the right clientele to your Instagram.
DON’T
Make any of your tags unrelated to what you're posting or your business’s niche. As a business, transparency is important and leading people to your posts through false advertising is a no-no. By using a tag like #cutedog when it’s a picture of flowers, reflects poorly on your business and someone looking for cute dogs doesn’t want to look at flowers. Once again, a wasted spot for a good tag.
DON’T
Ignore any engagement on your posts or stories. If someone posts a comment on your post, it’s very important to reply. Whether it’s a basic comment of emoji’s or something more substantial, still reply with at least a thank you. Engagement is one of the biggest keys to success on Instagram.
DO
Engage with posts and other Instagrammers with similar niches. I’ll use the Toronto Florist as an example again - by following and engaging with other local florists with a larger following base, you’ll be recommended as a page to follow to their followers, and commenting will also create more visibility to people who you know are already interested in your niche.
PRO TIPS
Posting regularly. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But consistently posting quality content can be more work than some people think. This reason alone can cause an instagram page to falter and become stagnant. Don’t have any great stuff of your own to share? Websites like pexel.com and upsplash.com have a plethora of free stock images with no copyright that you can use as you please. If you want to create dynamic graphic images with text (though I wouldn’t recommend posting images with text too often) websites like canva.com enables you to make some beautiful eye grabbing designs - for free!
Like, like and like some more and then comment too! You’re the Toronto Florist company again, and you want local people to see you to convert those people into paying clients. Searching tags like #toronto #tdot or other popular local tags and then going to the recents posts under that tag, liking and commenting on them will gain you more like and follows than you would expect.
The more you post the more visibility you will get, but there’s a catch. If you do 3 posts 5 minutes apart your followers don’t want to see that much of you. 3 posts 4 hours apart? Not so bad. The sweet spot for posts is 3-7 a week. Don’t forget about your stories though, you can post there to your heart's content!
TAB Media
Is this all a bit too much for you and your business? It can take a lot of time and effort followed by a sharp learning curve. TAB Media offers Social Media Management services for businesses just starting out or those already established that want to increase their social media presence.
You can take a look at standard package prices, but we also offer package customization to ensure you’re getting exactly what you need from our services.
Did you learn anything from this? If so, please share it with your friends! It can be difficult navigating the seas of social media and we want everyone to be as successful as they can be.
