Social media can be a little intimidating at times. It seems as though every company has jumped on board, and joined Instagram’s 500 million active monthly users. New to social media, or wanting to amp up your account? You’re in luck! Today, we are offering you 5 Instragram tricks to have a professional level account.
#1 Edit Away
Choosing the proper editing software is key for picture-perfect posts. Whether it is a free app or a paid software, the tools you use are key in the professional appeal of your Instagram posts.
#2 Grab Their Attention
The average attention span of an adult is only 8 seconds. That’s right, you have only 8 seconds to wow your crowd, and get your message across to users.
Try adding text to your Instagram images (on occasion) to grab user attention. Over, available in your phone’s app store, offers more than 10,000 graphics, fonts, and images to add the final touches to your images.
If you want to have a bigger workspace than your cell phone, we suggest using Canva. They offer all of the tools needed to add text, create blog graphics, along with coordinating Facebook covers, and more.
Free apps such as VSCO and Boomerang are great for any skill level. VSCO provides beautiful filters and editing options to take your photos to the next level. Using one of VSCO’s preset filters allows you to have a clean, consistent Instagram feed that will appeal to your followers!
Boomerang is a fun app to create short, looped videos made exclusively for Instagram.
Looking to take your photos to the next level? Try using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. This computer-based software bundle provides digital photo processing and editing in Photoshop, and image editing and compositing in Lightroom. $9.99 a month allows you can take advantage of Creative Cloud, which gives you access to these two software programs, and ensures top quality photos and editing.
#3 The Art of Hashtags
7 out of 10 hashtags on Instagram are branded.
Create a unique hashtag, and stick with it. Holiday promotions or seasonal campaigns are a great time to introduce a new hashtag.
Want to get trending? Consider a social media contest, where users must use your seasonal hashtag in order to enter to win.
Consistency is key here. Ensure that you are using your branded hashtag at the appropriate times, and utilize it across all social media platforms your company runs.
#4 Creative Content
Give your users what they want. Step outside of the box, and offer creative and unique photos on your account.
Users have seen it all, so it is your job to be innovative and creative to capture limited attention spans on social media.
Creating a social media schedule will ensure that each day is themed, and that your users will not become bored of dull and overused content.
When creating a social media schedule, keep in mind the 80/20 rule – 20% of content should be about your brand, while around 80% should be brand relevant, shareable content. Consumers want to feel a connection, so make your posts something they would enjoy seeing over a cup of coffee or during their lunch break.
#5 Timing is Key
A study conducted by CoSchedule found that Instagram audiences are most engaged on Mondays and Thursdays at 2 a.m., 8-9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Setting up a schedule that works best for you and your audience is key in generating impressions and likes.
Consider utilizing a social content managing system such as Hootsuite, where you can schedule out all of your social media content and receive real-time analytics, content suggestions, social sweepstakes, and more depending on the plan you choose.
With social media, the old saying “practice makes perfect” holds true. It takes time to get to know your audiences’ likes and dislikes. Once you find what works best, you will be on your way to a sophisticated Instagram account that is sure to please all!
