3 Simple Tips to Increase Your Instagram Engagement
Creating engagement on Instagram is important if you are a blogger or if you are just looking for more consistent traffic to your feed. So how do you get more likes and comments on the pictures you work so hard to create? With the Instagram algorithm constantly changing, increasing engagement can seem daunting however, if you build a solid base of like-minded users that you regularly interact with, then you will have a better chance at keeping your engagement high. I have experienced success on building up my Instagram engagement after putting in a lot of consistent effort! So, let’s get to the good stuff, shall we? Here are 3 simple techniques to increase your Instagram engagement:
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Engage:
If you don’t live under a rock then chances are you have heard of the phrase: “You get what you give.” This philosophy holds true for Instagram users trying to grow their page in terms of engagement and following. If you strive to receive more likes and comments on your Instagram photos, then you need to give the same and comment back on those who have commented on your photos. Instagram wants its user to be active on their platform therefore, you should not just log in, make a post then log off and expect a high turnout; unless of course you are Kim Kardashian 😜 It is important to put in consistent work engaging with other users posts. Here’s how:
- Engage with like-minded Instagram users. I use the words “like-minded” because you should follow people with similar content or interests so they will be more apt to like and comment back on your Instagram profile. It appears the Instagram algorithm favors active users, meaning the more you engage with other users by liking and commenting, the more your posts show up on other user’s feeds. When you are commenting on photos a good rule of thumb is to make sure you are using four words, not including emoticons. Use this measure for all commenting purposes. It is a rule I learned from another blogger and it seems to work.
- Create mutually beneficial relationships. I have a solid base of about 40 and growing Instagram accounts that we mutually like and comment on all of each other’s photos. These users have the same mind set in the sense that they are looking for more engagement on their feeds too. If they know you will comment and like their pictures, then there is a good chance that they will keep commenting and liking yours. Instagrammers are getting smarter and understanding that they need to give love in order to receive love on their IG feeds. You should easily find IG users who are willing to mutually engage. I have outlined some tips below:
- Look for other bloggers or users who are active and again I stress the importance of seeking those users who have similar interests to you. For example, a lot of my content is based on the outdoors, however, I also enjoy fashion, traveling and wellness and dabble in those niches as well. I noticed there are a lot of bloggers who focus on these segments and are trying to grow their Instagram engagement and following. These Instagram users tend to be smart about engaging back so these are some of the people that I try to start building Instagram relationships with.
- A great way to build a data base of like-minded active Instagram users is to visit someone’s account that is similar to yours, has a high following but not too much higher than yours and look through their comments. See who is engaging on the like-minded user’s pictures and start engaging with some of those people. Start a list on the side of 5-10 people (whatever you think is feasible to manage) a week that you want to start a mutually engaging relationship with. See if this helps grow your base. Remember, the more people that like and comment on your feed the more your pictures will start showing up on other people’s feeds. The algorithm will start favoring you. I have noticed that a lot of my Instagram followers have started following my active users, so I know this tactic is widely used.
- To show a user that you are trying to start a mutually engaging relationship with that you are active and will be a loyal follower, you should visit her/his profile and like and comment on the last three posts. This shows engagement and will flag the user that you are putting in effort to support their page. A good rule of thumb when commenting is to ask questions or show sincere interest. If you capture the Instagrammer’s attention, then add their name on a temporary side list and make sure to keep liking and commenting on their pics and notice if they continue to do so on yours. If the IG account is actively liking and commenting on your photos you should go ahead and add the account to your main list of mutual engagers.
- You can turn on notifications and keep up with commenting on people’s photos right when they post however, it can get annoying to “always be on.” This is the reason why I adopted the side list of mutual engagers so that I can periodically check to see if they posted anything new on my time as opposed to right when they post. It personally became too much for me to try and keep up with the notifications.
- A good time to play catch up on liking and commenting on mutually engaging user’s post is right when you make a post. Since mutual engagers are active they will usually comment right back on your new post, giving a boost to your algorithm.
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Comment Back:
Within the first hour of making a post immediately comment back on every comment to your photo. Remember the best practice of using a minimum of 4 words. The more active you are after posting the more your photo seems to be boosted. When you are commenting on the comments you receive on your new post, it is a good practice to comment back on the person’s page who gave you the comment if they have similar interests or you want to give love back so they keep commenting. Use your judgement here; if some creepy guy comments “🔥😍🥰👍🏽❤️” I may write back “Thank you for the comment,” however, I will not go to his page and engage because no one wants creepy stalkers! When you periodically go back to check your new post whether it be the same day and/or the following day(s) you should follow this same process of commenting back to your comments and engage with other users to continuously boost your post. To sum up the suggestions here, the main point is to be active on other user’s profiles and comment back to your comments, when you make a post!
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Use Good Hashtags:
The maximum hashtags you can use on your post is 30. I find hashtags by searching in the explore section and see what has a high amount of posts associated with it. It is important to look at hashtags that are in line with your post. A lot of my posts are about hiking therefore, I use the #womenwhohike hashtag. I also use local tags like #girlswhohikela. I’d suggest spending some time researching and also check out other users with similar pages to see what hashtags they are using. I keep a list stored in the notes of my phone and easily copy and paste them over into my comments after I post. I also try to at least change up a few of the hashtags every time I post so I don’t look like an automated BOT!
After you try out these tips on how to increase your Instagram engagement leave me a comment below to let me know how these tactics are working for you! I love also hearing about IG tips, so feel free to send some my way!
