5 Instagram Engagement Tips

Faith Meza • November 1, 2022

Any marketing guru can tell you that content is important. If they really know what they're talking about, they'll tell you that content isn't enough. Good content only gets you halfway there. The rest is up to you! Your ability to create authentic social interactions will set you apart from your competitors on social media! Here are 5 tips to start engaging the right way on Instagram.

1. Use your Search Tool

Think of hashtags as your own private search tool. The niche hashtags that you're already using to get discovered are also the greatest way to find and engage with your target audience! 

When you type in a hashtag into the bar and search, you'll see two main sections, "Top" and "Recent." The "Top" section is the section with the most popular posts under the hashtag. You can comment under these to get noticed by the leaders in your niche and interact with their audience to create value for them. Sometimes, posts under "Top" can be a few days old. if you want to comment under the most recent post, just click on the username and go to the latest post in their profile. 

"Recent" on the other hand include all contributors to the hashtag as it happens in real-time. "Recent" allows you to reach the people that are interested in the topic, but aren't as popular. This is where your target audience lives. If you've still got a small account, then you'll be able to find some similarly sized accounts. Use "Recent" to find partners and smaller accounts that are interested in your niche. Interact with each of these posts.

2. Be Real

In the unreal world of Instagram, make your account stand out with authenticity. If you're familiar at all with Instagram, you've noticed bots commenting under random people's posts with a generic compliment or a random call to action. So spammy! Don't do that. Instead, make sure you're leaving genuine compliments and adding or creating conversation around a post.

See something beautiful? Compliment exactly what is beautiful in the photo or video. Have a nifty thought in your industry that is related to the post? Add it! What the Instagram algorithm and ultimately people are looking for on Instagram is value. Add it everywhere you go. Adding real thought to the conversation is what brings people to Instagram.

3. Use Stickers

Stickers can be so helpful for engagement on Instagram Stories. There are other stickers that you can use on your Instagram stories to get more engagement on your Stories. Some of these stickers might include Polls, Questions, or Quizzes. People respond to interesting topics, so make sure you pick something your niche can relate to.

Here are a few common ways to use engagement stickers:

- "This" or "That"

- "True" or "False"

- Pop Quizzes


Got a store? Use the "Support Small Business" Sticker to direct people to your profile! Use mentions and locations to get found by people in your niche and local area. Use all the tools in your tool belt!

4. Create Engaging Content

Your feed posts are an opportunity to create engagement. Add a question at the end of your post to start a conversation. 


Become an industry thought leader. Use your own expertise to make an opinion on a debated topic in your industry. Most likely, you'll receive friendly feedback and comments under your posts.

5. Be Consistent

You may have already heard this about posting on Instagram. Well, let's take consistency to engagement! If you engage every day for 10 minutes, I guarantee that you'll see some growth in your account. For some people, engagement is truly a chore. But it's worth it! You'll find exactly who you need to connect with on Instagram. This consistency brings constant growth. Don't neglect engagement.


Pro tip: Engagement around the same time that you've created a new post is a great way to drive traffic to your latest post. If you've got unliked comments, like those right after posting! Go to the "Recent" section to find the people that are most likely still active on Instagram to like and comment on their posts. The active ones are more likely to check out your most recent post after you've done the same for them!

Conclusion

Engagement is just as important as content. If you're consistent and authentic in your engagement strategy, you'll get growth!



Need some great content to go with that engagement? Check out my Instagram templates for Christian businesses! 

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