I love Instagram. I don’t care that so many of the pictures I scroll through are of the so-called cliche shots of baby booties, work outfits, latte art, airplane wings, or reflection shots as one strolls by a store glass window. I want them all. The more the better.
Besides. Life is hard enough as it is. Reality is most of the time blammo in your face. Why not take 5 delicious minutes every morning to slip away and seek refuge in the delightful simplicities of life while the shower water heats up? Maybe it’s an escape, maybe I’m in denial. Who cares. It’s therapeutic.
But beyond Instagram serving as a little “happy place,” Instagram has a huge potential to drive significant engagement from your Instagram pictures to your other internet properties: your blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Here are some best practices to use Instagram to drive engagement:
1. Drive followers to your Blog:
When you write a new blog post, use a picture from the post, or upload something relevant that ties to the post’s content. Post to Instagram and in the comment include: “New blog post” and a few brief words about what the post is about. Also, make sure your Instagram profile has a link to your blog and always remember to also include in the comment “link in profile” to remind people where they can view it.
For a good example, check out Kelle Hampton’s feed (etst on Instagram). She does this very well!
2. Drive followers to Facebook:
The possibilities of driving your Instagram followers to your Facebook page (best if a fan page) are, with a little creativity, pretty awesome. Let’s say, for example, you are an Etsy seller. You make iPhone cases. You have some stock you want to get rid of for the upcoming season. What to do? Simply take a picture of your iPhone cases and write a comment something like: FACEBOOK Sale! Friday 2/16 @1pm all cases 75% off! First come first serve.
Your really passionate followers who are in the market for a new case might set up a reminder to stop by your Facebook page at this time.
Another example. Let’s say you host an annual conference. You can upload a picture of the conference from last year and tell your followers that on 2/16 @1pm you’ll be announcing a secret discount on Facebook to attend.
Instagram is less ethereal than Twitter in the sense that there are typically fewer Instagram uploads than tweets so you’re more likely to be seen, and chronologically ordered unlike Facebook which is more algorithm based on which contacts are closest to you.
Brainstorm how you can best interact with your people and go nuts.
3. Drive followers to Twitter:
Obviously you can use Twitter to drive new followers to Instagram by uploading Instagram pics and tweeting them. But you can also drive Instagram users to follow you on Twitter by taking a picture of your Twitter account and saying something like: “if we’re not connected on Twitter, you can follow me @exilauren.” Boom. Easy. Once they are following you on Twitter, and you tweet your new Instagram pics, you’ll drive them back to Instagram. Happy, happy. Works both ways.
4. Drive followers to your Website:
Similar to Facebook or your blog, use Instagram to drive people to your website by uploading a teaser picture on Instagram that will entice people to go to your website. Let’s say for example you are Hunter boots. You launch a new line of Spring boots and want your Instagram followers to know. Take a picture of a model in the trendy new boots and let people know exactly where on your site they can go to find them.
Or if you’re having a sale on coats, take a picture of a model in the coat and tell people what the discount is, and where they can find it, and of course drive urgency by letting people know the sale is only available for 24 hours, etc.
Better yet, send an Instagram sensation a pair of the boots/coat and have them give a review and link you in their Instagram comment: “LOVE these @Hunterboots. Thank you!!!”
The monkey see monkey do effect of Instagram sensations is NUTS. People are highly influenced by others. Especially by people they admire.
I’m still exploring the power of Instagram hashtags. Personally, I don’t find them super super helpful, and when I include often just lead to lots of SPAM followers.
Let me know your thoughts about the power of Instagram to drive engagement!
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