Why is Engagement Important?
The Instagram algorithm is evil. Well, not really. But if you don’t know how to use it to your advantage, it can certainly seem that way. According to a tweet put out by the official Instagram account in 2019, users’ feeds are personalized and evolve depending on their app activity. As a result, the algorithm gives visibility to the most noteworthy posts.
These days, several companies have “ghost followers” who silently observe their page without ever engaging with the content. Other companies (and celebrities) have even been accused of purchasing followers. This is why a profile on Instagram with thousands of followers may only get a few hundred likes per picture. In the world of online marketing and algorithms, interactions with followers are more significant than having a high follower count. Do you feel like your business page could improve in this area? Keep reading! This article will provide you with the ins and outs of effectively utilizing Instagram to your advantage.
How to Calculate your Engagement
How much do users currently engage with your profile? According to reports, 3-6% is the average rate of engagement on Instagram posts. To discover where you fall on the spectrum, you need to follow this formula: likes + comments/followers x 100. For example, let’s say that your latest post received 400 likes and 100 comments, and your total follower count is 1500. Here’s how the formula would be applied:
400 + 100 / 1500 x 100 = 3.3%
The best thing about this formula is that it can be used to calculate your competitor’s engagement levels. However, it’s slightly inaccurate since it only considers the number of followers you have, rather than the total number of people who saw your post. A more accurate calculation would be as follows: likes + comments/impressions x 100. Now that you know where you are, let’s move on to how to enhance your engagement.
Interact with Your Followers
This may be an obvious tip, but it’s also the most important. Increasing engagement requires you to reply to and like comments left under your pictures. However, it will also require you to leave comments on accounts similar to yours. Leaving comments gives your page a higher chance of being seen by your preferred customers. These accounts can be found by perusing the ‘explore’ page, searching keywords, or hashtags. This brings us to the next tip!
Use Appropriate Hashtags
Hashtags widen your posts’ reach to users who don’t follow you and are therefore very important. However, one of the biggest mistakes people make is attaching random buzzwords to a hashtag, hoping that their post will go viral. This is the wrong way to go about it, and it can even be counterproductive. When a person searching for the hashtag ‘food’ is scrolling down their explore page and comes across a picture of a computer, for example, they are much less likely to click on that profile because it’s not what they’re looking for.
Moreover, ensure your hashtags are diversified. Although Instagram has a limit of 30 hashtags per post, it is advisable to use a minimum of 15. An excellent strategy for picking 15 appropriate hashtags is to follow the 3-5 rule. Pick 3-5 trending hashtags with less than 1 million posts, 3-5 moderately trending hashtags with 500,000-800,000 posts, 3-5 niche hashtags, and finally 1-2 unique branded hashtags. The trendiest hashtags will instantly spike your visibility for a few minutes to hours until your post is hidden. Alternatively, moderately popular and niche hashtags will broadcast your post for weeks to months.
While there are numerous ways to increase your Instagram engagement, these are the two most effective methods. You can also outsource from a number of the top Austin web design companies and grow your online presence. Start your journey toward greater engagement with your followers and prospective customers today.