People are social animals. We won’t survive without interaction. Fortunately, this reality has transcended even into the virtual world — especially for bloggers. There are now many ways to market your blog to a greater audience.
It can be from cold emails, SEO campaign, or social media. Those are all useful ways. But nothing beats the power of the latter. Social media has shaped our world in more things we’d expect. It plays a significant role, from our lifestyle to our health, and even our relationships.
One of the most influential social networking sites is Instagram. With over 400 million active users and 200 million stories, you’d surely get tons of blog traffic there. Because of this, businesses, whether big or small, have tried their luck on Instagram.
Fortunately, it resulted in compelling results! However, it’s easier said than done because you can easily get lost with these many users. But there are ways to go around that, and that’s what we’re going to talk about here.
1. Create a robust content strategy
The number one rule for competitiveness is to make a plan on competing with other blogs. Knowing that there are millions of businesses on Instagram, it makes sense to outsmart them. You can do this by creating a content strategy.
Research your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses and know which topics are most popular. Study renowned blogs who have been in the business for years. This’ll save you time because they have more experience than you.
This lets you know which type of content will rake in the highest views. It also gives you an idea how to generate more leads based on their content. Also, study your marketplace and do a dry run. Identify the images and keywords that get the most engagement. Then use them in sample blog posts. This makes it easier for you to plan out your blog’s theme and design.
2. Optimize your profile
What makes Instagram stands out is that it keeps you inside its world. This is because you can’t add external links in your posts. This forces you to make the most out of what you have — your content and profile.
Doing this gives you maximum reach because you make your profile look legitimate. It lets your followers see you as a legitimate source of wisdom. It’s all about looking good. Get a good display photo and place an attractive caption best describing your blog.
Add relevant emojis if you’d want. Provide information about your blog and add your blog’s link on your profile. This makes it easier for your audience and potential leads to reach you.
3. Connect with relevant brands and influencers
Social media is about creating your network. Thus, it’s essential to connect with relevant brands and influencers. You can follow as many as you can. But you risk looking like a wannabe Instagram star.
Don’t be desperate to connect with lots of people, because you’re likely not to get any follow-backs. This is especially true if you follow accounts uninterested in your niche. Big brands are also less likely to follow you.
Imagine National Geographic or Nike following you. They won’t unless you’ve earned enough credibility. Instead, follow smaller brands who share similar content with you. What’s great about Instagram is that it allows collaboration.
Grab the opportunity and collaborate with them. It’s all about the mutual benefit at the end of the day. Following influencers improves your credibility and brand awareness. You could even snatch some of their followers!
4. Engage, engage, engage
Your connections are useless if you don’t engage with them. Interact with your followers by commenting or liking their posts. You can also share their posts. This makes your presence known to them. It also lets them see you as an active user.
This lets them want to also interact with you. Instagram is about building trust. And the best way to do that is by building relationships with your audience. But this goes beyond interaction. It’s also a way to know the type of content your followers like. This lets you know what to post next time.
Respond to your follower’s comments and answer their questions. Also, make it a habit of reposting their content you find interesting. Just be sure not to overdo it so you won’t look spammy.
5. Bring out the best images
Instagram revolves around the concept of photo sharing. After all, isn’t it what Instagram is about? With this, it makes perfect sense to ensure the highest quality photos in your post. There are millions of photos shared on the platform each day.
And it would surely be difficult to compete with these especially if you’ve got less-than-decent photos. Also, remember that it’s not just about quality. It’s also about using engaging images. Remember the saying that pictures speak louder than words? Well, you can apply that here.
Let your images speak for your blog. It should be a reflection your brand. And use photos that your audience is interested in. Also, don’t hesitate to edit them. Just make sure they won’t look over-done in photoshop!
Conclusion
There may be a lot of social networking sites out there. But nothing beats the effectiveness of Instagram in boosting your blog’s traffic. There are now 800 million active monthly users with 40 billion shared photos to date.
On top of that, 4.2 billion likes are made per day. These jaw-dropping statistics are enough to prove how useful Instagram is for your blog. It opens you to a big world who’s most likely interested in your offerings.
Just be sure to remain consistent, adaptive, and competitive. Also, think of more Instagram ideas to outcompete competitors. When you do, then your blog will surely pay homage to Instagram’s splendor.