Instagram has changed a lot in recent months, partly due to its effort to compete with TikTok, giving more visibility to Reels, eliminating the importance of the feed and focusing heavily on Stories.
Continuing to post photos is useless, and the Stories disappear if we don’t save them. Followers spend less time per post, and the competition for attention has increased dramatically.
Considering all this hell… how can we grow on Instagram? Now the important thing is not to focus on the number of followers, but rather on the loyalty of those you already have, as well as the visibility of the content you have, since Reels can reach many people who do not follow you, just like in TikTok .
The ten Commandments
Let’s start with the ten commandments:
1 – Use emojis to get attention: Emojis are a fun and visual way to grab the attention of your followers and make your posts stand out in their feed.
2 – Use creative and relevant hashtags: Hashtags can help your posts to be discovered by users who don’t follow you yet. Be sure to use hashtags that are relevant to your content, and experiment with more creative and unique hashtags to stand out even more.
3 – Create content in a carousel format: Carousels are a fun way to share multiple images and videos in a single post. Also, users can scroll through the carousel and spend more time interacting with your content.
4 – Use Instagram Live: Instagram Live allows you to connect in real time with your followers and create a more personal and authentic experience. Use Instagram Live to ask questions and answers, make tutorials or simply show your day to day.
5 – Collaborate with other content creators: Collaborations with other content creators can help you expand your reach and reach a new and larger audience. Find collaborators with similar interests and create content together.
6 – Post content behind the scenes: Showing what happens behind the scenes can be a fun way to humanize your brand and connect with your followers in a more authentic way.
7 – Create interactive content: create polls, questions or games in your posts to encourage your followers to interact with your content and increase your engagement.
8 – Use Instagram Reels: Instagram Reels is a relatively new feature that allows you to create short and fun videos with music and effects. Use this feature to showcase your creativity and attract a new and larger audience.
9 – Create a coherent visual identity: make sure that your profile has a coherent and attractive visual identity. Use colors, fonts, and visuals that fit your brand, and make sure your content looks consistent across all your posts.
10 – Be Authentic and Honest – Last but not least, make sure you are authentic and honest with your content. Instagram users value authenticity and transparency, and can easily spot when something is inauthentic or fake. Be yourself and share content that reflects your personality and values.
Reels o Stories
Both options are important for success on Instagram, but it depends on the goal you have in mind. Here are some considerations to help you decide which of the two options is best for you:
– Reach: In terms of reach, reels tend to be more effective than stories. Reels can appear in the Explore tab, which means they could be seen by a much broader audience than stories, which are only shown to followers. If you want to reach a larger audience, reels may be the best option.
– Duration: If the content you want to share is short and can be told in 15 seconds or less, stories can be a good option if you already have several thousand followers. If your content needs more time to develop, then reels may be a better option, as they can be up to 60 seconds long. You can also publish a reel and share it as a Storie, of course.
– Frequency: If you want to post content frequently, stories may be a better option. You can post multiple stories a day without looking too repetitive or spammy. On the other hand, posting a lot of reels in a short time can be counterproductive.
– Aim: If your goal is to create a more personal connection with your followers, then stories may be the best option. Stories allow you to show everyday moments of your life and behind the scenes, which can be closer and more authentic. On the other hand, if your goal is to create more elaborate content, with special effects and editing, then reels may be the best option.
There is no magic recipe, since having a recipe Instagram is not the same as a technology one, and being a 20-year-old is not the same as a 70-year-old adult, so you have to adapt, test and analyze data, which is always good.
