There is a lot of noise about how to get free Instagram followers, more likes, more shares, more engagement. A new report from Mention and HubSpot looked at more than 48 million Instagram posts, and it garnered a wealth of tips for your business growth needs.
After analysing more than 48 million Instagram posts and 306,278 of the top users, HubSpot and Mention observed trends about Instagram engagement rates, hashtags, and other insights that matter to both brands and marketers. Here's some of what they found:
- 80 percent of major brands consider the Instagram engagement rate (engagement on whatever social media platform you’re using) to be the top key performance indicator (KPI) of a campaign.
- Tagging more than 5 users in a post does not increase engagement rates. For all you rampant taggers out there, take it easy.
- Video posts receive more than 2x more comments than other types of posts. Given all the attention on video, live streaming, and real-time stories, this is far from surprising.
As such, here are four key steps to nailing your Instagram strategy:
Add Video
Post more video content if you already do, and work to add video content to your standard photo posting schedule. According to the Mention and HubSpot report, video is outperforming just about everything else when it comes to online content.
Be Sparing with Hashtags
You know the expression: work smarter, not harder. The same goes for hashtags. Be thoughtful and strategic with your application of them, with the data showing that more than a few doesn’t do much to boost engagement. Furthermore, there is an inverse correlation: more hashtags actually leads to less engagement.
Tag Instagram Users Sparingly
In the same vein as the hashtag point, the Mention / HubSpot report has a detailed section on tagging Instagram users. More tags
Building Community and Engagement
If you’re finding it harder to increase your Instagram followers, the report says you are not alone.
“Competition has increased on the platform so consider it the new norm. It’s far more valuable having a smaller, more engaged community than millions of followers who don’t interact with your content.”
- Mention / HubSpot Instagram Report 2019
In fact, almost half of Instagram users have fewer than 1,000 followers, and a further third have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers.
If you want to build your followers base, you have to be genuine. It is tempting to look for shortcuts, but when it comes to social media, they simply won’t work: the reality is, Instagram users are looking for personable, engaging. As per the HubSpot and Mention report, the data backs the common sense approach of the age-old wisdom: there are no traffic jams along the extra mile.
