Getting new eyes on your brand can be a hard slog if you are not running Ads. But there are a few things you can do to boost your reach, discoverability and engagement:
- Optimise Your Profile for Search: if you want to show up in the search results use keywords in your profile. Your name and username are both searchable, so use the name field for words that highlight what your business is about (your username and pic already do the job of telling people who you are so you’ve already got that covered).
- Optimise Your Instagram Bio for Search: as above, this is searchable – use it to include relevant keywords and clickable #’s so you appear for hashtag searches too.
- Treat Hashtags Like Keywords: one of the best ways to get discovered is to use relevant, targeted #’s in your posts and stories. Do a bit of research and select what is best for your business. This will help increase engagement and followers.
- Write Relevant, Descriptive Captions: to be in with a chance of showing up in the Explore page, write captions that include your target keywords and are relevant to what you offer and to your target market’s needs.
- Edit Your Alt Text: alt text is auto-generated for images to enable screen readers to describe what your image is about. Edit and customise this to ensure you are giving relevant descriptions that focus on your keywords. (Do this in Advanced Settings).
- Encourage Tags & Mentions: the online equivalent of word of mouth. How many times have you clicked through to an account after it was mentioned or tagged on another account you follow? Ask existing customers to recommend you, tag you and share your content.
- Track Your Reach: how often do you check out your stats? Use the Insights to learn about your followers, who engages with you, what works and how discoverable you are. Tweak your strategy accordingly.
Need help with any of the above? Contact me for a free consultation.
