It’s not enough to plan great content and post consistently. You actually have to engage with your followers and show your personality beyond your great photos and captions. Being on social media is about getting to know your followers and connecting with them. The greatest brands out there are monitoring their pages regularly and responding to people in real time. Of course, those big brands have big budgets to hire a social media team, but even a little bit of extra effort in this area can go a long way. Luckily, there are apps out there that can help. Here are some of our favorite Instagram engagement tips:
The new Instagram algorithm favors posts with high engagement, so when a post receives a ton of likes and comments, this signals to the algorithm that it’s high-quality content that other users might want to see. Utilizing effective call-to-actions (CTAs) is one of the best ways to inspire your followers to comment on your posts, which will help drive even more engagement on your Instagram account. According to Wikipedia, a CTA “is a marketing term used extensively in advertising and selling. It refers to any device designed to prompt an immediate response or encourage an immediate sale.“.
Iconosquare is an app that can tell you exactly what time you should post to receive the most interactions. This is definitely something we recommend for boosting your Instagram engagement, since pinpointing the best time to post isn’t always as obvious as it may seem. Once you get interactions on your Instagram account, make sure you’re following up on them. If someone comments on your post, be sure to comment back. Be fun, easygoing, and likable. Remember, this is a social media app, not a stale networking event.
Follow other people in the industry and be sure to engage with them, too. For example, you might want to follow your favorite health food store or gym and watch for conversations that happen on their page that you might want to jump in on. Someone might “heart” your comment about the new juice blend being offered and hop on over to your page to see what you’re all about. That’s an easy way to gain a new follower you wouldn’t have normally had the chance to get in front of. Remember, social media is one long, ongoing conversation. Make sure you’re getting out there and talking to people!
As a dentist, interacting with your followers on Instagram is important. We don’t normally get a chance to communicate with patients unless they’re sitting in our chair. By creating a positive relationship with patients online, they’ll form a sense of loyalty to your practice. The more positive the interaction, the more likely they’ll be to continue visiting your practice, and tell others about their experiences with you and your team.
Have more questions about Instagram or how to engage with you followers? Please ask us!
Until next time,
