12 Easy Ways to Be Awesome on Instagram
Looking for ways to be awesome on Instagram but not sure what to do first? These ideas aren't too complicated and can help boost your efforts.
You'll be awesome on Instagram in no time!
1. Upgrade to a Business Profile
You'll get free in-app analytics on your posts and Instagram Stories that can help you make decisions on what content is performing well. Planning future content based on guessing isn't nearly as effective.
- Go to your profile and tap .
- Tap Switch to Business Profile and select the Facebook Page you'd like to associate with your Business Profile on Instagram with.
- On the Set Up Your Business Profile page, review your business's contact information, make any changes and tap Done.
2. Add Variety with Boomerangs
It takes me three or four tries to get a fun boomerang but it's always worth it!
A boomerang isn't like a GIF that loops, it's a video that plays forward and then backward. You'll need to keep your phone steady while your capturing your work of art.
Stuck for ideas? Go to the Instagram account @BoomerangfromInstagram for inspiration.
3. Host a “Live with” a friend
It's fun to invite viewers or pre-plan guests to pop into your Instagram Live streams.
Live video helps you share in an authentic way, but sometimes it can be intimidating when you’re on your own. It’s easy to add a guest while you’re broadcasting. Simply tap the new icon on the bottom right and tap “Add” to invite anyone who’s currently watching. Once they join, you’ll see the screen split into two and your friend pop up right below you. Your viewers can still like and comment as they follow along.
From Instagram:
To go live and then invite a friend to join your broadcast:
- Tap
in the top left of the screen or swipe right from anywhere in Feed.
- Tap Live at the bottom of the screen, then tap Start Live Video.
- Tap
.
- Tap on a person's name to invite them to join your live video. Keep in mind you can only invite someone who is already viewing your live video.
- If your friend accepts the invitation to join, you'll see them appear in a split-screen view. You'll also see if they've chosen to decline.
- You can remove the person you invited to join your live video at any time by tapping x at the top right corner of their split-screen.
To ask to join a friend's live video that you're watching:
- Tap Request when you see the option to request to join the live video.
- Tap Send Request
- You'll receive a notice that you're about to join the live video when your request is accepted.
How easy is that?
4. Hold a Q&A in your Instagram Stories
Tell people to send you questions in your Instagram Stories and then share the answers publicly in your Stories.
Fun and engaging!
5. Check your Analytics for Your Best Time to Post
Find the best time to post on Instagram. This is from my analytics in the Instagram app.
My best time on Saturdays is noon.
6. Set a Weekly Schedule
If you have a schedule, you'll stay on task. Writing things done makes them more concrete than making a promise to yourself [in your head] and then forgetting about it.
7. Create Highlights for your Profile
Instagram Stories only last 24 hours BUT you can now add them to a highlight that stays on your profile under your bio. How cool is that?
To add a story to a highlight:
-
- Go to your profile and tap
below Stories Highlights.
- Tap to select the story or stories you want to add to highlights, then tap Next.
- Choose a cover photo and enter a story name for your highlight, then tap Add. You can add more photos or videos to your highlight at any time by tapping Edit Highlight.
- Go to your profile and tap
Note: Stories you add as highlights remain visible as highlights (and saved in Stories Archive) until you remove them, even after the original story has disappeared
8. Keep your Bio Fresh and Interesting
9. Figure out what your “why” is for each post
10. Learn to rock a selfie
Guess what, they don't have to look cheesy. Here's some great ideas for capturing a great self-portrait on your phone.
11. Think like an editor
Choose carefully when posting images and video to your profile.
If your photo is blurry, retake it. Take multiples of all your shots so you can find the best one later. One quick shot usually isn't good. It takes time to compose the photo, get the lighting right, etc.
12. Curate your posts
Carefully selecting each post to match is part of creating your mood and style for your Instagram feed.
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Hi Peg, I have a question on this – I’ve read that it’s hard to get traction with a business account vs personal just like with Facebook. That you must pay to play, is that true with Instagram? I’ve held back on going with a business account for that reason and wondered what your thoughts on that were.
Thanks for sharing these tips with us. I do love the analytics that would come with the business account.
Hello Lisa,
I had a personal account and switched to Business and then back to test each. Then I went back to Business. There wasn’t any algorithm on Instagram and now there is so I don’t think it matters if you’re personal or Business – just that you’re active and engaged. You get a lot of extra features with a Business account that were worth it for me. I very rarely promote things for money on Instagram.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Peg
Hi Peg, What are the benefits to using the geo tags? Thanks, Linda
Hey Linda! It helps more people see your posts. Even if people aren’t following you, if they click on the city you tagged they’ll see your post. 🙂
Love this list! I’m going to have to experiment with highlights in the profile. Great tips!