How to Build Buzz with Instagram for your Blog
Instagram makes things a little challenging for bloggers because you only have one clickable link possibility in your bio. But I know youโre a savvy, creative blogger and are ready to surpass that hurdle. Iโm going to share some great tips for bloggers on how to use Instagram with your blog.
It all starts with a compelling image. Want to create branded Instagram images for your blog or business, but don't know how?ย Not Photoshop proficient? No problem!ย With the right apps โ you can create the perfect Instagram image in a snap!
Ready to start getting more traffic to your blog and likes on your Instagram posts? Letโs go!
1. Rotate the link in your bio
Given that you have one hot link available, this is prime real estate. Use this wisely by rotating it to special events, giveaways, or to your latest blog post. In every post that you make that coincides with the link, add CLICK the link in my bio or [link in bio] to encourage people to click for more information.
2. Give a little teaser of your blog post
Create a compelling image for your Instagram post branded with your blog logo and URL. This image should be stand-alone quality, so it makes sense whether or not people read the whole article. This is a great example from Rebekah Radice's Instagram account.
You could ask a question that you answer in your post and start the discussion in the comments.
Add a call to action after your question that says more aboutย what I think about this on my blog with [link in my bio] to remind people to click through.
In a study completed by Forrester study, they declared Instagram the King of social engagement for brands saying that โInstagram delivered brands 58 times more engagement per follower than Facebook, and 120 times more engagement per follower than Twitter.โ
You can use up to 2,000 characters in your Instagram post descriptions – be witty, clever, and provide value to your followers. Instagram is clearly the place to start a conversation!
3. Quote your content
Use a smart line or quote from your blog content to make a quote graphic.
“If you have no one to show you the ropes, you have to build a ladder.” @alizalichtxo author of Leave Your Mark There's still time to enter the giveaway for a copy of Aliza's book and The Art of Social Media – LINK IN MY BIO #MyBookClub guest tomorrow, April 29th at 8 pm ET on a Google+ Hangout #LeaveYourMark #hustle #motivation #inspiration #lovewhatyoudo A photo posted by Social Media Author โจ๐ (@pegfitzpatrick) on
Again, this should be stand-alone content keeping in mind that some people will only see the Instagram post and will never click-through to your blog.
4. Make a short video
Create a short video in Flipagram or iMovie to share on Instagram. Taking the time to create special content for Instagram will pay off.
Studies show that videos do best when posted at night on Instagram so plan ahead and share when more people will see it.
5. Create a list of how-toโs
When youโre sharing an image on Instagram, you can create a rich post in the text area with a bullet-pointed list of text from your blog post.
I like to prepare these in Evernote and copy into the Instagram post on my phone or tablet, so I can type more text confidently.
6. Show your personality
People want to connect with other people, and Instagram is the place where you can let people see into your life by sharing personal photos.
If youโre running a business account, this could be where you show behind the scenes photos of your company mascot, nap zone at your startup, or latest bulletin board celebrating a recent success.
A peek into your โprivateโ world should always be kept at a professional level unless youโre a lifestyle blogger or talk about subjects that it makes sense.
Keep in mind that all your social media can be seen by anyone so if you like to post photos on your personal Instagram that you donโt want a potential client or sponsor to see, keep your Instagram post set to private.
More reading:ย Instagram 101: 7 Keys Steps to Instagram Success
7. Track your success with a Bitly link
Due to the limitations Iโve already mentioned with having only one link in your Instagram profile, the only way to track your success with Instagram posts is to use a Bit.ly link or another link shortener of your choice to track the clicks. Using a link shortener also allows you to customize your link to something that relates to your blog topic or the name of your blog post.
More reading:ย How to Start Prioritizing Your Instagram Strategy
8. Build your email list
The biggest mistake that people make while building their email list is not inviting people to sign up. You can add a link to register for your newsletter in the link or have people sign up by texting if you use MailChimp. โJoin By Text allows people to join your MailChimp email list via text message.โ
More reading:ย 10 Steps to an Achievable Instagram Strategy
9. Measure your success
One of the best places Iโve found to measure my Instagram account metrics is Iconosquare. You can find information on the best time to post for your account, create a hashtag cloud for your Instagram, chart your follower growth and more.
Bonus social features on Iconosquare:
- Easily share on Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter.
- Let your community know about users & photos you particularly enjoy with โRepostโ (receive a gorgeous snapshot for you to post).
Some reading resources that I recommend to help grasp Instagram and social media marketing:
Instagram Power:ย Build Your Brand and Reach More Customers with the Power of Picturesย by Jason Miles
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Usersย by Guy Kawasaki and a fantastic co-author.
The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brandย by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio
I hope my ideas spark new ways for you to use Instagram with your blog. Iโd love to hear what youโve tried and whatโs been a success for you on Instagram.
Thank you so much for a great post Peg! I am focusing on Instagram this month as a platform that needs my attention and this gave me a couple ideas!
Great tips! I really like the idea of sharing quotes from blog posts!
So happy you liked it! Thanks for reading and commenting Anna.
Excellent information and tips. Thank you for sharing. I have been on Instagram for art or doodle challenges and would like to incorporate my new blog I am launching. This gave me a few ideas. Thanks again and hope you are having a great weekend.
Warmest regards,
Tracey
Very useful tips Peg. You gave me a few ideas on how to build a brand for a client whoยดs just starting out on Instagram. Thank you!
I look forward to applying them.
It seems like people and brands are focusing more and more on Instagram lately. Gary Vaynerchuck said in one of his videos: #askgaryvee that Instagram would introduce adds in Fall.
Hi Peg,
I love the idea of using rotating links in the bio and thanks for the “Flipagram/Imovie” tips!
I really like Instagram and I’m glad more and more brands appreciate that tool. I’ve read also some good stuff about Instagram journalism, I think the tool has potential in storytelling. Thanks for great and very practical tips.
I so needed this! Thank you for posting. I am going to start NOW by creating some great images to coincide with the blog post I just posted this morning. – Christie
Thanks for sharing these tips Peg. With the abundance of social media sites, it’s hard to master them all, so I’ve been stuck with Twitter and Facebook for a while. With that said, I will certainly give these a try.
Awesome post, you have mentioned some of the cool hacks for promoting blog on instagram.
Thanks