Category: Instagram Stories

11 Instagram Content Ideas for July 4th

July 4th is upon us! We could all use an opportunity to think about fireworks, BBQs, and pool parties, right?

If your business isn’t based in the USA, it’s still a good idea to acknowledge Independence Day for your American followers.

Here are some content ideas to post on Instagram – both feed and stories – in honor of the 4th of July.

1. Deck out your workspace in red, white, and blue

Decorate your office, studio, or workspace with red, white, and blue streamers, banners, and wall hangings. Capture the festive atmosphere in a video or photo. For stories, try experimenting with Boomerang or Layout. Add some text and fun GIFs, and you’re good to go.

2. Showcase a specialized July 4th product or project

Create something special for the 4th of July. Decorate a cake with stars and stripes, craft some patriotic jewelry, make a red, white, and blue edition of your custom-made quilts — whatever it is. Then, showcase the product or project creatively to your feed and/or stories.

Some DIY inspiration from crafter @amandakingloff (Note that carousel posts are a great format for showcasing step-by-step projects):

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkwI5hBHVS2/

3. Post your favorite patriotic song

Use the music sticker for stories to post a segment of your favorite patriotic song. Don’t have access to the music sticker, or can’t find the song you want? No worries — you can use VideoBoost to create a video with the lyrics you want and add music to the background.

If you’re a musician, consider performing a cover, or even composing an original song in honor of Independence Day, and sharing the content to your feed and stories.

4. Poll your followers about their July 4th plans

One of the great things about Instagram Stories is how easy it is to encourage your followers to interact with you with very little effort. Use the poll, quiz, or question stickers to ask them about their plans for the 4th of July. Are they planning a BBQ? Watching fireworks? Spending the day with family and friends?

5. Share a historical tidbit

Find a historical fun fact about the 4th of July, the War of Independence, or the founding fathers — preferably one that ties into your business somehow.

Pro Tip: when sharing your selected fun fact to stories, summarize it succinctly. Keep in mind that your followers won’t have time to read too much text, so it shouldn’t be much longer than one sentence!

6. Make a 4th of July tutorial

Find a fun 4th of July craft or recipe, preferably one related to your business, and create a tutorial. Here’s a great Independence Day cooking tutorial from food brand @wildwayoflife:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzf_1x4Himi/

Check out our post on How to Create a Tutorial with Instagram Stories to learn best practices for customizing your tutorial for Stories.

7. Launch a special 4th of July giveaway or sale

Offer a special discount or flash sale, or organize a contest or giveaway! Read our post on How to Run a Successful Instagram Giveaway to learn how and find some ideas.

8. Video your local fireworks show

Who doesn’t love fireworks? Take your smartphone with you to your local fireworks show and capture some good footage. Post your best video to your feed and share some 15-second clips to your Stories, wishing your followers a #happy4thofJuly.

9. Take a photo or slow-mo video of a flag

Is there a flag hanging somewhere near your office, studio, or home? Maybe you can hang one outside your door for this occasion. Get a good shot of it and share it to your feed and/or stories with a Happy Independence Day wish. If it’s blowing nicely in the wind, a slow-motion video of it waving will look particularly cool. Pro tip for stories: You can capture a great slow-mo video using SuperZoom!

10. Post a patriotic quote

Find a patriotic quote that speaks to you and share it with your audience — maybe alongside a photo of the author of the quote, or maybe simply using a red, white, and blue color scheme.

Quote inspiration from home decor small biz @hartandhess:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk0MiQFAyLA/

11. Red, white, and blue selfie

You can always dress up in red, white, and blue and post a photo of yourself! If you have additional staff at your business, consider posting a team photo with all of you wearing those colors, or waving American flags.

Action Items:

  1. Pick one or more of these ideas that sound like a good fit for your business.
  2. Plan ahead: if you’re planning to issue a specialized product or craft, or to post a graphic or video, start working on it ahead of time so it’s ready for July 4th.
  3. Add your favorite 4th of July Stories to your Highlights so people visiting your profile can check them out!

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8 Instagram Growth Hacks for Small Business Owners

Looking to grow your small business’ Instagram in 2021? Check out our top 8 Instagram growth hacks specifically for small business owners. We’ve covered it all – from a few small, simple changes you can make to your Instagram strategy, such as hashtag secrets, content ideas and engagement tips, to bigger changes like utilizing ‘secret’ Instagram features, creating video content and knowing how to use the Instagram algorithm to boost growth. 

1. Create Reels – Reels is Instagram’s short-form video feature (similar to TikTok) and is one of our top tips for small business owners to grow their Instagram accounts in 2021. There are SO many types of video content small businesses can create for Reels (get inspired here!) and your customers will love engaging with this type of content. You can create Reels directly within the Instagram app or you can create high-quality marketing videos in just a few minutes with a video-making app like Boosted. Read Next: “The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Instagram Reels.”

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jo & Rae Co. (@joandraeco)

2. Utilize Hashtags Strategically – If growth on Instagram is one of your goals in 2021, hashtags are a key Instagram growth hacking strategy. You might already be using hashtags, but are you using the best ones to help your small business grow? Don’t just use hashtags with millions of tags – look for more niche hashtags for better reach and to connect with your target audience.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Social Media Agency (@_hellomedia)

3. Create Shareable Content – Shares are now more valued within the Instagram algorithm, so creating shareable content is more important than ever. A great example of shareable content are simple quote graphics that your community can relate to or find inspiring. Need some help brainstorming content for your small business? We’ve put together a complete content creation guide for small business owners: “Brainstorm 20+ Social Media Content Ideas for Your Business in Less Than an Hour”.

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by LARK Skin Co. (@larkskinco)

4. Encourage Saves – Just like shares are more valued now within the algorithm, so are saves. Be sure to encourage engagement and don’t be afraid to give specific calls-to-action at the end of your Instagram posts. For example, you can host a giveaway with a requirement to save the post to be entered to win. Or you can even include a small arrow and a CTA to save this post in the bottom right corner of your post.

5. Instagram Guides – Instagram launched ‘Guides’ this past Spring and they’ve recently expanded the feature to everyone. Instagram Guides allow you to curate posts and videos alongside helpful tips and advice. Not only is this great content to share via your Stories, but your Product Guides might even be featured in Instagram Shop, Instagram’s new shopping destination within the Instagram app that helps customers discover new products from brands and businesses like you.

6. Send More DMs – If you want to grow your Instagram account AND make more sales this year, your small business needs to get active in the DMs. Instagram Direct Messages allow you to communicate more personally with your customers, answer questions and build stronger relationships. Here’s everything you need to know about how to utilize Instagram DMs. Read Next: “8 Easy Ways to Get More Instagram DMs From Customers”

7. Engage Before & After Posting – In order for your content to keep showing up prominently in your followers’ feeds and Stories, it’s important to engage with your audience – especially right before and right after you post. Before posting, comment on several posts within your community and after posting, respond to DMs, like old comments, etc to help your account stay relevant in your followers’ newsfeeds!

8. Post to Stories Daily – And last but definitely not least, one of the most important elements to successfully growing your small business’ Instagram account is consistency! You don’t need to post to your Instagram feed every single day, but we definitely recommend posting to your Instagram Stories on a daily basis. This can be something simple like sharing one of your past posts, something you are working on or a quick hello message to your followers. Posting daily to your Instagram Stories lets customers know you’re active on Instagram and will help your content stay relevant in their newsfeeds so they don’t miss any of your posts. Read Next: “7 Secrets For Entrepreneurs to Get The Most Out of Instagram Stories”

We hope that these Instagram growth hacks help you boost your small business’ Instagram followers, engagement and drive more sales! Looking for a few more ideas to improve your Instagram strategy in 2021? Check out our “21 Ideas to Revamp Your Social Media for 2021” article next.

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9 Mistakes Small Businesses Are Making on Instagram Stories (And How to Fix Them)

There are so many reasons for small business owners to utilize Instagram Stories. Stories offer a quick, convenient way to share short-form content on-the-go to easily engage with your customers on a daily basis.

But when it comes to Instagram Stories, there are several common mistakes we often see small business owners making. We’ve rounded up the nine most common mistakes small businesses are making with their Instagram Stories, along with tips on how to fix them.

1. Not using Stories at all

One of the biggest mistakes small businesses can make when it comes to Instagram, is not using Instagram Stories at all! There are so many benefits for small businesses when it comes to Instagram Stories – Stories are an easy way to engage with your customers daily, drive more traffic to your website and create quality content quickly.

2. Not branding your Stories

Just because Stories don’t have a permanent spot on your feed doesn’t mean that they can’t be customized and beautifully branded! The simplest way to make your Instagram Stories feel on brand is to always use your brand colors. Did you know that you choose any color you want on Instagram Stories? Simply upload an image that has your brand colors to your Instagram Story, then use the drawing tool to tap and hold to select custom colors.

Read Next: ‘5 Ways to Make Your Instagram Stories Stand Out’

3. Not using Instagram Shopping

If you are a product-based small business, you should definitely be using the Instagram Shopping feature. This enables you to tag your products in your Instagram Stories to make it super easy for your customers to shop your products  directly through Instagram. In order to use the Instagram Shopping feature to tag your products in posts and Stories, you’ll have to get your Instagram account approved then set up a catalogue of your products through Facebook. Learn how to set up Instagram Shopping here.

 4. Not posting videos

Short-form video content is extremely popular and highly engaging – which is why it’s a huge mistake if your small business isn’t sharing videos on your Instagram Stories! Photos might seem like the easiest type of content to create and share but a tool like Boosted makes it simple to create high-quality videos, quickly and easily. Boosted has tons of beautiful templates and stock footage to choose from. And you can easily customize the colors, fonts and logo to create a branded, custom video for Instagram Stories in just a few minutes!

Read Next: ‘7 Creative Ways to Use Video on Social Media’

5. Not including Instagram Stickers – When you upload a photo or video to your Instagram Stories, there’s a wide variety of Instagram Stickers you can choose from. Instagram Stickers are easy to include in your Stories and can make your Instagram Stories more engaging for your customers. So, which stickers are the best for your small business to use? Try using the question and quiz stickers to ask your followers a question – this is a great way to get feedback directly from your customers!

6. Not using hashtags – One mistake small businesses make when it comes to Instagram Stories is thinking that hashtags are just for feed posts. However, using hashtags on your Stories is an important step that many business owners forget! There are two ways to include hashtags in your Instagram Stories and you should be using both.

The first is the Instagram Hashtag Sticker – this is a sticker that your followers can click to view more posts under that hashtag. (This will help your Instagram Story reach even more people too!) And the second way is a great Instagram Story hack that every small business owner should know about – you can copy and paste a paragraph of related hashtags into the font option and make the font the same color as the background or hidden behind a GIF. These ‘hidden hashtags’ are another way to help boost your Instagram Stories to more potential customers.

Read Next: ‘7 Secrets For Entrepreneurs to Get The Most Out of Instagram Stories’

7. Not sharing your feed posts – Once you’ve shared a post to your feed, you should be sharing it to your Instagram Stories as well! Many small business owners forget to promote their content and sharing your posts to your Instagram Stories is a free way to help boost both the reach and engagement on all of your Instagram posts. By sharing your post to Instagram Stories, your followers will be more likely to see and engage with your post right after you’ve posted it (which is an important strategy when it comes to the Instagram algorithm!).

8. Not posting daily

As a small business owner, it isn’t realistic for you to post on your Instagram feed every day, but you also don’t want to make the mistake of not posting daily to your Instagram Stories. The beauty of Instagram Stories is how simple it is to create and share content. Some days you might post more often on Instagram Stories than others, but you should make an effort to post something to your Instagram Stories every single day, even if it’s just a quick check in to say hi to your followers, an inspirational quote or even sharing a relevant past Instagram post.

Read Next: ‘How Many Times a Day Should You Post to Instagram Stories?’

9. Not saving Stories to Highlights

Last but not least – the final mistake that small business owners are making when it comes to Instagram Stories is forgetting to save their Stories to their Instagram Story Highlights. The Story Highlights feature allows you to organize Stories you’ve previously posted into easy-to-access collections directly under your Instagram bio. When you’ve created great Instagram Stories with helpful info for your customers, it’s a shame to let them disappear forever after 24 hours. Utilizing Instagram Story Highlights helps your customers quickly find the content they are looking for, drive more traffic to your website and provide another way to engage your followers.

Read Next: ‘How to Use Instagram Story Highlights Strategically as a Small Business Owner’

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Instagram Business and Marketing Trends for 2021

Instagram is one of the top social media platforms in the world. In fact, Instagram currently has over one billion monthly active users. Despite being one of the most popular social media companies in the world, Instagram is actually owned by Facebook. But even though Instagram is owned by Facebook, it is still a standalone social media giant. Therefore, it is crucial for companies to have effective marketing strategies for Instagram in addition to Facebook. One of the best ways to create an effective Instagram marketing strategy is to be fully aware of all of the key business and marketing trends for the platform. 

Here is a look at the top Instagram business and marketing trends for 2021. Your business can use these trends to create a winning Instagram marketing strategy in the next year. 

1. Social Cause Support 

In the past year or two, a number of key social causes have sprung up and have become extremely popular on Instagram. The world is going through a social justice revolution and Instagram is helping spread the word! This trend was strong in 2020 and will likely continue well into 2021, it cannot be denied that IG has become a major platform for social causes. Brands that show support for these important social causes can help them win over followers and customers that support these causes. The younger generations have a strong preference for brands that show empathy, so showing empathy and support for key social causes of 2021 on Instagram can be extremely helpful for brand growth. 

2. Instagram Stories 

In the past year or two, Instagram Stories have become the single most popular kind of content on the platform. In fact, there are over 500 million Instagram accounts that use Stories every single day. Instagram Stories are so popular because they are intriguing, easy to use, and do not require a lot of production effort. Instagram created its Story feature after seeing how popular Snapchat’s time-based, photo messages became. While Snapchat pioneered the technology, now Instagram users also use these image or video Stories on a regular basis. Brands can use the Instagram Story feature to provide quick updates about products, sales, behind the scenes tidbits about the company, and more. Stories help to keep followers engaged and connected to the brand. Because Story content is so consumable, many followers actually prefer it! So, it’s a win-win. Due to the strong popularity of Instagram Stories, they will definitely continue to be a strong Instagram business and marketing trend in 2021. Get started with Instagram Stories now!

3. Shoppable Posts 

Instagram launched shoppable posts in 2016. Since it launched this feature, Instagram became a giant ecommerce portal for brands. Many brands have already had tremendous success from shoppable posts. In 2021, shoppable posts are continuing to rise in popularity. With Covid-19 in 2020,  most people are doing most of their shopping from home now to stay safe. Since shoppable posts make shopping on Instagram so easy, it is likely that shoppable posts will continue to be extremely popular amongst brands on Instagram. 

4. Going Live 

Going live on Instagram Stories is becoming more and more popular on the Instagram platform. In fact, in 2019 alone, Instagram users watched 1.1 billion hours of live video on Instagram. Many brands have taken notice of this trend and have started to go live in order to market their products and engage their followers in real time – and your brand can too (check out this guide)! For example, Chipotle recently started going live to share recipes with their followers. Chipotle followers are die-hard fans and are therefore really interested in following cooking demos in live time. This is just one example of how companies can engage their followers in order to create excitement and interest in their brand. There are also many other, different ways that brands can do this! For example, bicycle brands can go live while riding bikes on trails, travel brands can go live to show an exotic vacation location, tech brands can go live to demonstrate a new product, etc. The sky’s the limit in terms of using going live to create value. Make sure to check out the new Instagram live badge when you take advantage of this great marketing tool!

5. Reels 

Instagram Reels was released in August of 2020 and it allows Instagram users to edit and publish videos that are roughly 15 seconds. Instagram obviously noticed the major success that TikTok was having and wanted to follow suit. Because TikTok is constantly under threat of being banned in the United States, Instagram Reels has real potential to snatch up some of the short video market. Reels is currently very new so it is flying under the radar a bit, but look for it to gain a lot of traction and to become a major Instagram trend in 2021. 

Conclusion:

Instagram continues to be one of the most used social media platforms on earth. If your company can create a high-quality Instagram account and use it effectively, then it can be enormously beneficial for your business. Not only can you use Instagram to market to your customers and grow your following, but you can actually use Instagram to sell directly to your followers.

Due to the incredible value that Instagram has for businesses, there is virtually no reason why your company should not be making an effort to market and sell on Instagram. Make sure you choose the right Instagram business category for you biz. Most of the top brands in the world have Instagram accounts that are very active. If you can take advantage of the trends listed in this article, then you could be well on your way to Instagram success in 2021.

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Instagram Polls: The Complete Guide for Small Businesses

What is an Instagram Poll? 

An Instagram poll is a poll that you can post to your Instagram Story to allow your followers to vote on various topics. For example, a poll could be created to ask followers which product they like better, A or B. The great thing about Instagram polls is that they are completely customizable – you can use them to ask your followers their opinions on just about anything! 

What are the Benefits of Instagram Polls? 

Instagram polls allow you to view real-time data that is highly relevant for your business. It allows you to better understand your customers and to get feedback from them extremely quickly. You can then use the data from Instagram polls to make smarter business decisions. Everything from product design to marketing can benefit from Instagram polls. 

Another key benefit of Instagram polls is that many followers find them entertaining and enjoy participating in them. After all, who doesn’t like having their opinion heard? Polls are also highly shareable and if you create polls that are interesting enough to your followers, there is a good chance that they will share them!

Essentially, Instagram polls not only help you to get extremely valuable feedback from your customers, but they also help to generate attention for your brand and keep your followers and customers engaged. For all of these reasons, your business should be using Instagram polls regularly if you are not already doing so. 

How to Use Instagram Polls 

The first thing that you need to know about Instagram polls is that they are only available to use through Instagram Stories. So, you are going to have to create an Instagram Story if you would like to use Instagram polls. Don’t know how to create an Instagram Story? We got you covered with this Instagram Story ultimate guide. And while you’re at it, make sure to check out our complete guide for Instagram business categories.

Here is how to create an Instagram poll step-by-step:

Step 1. Create a Story Post 

For your Story post, you can use a photo, text or video for your background. However, if you are going to use a photo for your Story post, then you should try to make the image as relevant as possible for the poll. You do not want to use a random photo because that will confuse your audience. You should apply any filters, text, emojis, or doodles before you post the poll. But, make sure that you leave some room in the post for the poll. 

Step 2. Add a Poll to Your Story Post 

To do this, you click on the sticker icon at the top of the story screen. The sticker icon is the square with the face. Once you have clicked on the sticker icon, click on the poll sticker option. After you have clicked on the poll sticker option, you will be given a choice to add your question and a “Yes/No” poll box will appear. You will then be given the chance to type in your question. You can choose any question that you want to ask. Just make sure that it is appropriate for your audience and complies with all Instagram rules. If you don’t want the responses to be “Yes/No” you can tap on the boxes and write in any responses you want. So, for example, if you want your followers to choose between a red product and a blue product, then you can write “Red/Blue” in the answer boxes. 

Step 3. Position Your Poll 

Once the poll sticker is created, you will have to position it on your story post. You should pick a spot where it fits and looks good. You can move the poll to any area of the screen and you can pinch it to make it smaller or larger, just like you can do with any other sticker. You want to make sure that the poll sticker is large enough to read comfortably, but not so large that it blocks out the rest of your post. This is especially true if you are using a high-quality image that is relevant for your poll – you want your audience to be able to see the image too. So, make sure to choose a position for your poll and then move on to the next step. 

Step 4. Share Your Story and Poll 

After you have completed the first three steps, the next step is to share your Story with the poll! You do this by adding it to your Stories. Once you have posted your Story with the poll, viewers will be able to see the post and respond to the poll question. If your followers have never seen an Instagram poll before, then they may even be given a prompt that explains to them what it is when they click on it. Hopefully, once your Story and poll are live, a lot of your followers will share the poll and give their answers. If they do this, then you can get a lot of valuable data from your poll. 

Step 5. Enable Push Notifications 

Make sure that your push notifications are enabled for Instagram on your phone. This way, you will be able to get a notification when someone votes on your poll. Doing this will enable you to get real-time data on the polls. This is especially helpful if you need the data quickly. For example, if you are struggling to make a business decision that needs to be made ASAP and if you want to hear from your customers before you make the decision. 

Using the Poll Data 

Ideally, you will get all the data that you need from the poll within the first 24-48 hours. If you have never used an Instagram poll before, you might be surprised at how clear the results are. However, even though polls oftentimes show one answer being the clear winner, sometimes the results are more even. 

Instagram Story and poll data are extremely easy to use and understand. All that you have to do is look at the final results of the poll and see which answer won. Then you can take that feedback and use it to influence the business decision that you were trying to make. For example, if you set up an Instagram poll and asked customers if they preferred product A or product B, and if the results showed that they preferred product B, then you can focus a larger percentage of your marketing dollars promoting product B. 

Other Helpful Tips 

One great way to boost poll engagement is to create polls around topics that are trending. For example, if there is a big sports game coming up, you can create a poll around the sports game. People tend to get very excited and enthusiastic about hot trending topics, so you might be able to increase the amount of poll responses by making the polls about those topics.

Another thing that can increase poll engagement is if you use an emoji slider for your polls. In other words, if you let your poll participants respond to the poll with emojis, this can help to boost engagement. This is because many people like to use emojis on Instagram and would prefer to answer with an emoji as to a word. 

Conclusion 

Instagram polls are a win/win. You win by getting extremely valuable data from your followers and by creating higher levels of engagement. Your customers win by getting enjoyment from being able to give their opinions on things that interest them. Instagram polls are a great marketing tool and they can help you to get a much better understanding of the opinions of your followers and customers. If you have never tried using Instagram polls before, then you should give it a shot and see how you like the results. Many companies are very happy with the results that they get and continue using Instagram polls indefinitely. 

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7 Quick Tips to Build an Instagram Hashtag Strategy

In the year 2021, hashtags are a fantastic way to reach new audiences on Instagram. They require very little effort and no cash investment, but they can lead people who may be interested in your content right to you.

But how do you choose the right Instagram hashtags for your post? How many should you use, and where should you put them? Whether you have a sleek video ad or image you want to share, the right IG hashtag strategy, alongside an awesome video maker and story editor can definitely help. Here are some 7 quick and effective tips to up your Instagram hashtag game:

1. Be conscious of the number and placement of your hashtags

In a recent study, SocialInsider examined 650,000 Instagram posts to determine how hashtag use affected their performance. What they found was that overall, posts with 7 or 30 hashtags hidden in the caption got the most engagement.

However, they found that the number, placement, and visibility of hashtags for optimal performance varied according to the profile size. Here are their profile-size-specific recommendations:

Number of followers          Number of hashtags      Placement 
Under 5k6Hidden in caption
5k-10k5First comment
10k-50k2Hidden in caption
50k-100k8Hidden in caption
100k+6First comment

2. Hide your IG hashtags in the caption

If your brand is in any of the categories where hiding your hashtags in the caption is most effective, you may be wondering: how does one hide a hashtag?

Instagram limits the amount of text shown on your feed and hides additional text behind a “show more” link. Your goal is to get your hashtags to appear after that link. The problem is, when you’re keeping your captions short and sweet — always a good idea — how do you add enough text to keep your hashtags hidden?

The trick is to add line breaks. But this is a little harder than it sounds, because the Instagram app tends to wipe out line breaks added to text inputted directly to the caption editor.

The solution is to type your caption in a different text editor (like a note-taking app), then copy-paste. Type a character (a period is most inconspicuous, but you could also use asterisks or anything you like), then a line break, then another character, then another line break, until you have at least 5 lines. Add your hashtags underneath, and then copy and paste the whole thing into the Instagram caption editor.

Check out this example to see how it is done: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6Ymo_MZyN/

3. Find popular hashtags related to your brand

Check out what hashtags influencers and brands like yours are using. People interested in related content will be searching those hashtags and will therefore be more likely to come across your content. It’s a great way to ensure your posts are reaching appropriate audiences.

When you type a hashtag into the caption editor, Instagram will automatically tell you how many posts exist that use that hashtag. You can also use a hashtag finder or generator tool to help you discover hashtags related to your content.

4. Search Instagram hashtags before using them

Before you use a hashtag on Instagram, make sure search it yourself to see who is using it and what kind of content comes up. Just because a popular influencer or brand used it, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for your content.

5. Combine popular IG hashtags with smaller niche hashtags

It’s the eternal dilemma of online advertising: should you use a popular search term/category/hashtag, which may have a wider reach, but a lot more competition? Or should you use a smaller niche one, which may not appeal to as wide an audience, but is more likely to be seen by people looking for that specific kind of content?

The answer is: both!

Popular photography hashtags can certainly put you on the map, but there are a lot of other Instagrammers on the map. Niche or location-based hashtags help you stand out to the audience that is most relevant to you. Use a combination of both in every post.

6. Keep a list

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you post something on IG. Compile a list of hashtags relevant to your brand. That way, when you create a post, you can consult the list and choose appropriate hashtags without having to conduct exhaustive research all over again. You can also mark on this list how many times you’ve used each hashtag.

7. Switch it up

Varying your hashtags makes it possible to reach a wider and more diverse audience. People who search #sailing are not necessarily the same people who search #sailboats, but if you’re a sailboat rental company, it’s a good idea to reach all of them. Using different hashtags in each post gives you the opportunity to try out lots of different hashtags and see which ones get you the most engagement.

Remember that Instagrammers use hashtags to find content that interests and inspires them. By employing these tips and using a variety of relevant hashtags, you’ll help the people most interested in your message find you — and hopefully, become devoted followers and customers.

Check out how this post switches it up with the hashtag use in post and in the comments for a great variety of hashtags!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKMoQi1hxND/

Instagram Hashtag Strategy Action Items:

1. Tweak the amount of hashtags you use, as well as the placement of your hashtags, according to the chart above.
2. Research hashtags relevant to your brand & industry.
3. Get organized. Keep a list of the hashtags you’re using and plan to use different hashtags for each post (remember to combine popular hashtags with smaller niche hashtags).
4. Check your Insights regularly to see how well your hashtag strategy is working. Within your Post Insights, you can see how many Post Impressions came from the hashtags you used.

hashtag strategy

Additional Niche-Specific Instagram Hashtags:

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7 Secrets For Entrepreneurs to Get The Most Out of Instagram Stories

By: Cori Widen, Product Marketing Lead at Boosted by Lightricks

Once you get the hang of it, Instagram Stories is an easy (and fun!) feature to help grow your business – but are you getting the most out of your Instagram Stories? We’ve rounded up 9 Instagram Story secrets that every entrepreneur should be aware of to give your Instagram Stories a design boost, increase social media reach and ultimately drive more sales. Keep reading to learn all about the latest Instagram Story updates, secret social media tips, engaging content ideas and more.

1. Check Out The New Font Options
If you’ve ever wished Instagram Stories had a few more design options you are in luck! They’ve recently rolled out several new, beautiful font options. Make sure you’ve downloaded the latest Instagram app update to see the new Instagram fonts and give your Instagram Stories a design boost. If your Instagram account has access to the new fonts, you’ll see ten font options at the bottom once you’ve started typing your text. Not sure where to start with fonts? Here’s ‘5 Ways to Make Your Instagram Stories Stand Out’.

2. Use Fun Elements Like Music
Possibly the easiest way to give your Instagram Stories an immediate boost of personality is to use fun features like music! Instagram offers a huge selection of songs to perfectly fit with all of your Instagram Stories. Tip: If the original audio isn’t great quality in a Story, simply turn ‘sound off’  and add in music to instantly improve your Instagram Stories. Need some more cool Instagram Story content ideas? Check out this article ‘50 Engaging Instagram Story Ideas for Your Brand’.

3. Promote Your Own Content Often
Want to drive more sales for your business? Start promoting yourself more! Every time you post on Instagram, share your own post to your Instagram Stories and encourage your followers to check out your latest post and engage with your content. Tip: You can also re-share old posts you’ve posted in your timeline that are still relevant. This will help boost your engagement rates and help you re-purpose high-quality content. Want to revamp your Instagram content? You’ll want to check out our ‘21 Ideas to Revamp Your Social Media for 2021’.

4. Repost Customer Content
Not only should you be posting your own Instagram posts to your Stories… you should also be featuring your followers’ content as well! Any customer sharing a photo or review of your product or services should get a shout-out. Reposting your followers’ content lets them know you see their posts and tells them you appreciate their support. Also, when your followers see how often you repost their shout-outs, odds are you’ll start to see a lot more posts about your business! Tip: Want to increase DM’s from your customers to drive sales? Here’s ‘8 Easy Ways to Get More Instagram DMs From Customers’.

5. Add Cute GIFs
Okay so you might already be using GIFs in your Instagram Stories but have you discovered the secret to finding the best ones yet? Yes, there is a little trick the most savvy entrepreneurs use to give their social media a quick upgrade. Instead of searching by a term like ‘happy’ or ‘funny’ to find a GIF, try searching the name of a designer who creates GIFs to find all of their best ones. Check out this blog post for tips to find cute GIFs and this blog post to find unique GIFs on Instagram Stories. 

6. Create Story Highlights
Okay, so you might be sick of hearing how important it is to use Instagram Story Highlights but we’re including this Instagram strategy again because it’s one of the best ways to ensure you are getting the most out of Instagram Stories for your business. Instagram Story Highlights offers your business a prime location to feature all of your most important and best quality content for your followers to easily access. Read next: ‘How to Use Instagram Story Highlights Strategically as a Small Business Owner’.

7. Use Hidden Hashtags
We all know how important it is to use hashtags on Instagram posts to increase the reach of your posts but did you know this strategy also applies to Stories? We saved our very favorite Instagram Story secret for entrepreneurs for very last. You can use all of the same hashtags you would use on your Instagram posts on Stories without anyone knowing. Insert hidden hashtags into all of your Instagram Stories by typing out your hashtags, reducing the font size then make the font the same color as the background OR simply hide them behind a GIF or photo.

Instagram Stories can already be a powerful tool to help entrepreneurs grow their business. However, with these secret tips, content ideas and growth strategies in hand, we know your business will get even more out of Instagram Stories than ever before!

Cori Widen is the Product Marketing Lead at Boosted by Lightricks. She has been leading product marketing campaigns and doing qualitative market research in the tech industry for 10 years.

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IGTV vs. Reels vs. Instagram Stories

Is Instagram Taking Over the Online Video Market? The IGTV vs Reels Vs Stories debate gets real.

Large social media platforms can’t stand to see each other create, develop, and launch new ideas without immediately releasing their own version of the tool, feed, or platform. As social media everywhere becomes more video-centric, Instagram seems to have established a solid corner of the market with IGTV, Stories, and Reels. But what’s the purpose of having three video content formats on one platform and how are they different?

Instagram TV (IGTV)

IGTV is the YouTube of Instagram. It’s a place where people can post their edited, high-quality videos in long format, up to 10 minutes. The app can be accessed directly or through your Instagram account. One key difference between YouTube vs IGTV is IGTV’s vertical orientation as the selfie culture seems to prefer the vertical format. Another big difference is that verified accounts on YouTube can take up to 12 hours to upload, while it is much faster to upload a video to IGTV on Instagram.

Marketing on IGTV

While IGTV isn’t exactly a competitor to YouTube, it is a pretty solid video platform in its own right. If you can create content that appeals to your audience, make sure to keep the content short, and remember to include links that advance your marketing goals. Additionally, with tons of awesome video creation apps, like Boosted available to download, it’s easier than ever to make professional IGTV videos. You can also always repurpose the IGTV content and share these videos to Instagram Stories and other channels as well. Check out our guide to IGTV for your business here.

Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are temporary posts that are either pictures or short videos, usually accompanied with text or other special effects. Ring any bells? That’s right! Snapchat. Stories is Instagram’s response to Snapchat. Hashtags, polls, and countdowns make IG Stories an interactive and effective platform for video marketing and engaging with your audience. 

Marketing on IG Stories

Stories make it easy to engage your audience with just the tiniest bit of creativity. You only have to hold people’s attention for 15 seconds. Throw in a fun poll or a catchy hashtag and you’ve got brand visibility and an engaged following! Still debating whether to use Instagram Stories in your marketing strategy? Check out this pros and cons list of Instagram Stories for your business here.

Reels

Once you recognize the trends of copying Snapchat and YouTube, you could have guessed that the next platform to emulate would be TikTok! Instagram Reels is a short-format video feed where users can post 15-second clips to make people laugh, show off a skill, or market their brand. While Reels is relatively new, it hasn’t made the same splash into the video marketing social media arena as TikTok, in fact, most of Reels videos are simply mostly TikTok reposts. 

Marketing on IG Reels

While Reels will probably never achieve the success that TikTok achieved, it still presents a great marketing opportunity. Reels allows its user to create content that quickly highlights a product, shows some behind-the-scenes of your company culture, or illustrates the benefit your customers and clients have received. They’re really simple to create on the platform itself or you can use video creation apps, like Boosted, to create something a bit different! You can just make entertaining content that gets your brand in front of the right people! Need more Instagram Reels information? Check out this business owner’s guide to Instagram Reels. 

Summary

When it comes to IGTV vs Reels vs Stories, each platform offers something a little different, so you should take your audience and your preference into consideration, but if you’re going for marketing impact, your best bet is going to be Instagram Stories.

According to the 2019 Social Media Marketing Report, 38% of marketers are using Instagram Stories while only 26% are using IGTV. Reels is too new to be on the 2019 report, but we know Instagram’s existing reach will most likely make Reels into yet another considerable platform, judging by the millions of views already claimed by NBA channels, Louis Vuitton, and others!

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13 Autumn Instagram Content Ideas for Small Businesses

Summer is coming to a close, and it’s time to start planning your social media calendar for the next season!

Seeking some autumn content ideas? From foliage and pumpkins to back to school season and beyond, fall offers a ton of fresh seasonal content you can create for your brand.

Here are 13 Instagram content ideas to give you some autumn inspiration.

1. Sprinkle everything with fall imagery

No matter what you post, you can’t go wrong with some classic autumn-related imagery. Here are some elements you can include in your fall-themed posts:

  • The colors orange, red, yellow, and brown
  • Leaves and foliage
  • Woody textures
  • Warm drinks: apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate
  • Fireplaces
  • Sweaters and jackets
  • Sunsets
  • Rain and umbrellas
  • Apples
  • Pumpkins
  • Spices (cloves, cinnamon sticks, etc.)
  • Books
  • A cozy, warm atmosphere

You can use these elements for inspiration when coming up with inspiration for all the content ideas below.

2. Run a special sale or promotion for fall

It’s very common for businesses to hold special sales for fall: Labor Day sales, back-to-school sales, or just something celebrating the new season. Be sure to promote your sale both in your Feed and in your Stories.

For example, Garden Architecture & Design (@gardenarchitecture), a furniture store in California, made a video showing off its wares and offering a 20% discount on “all those incredible pieces you’ve been stalking all summer”:

3. Highlight a fall-related product

Have you made some leaf-themed product lately? Does your farm, restaurant, or other food service offer any special fall items? Feature them in a Feed post or Story, and don’t forget to use plenty of fall hashtags: #autumn, #autumnvibes, etc.

Check out these adorable fall leaf earrings from @ewi.macrame:

4. Recommend your favorite fall read

Fall is a great time to curl up with a cozy book to read. Show your followers what you’re reading, or what you like to read during the fall. It could be related to your field, or just something you enjoy. You can combine this with a request for book recommendations!

5. Share a fall-related quote

Create a graphic with a quote that has something to do with autumn. You can find lots of lists of fall-related quotes online, such as this one. See if you can find footage or images that match the quote — for example, if you select “You’re never too old to play in the leaves,” find a picture of a kid (or adult!) playing in fall leaves. Even better, find a pile of leaves and have someone photograph you playing in them!

Artist and author Dani DiPirro (@positivelypresent) created this beautiful image with a fall quote from Rumi:

6. Ask a question about fall

Asking questions is a great way to create engagement. You can create a Feed post and encourage people to answer in the comments, or use a Question or Poll sticker in a Story.

Some ideas for questions to ask:

  • What’s your favorite thing about fall?
  • Pumpkin spice lattes: yea or nay?
  • What’s your favorite movie/book to curl up with in the fall?
  • What do you like to do when it’s raining?
  • Which do you prefer: sweaters or jackets?

7. Create a fall-related tutorial

Now’s the time for fall recipes: apple pie, pumpkin spice anything, stews and slow-cooked dinners with lots of root vegetables, etc. It’s also back-to-school time, so you can create a tutorial for a school-related craft: pencil cases, gifts for teachers… or, given it’s 2020, maybe a kid-sized cloth mask or a cute pouch for carrying hand sanitizer. Click here to read our post on creating a tutorial using Instagram Stories.

For example, artist Anastasia-berry (@anastasiadeg) created this tutorial for coloring a fall leaf:

8. Back-to-school post

Try to find an angle your target audience will relate to. For instance, if your target audience is moms who may be relieved to be sending their kids back to school, you can base a video on this template from Boosted:

Maybe combine that with a special offer. For example, if you’re a massage therapist, offer a discounted massage for moms! Boosted video templates are extremely versatile, and you can use them to create both Feed videos and Stories.

If you’re targeting college-age students, you may want to focus more on things like tips for organizing a dorm room, quick and easy recipes, or tips for maintaining focus during their studies.

9. Document local fall scenery

If you live somewhere with beautiful fall foliage, get out that smartphone camera and take some great photos! You can post the images as they are, or use them as background for any of the more text-based ideas in this post.

You can also take a walk downtown and take photos of other types of fall scenery: window displays, people drinking apple cider at a local cafe, etc. This is an especially good idea if your business targets a local audience. Click here to read more ideas for targeting a local audience on Instagram.

10. Launch a fall-related photo contest

While you’re at it, why not get your followers to show you what fall looks like where they live? Launch a fall photo contest for some user-generated content, and offer a giveaway as the prize. Click here to read more about how to run a successful giveaway on Instagram.

Check out this stunning winning post from a photo contest by Timberline Adventures (@ziptimberline) last year:

11. Give fall-related tips from your niche

If you’re in the beauty or fashion industry, you can talk about looks that are hot for this fall and how to achieve them. If you’re in the food industry, give some tips for working with seasonal ingredients, like apples, pumpkins, and spices. Photographer? Give some tips for capturing fall scenery.

You can create a graphic featuring the tip as text, or use the graphic to introduce the idea and elaborate in the caption. You could also make a video of yourself explaining your tips and post it on your Feed or using IGTV.

This post from The Ayurvedic Institute (@theayurvedicinstitute) features some tips for maintaining your health in the fall:

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During the Fall season one should wake up before sunrise when it is calm and peaceful. To pacify the vata dosha in the mouth, teeth and gums, brush with a powder made of roasted almond shell powder, licorice, a little mint and haritaki. Scrape your tongue to remove bacterial growth formed during the night and to massage the internal organs via the reflex points on the tongue. Swish a mouthful of warm sesame oil for 2 – 3 mins, then spit out. Lubricate your index finger with sesame oil and massage the inside and outside of the gums. This will help prevent receding gums, which is a common condition in autumn. #FallTips #RecedingGums #AyurvedicMorningRoutine #LearnAyurveda #VasantLad #TheAyurvedicInstitute #AyurvedicDentalHygene #SesameOil #GumHealth #TeethHealth #VataDosha #VataSeason

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12. Decorate your workspace with fall-themed items

This doesn’t have to take much: some leaves, a steaming mug, a book, and a warm photo filter could do the trick. If you’re working on something that has to do with fall, consider creating a behind-the-scenes video or carousel post.

Heather of Heather House Interiors (@heatherhouseinteriors) posted this photo of the fall-decorated entrance to her home:

13. Hold a little fall event

In other times, we might recommend holding a real-life fall party or event, but the pandemic-related restrictions may make that tricky this year. Instead, organize a little fall outing or event for your staff (or for yourself, if that’s your full staff!) and be sure to document it well. Some ideas:

  • A hike in the woods
  • Go apple or pumpkin picking
  • Visit a local farm or farmer’s market
  • Make apple cider or apple pie together

Post plenty of photos and videos in your Stories (and save one or two favorites for your feed).

Action Items:

  • Go over this list and jot down ideas that spark your imagination.
  • Get out your calendar and pencil in a schedule for fall-related posts and promotions for your Instagram feed.
  • Be sure to leave plenty of time for content ideas that may require some prep work.
Autumn Instagram Ideas

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