Here are some of our hottest tips on how to boost your engagement and grow your Instagram in 2022.
We all know that Instagram’s all-mighty algorithm can sometimes work in mysterious ways, but the most important thing you can do is share your content and run your account with it in mind to give yourself the best chance at engaging with, and growing your followers in 2022.
1. Content is queen
- It may seem like an overly obvious tip, but the more content that you have out there, the bigger your footprint gets, and the more chance of the algorithm picking up and sharing your content.
- IG has many ways you can do this, from posts, stories and now (especially) reels. Make the most of these features to promote your content as much as possible!
2. Use reels… for reals
- Due to it being brand-new this year, IG’s algorithm is prioritizing reels, so sharing your content in the form of a reel is an easy way to extend your reach and get noticed.
- The engagement you receive from reels will translate into comments, likes and views on your profile page, so it’s a great tool for attracting more followers from your niche.
3. Jump on the viral bandwagon
- Trends and content that go viral are picked up by the algorithm significantly more than other content. Scroll through IG, check out what trends have the most engagement, then re-package it in your style and post it for your niche.
4. Be scroll-stopping
- Content that catches the eye and causes scrollers to stop and engage with your content is one of the most effective ways grow your account. The first few seconds is crucial, so be entertaining/interesting and they’ll be encouraged to explore your profile more.
- TIP: Save posts that make you stop, think about why they made you stop, and refer to them later when making your own posts.
5. Stay active
- Consistency is key! Whether it is posts, stories, or reels, followers are after regular new content. As we mentioned in tip #1, the more content you post, the higher the chance that IG will notice and spread it.
- TIP: Having regular days that you share new content will help you keep on track!
6. Post with purpose
- Putting a little time and effort into each post is a must! Consider your niche, and what kind of people you want to be interacting with your content. From there, you can ensure that your content is attractive to them.
- Remember that the content you share to IG is often all that your followers will know you by – so make it authentic, make it unique, make it YOU.
7. It’s a game of give and take
- The more people that you engage with, the more likely that your stories and posts will appear on their feeds, so try to make your content a 2-way conversation.
- Humour and light-hearted posts are a must, after all, people love to laugh! Sharing funny videos and addressing the camera is a great way to appear more personable and approachable.
8. Be YOUnique
- With the crazy amount of content out there, the best way to be noticed is to be unique. Ask yourself – what would I like to see as a follower? What attracts my attention when I am scrolling? This will help you to create content worth engaging with.
- TIP: Take content that’s trending, and interpret it your own way, a way only you could do it.
9. Double-down
- Never underestimate the power of IG stories! Over 70% of people reported that they check their stories before any other part of IG, so we recommend that after you post, share it straight to your stories for that extra hit of engagement.
10. Handle your hashtags
- The power of Hashtags are underestimated, and if done right they can skyrocket your content. The trick is to use them well.
- Don’t use generic or overly popular hashtags – if the hashtag already has millions of posts, yours will quickly be buried.
- TIP: Use Dollar Eighty’s ‘Targets’ section to add up to 10 precise hashtags, which will help you find content within your niche that interest you. Get commenting, liking and following content to build-up your community.
11. Stick with stickers
- IG’s algorithm prioritizes stories that use their stickers, so make the most of them! Have a play around with the endless amounts of stickers you can add to make your stories look more attractive and eye-catching.
- TIP: Use stickers that your followers can interact with – like polls, emoji sliders, and Q+A text boxes. These will start interactions that show IG that you’re an active user, making the algorithm favor your content more and more.
12. Be social
- Make sure that you reply to EVERY comment. Sparking conversation in the comments section of your posts will double the engagement and help you to get noticed by the algorithm.
- Remember that your followers are what help you grow, so keep them in the loop and they will keep coming back for more.
13. The more saveable, the more favorable
- The more people that save your posts, the more engagement you will get. Simples.
- Make the most of this feature by sharing content that people will want to refer to later. Helpful tips, inspiring quotes, and how-to guides are great ways to get people coming back again and again.
14. Captivate with captions
- IG’s algorithm also picks up on the amount of time spent on each post. If you post a long caption that interests your followers, they will spend more time on your post reading it.
- Captions can be up to 2,200 characters, so make the most of it!
15. Try Using one Specific Hashtag Consistently
- Having a few specific hashtags which you use across posts, stories and reels can help to increase your views by a lot. There is a direct correlation between hashtags used and the number of views and engagement you get.
- TIP: Check out the number of views that have come from each hashtag that you’re using, and use that insight to improve your next posts.
16. Giveaways and competitions for the win
- No one is going to turn down a freebie! We think that this is one of the best ways to gain new followers and expand your reach. Getting people to tag their friends is an effective way of getting the ball rolling.
- Give relevant prizes! There’s no point offering something that doesn’t appeal to your niche, as people won’t care enough to tag their friends.
- Use an attractive promo image, so that when people share it to their stories, it triggers more engagement from their followers as well.
- Followers gained from the giveaway are more likely to stick around if the prize was relevant to them.
17. Such cute, many fashion, very art
- Aesthetically pleasing posts result in a higher percentage of people sharing your content to their stories and with others, simply because it looks great. Some may share them just for the visuals, without much consideration for the caption. This is all good – after all, sharing is sharing!
18. People love people
- Post images and videos of people, whether it is yourself, your customers, or your friends. Having a face to the account is more appealing to followers. Posts with people can get up to 40% more likes and engagement than those without.
19. Perfect timing
- Since IG is now prioritizing “new” content on people’s feeds, your best shot at getting content in front of your followers is by posting when they’re scrolling the app.
- There are generic times where more people tend to be active on IG – such as between 11am and 2pm on weekdays, but ultimately it comes down to your community and when they’re active. Try posting at different times and considering the response and reach you get to find your perfect timing.
20. Zhoosh up your bio
- Last, but definitely not least, is your bio. It’s one of the first things that people see when they visit your profile, so be sure to spend some time on this one!
- Make it reflective of you. Outline who you are, what you do, and anything that may entice new followers.
