As a key channel in any social media strategy, Instagram allows you to create an engaged audience through visual content. Building your unique Instagram community is not instantaneous, but is achievable through thorough planning and careful application.
Here are five tips on how to build a thriving community on Instagram:
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Have a strong theme
Having a distinct theme, whether that be using a certain color palette or style of photography, is important as Instagram is the visual identity of your brand. Establishing a stable theme enables you to be distinct and recognizable. People will become familiar with your identity and the content you post.
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Don’t just create, curate
Content curation involves selecting, organizing and displaying content. Instagram is made of user-generated content (UGC) – so don’t be afraid to re-use it. Done right, this is key to making your consumers feel listened to, and feel a part of your community. But this is not to say that all content should be re-grammed endlessly. When selecting UGC, ensure it still reflects the theme of your profile and give credit to the original creator of the content you’re sharing.
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Have a voice!
Despite Instagram being an image-based platform, don’t underestimate the value of your caption. The caption should always reflect the voice of your brand and the voice of the community, giving them a better view of who you are as well as helping to start a conversation.
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#Hashtags are a must
If you want your content to have maximum impact on your audience or prospective audience, hashtags are vital. The ability to create a customized hashtag for your brand is a great opportunity to track specific posts and engage with a targeted audience. Once the right audience has been identified and acquired, hashtags ensure you continue to build a community of like-minded fans.
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Be Consistent
The more posts you have, the more likely your content will reach users regularly and the faster you will grow your community. Initially, it was a concern that posting daily would decrease engagement rates, yet this has not been the case. Posting frequency can differentiate amongst brands, but finding the right posting cadence can be determined by testing a posting schedule and analyzing the results.
Laura Currie is a junior community manager with the Content Team, Edelman Sydney.