How To Format Instagram Posts
Imagine a time when a mere simple caption and a handful of hashtags could garner you 50+ likes on a social media post from years ago. Fast forward to today, and things have drastically changed. Before you hit that “Publish” button, you need to have a well-thought-out strategy in place, considering the evolving Instagram algorithm and the shifting behaviors of its users. If you stick to the same old tactics you used back then, your posts will simply fade into obscurity.
Building an audience on Instagram has become a more formidable task now, mainly due to the intensified competition. Your rivals are also leveraging this platform for their brand promotion. If you’re just starting out, prepare yourself for a long and challenging journey. However, there is a way to expedite your progress: by mastering the art of formatting your Instagram posts effectively!
In this article, we will walk you through all the steps required to format Instagram posts.
How To Format Instagram Posts
Instagram boasts a staggering user base of one billion people, many of whom post multiple times a day. Given people’s fleeting attention spans, capturing their interest within seconds is crucial if you want them to engage further with your content. As Instagram is primarily a visual platform, the first step is to make your posts visually captivating.
Step #1: Establish a Theme for Your Instagram Profile A visually appealing feed has the power to entice users to hit that follow button without hesitation. As humans are naturally drawn to aesthetics, they tend to align themselves with visually appealing content, regardless of its relevance to them. Moreover, curating an Instagram feed that reflects a consistent theme acts as a form of branding and helps promote your overall brand image.
Step #2: Create Content Aligned with Your Theme Consistency is key to creating a lasting impression. People struggle to remember things that constantly change. Therefore, incorporating consistent elements such as colors, fonts, styles, and shapes across your marketing materials is essential to ensure your brand sticks in your audience’s minds. Building a theme helps you maintain consistency and requires generating content in bulk to achieve the desired aesthetic for your Instagram profile.
Step #3: Craft Captivating Post Descriptions Capturing attention is just the first step; you must also write engaging post descriptions that pique curiosity and highlight the value you offer. Even if your post looks fantastic, a lackluster caption may discourage users from exploring your profile further. Therefore, it’s crucial to invest effort in creating compelling and captivating descriptions.
Step #4: Harness the Power of Hashtags Including relevant hashtags in your post descriptions expands your reach to a broader target audience. However, it’s important to strike a balance, as using too many hashtags can be perceived as desperate. According to HootSuite, using one to three hashtags is generally sufficient. Furthermore, avoid using the same set of hashtags for every post to maximize your reach and avoid limiting your exposure.
Step #5: Leverage Location Tags Although not mandatory, adding a location to your posts enables you to reach users who are currently in that specific location. Similar to hashtags, this strategy is particularly useful for brands promoting events in specific areas or businesses seeking to attract customers to their physical stores.
Step #6: Tag Relevant Instagram Users When you tag an Instagram user in your post, it appears on their profile, exposing your content to anyone who visits their profile. However, it’s crucial to tag only those who are relevant to the post to avoid appearing spammy. This tactic can also be an effective way to grab the attention of specific users, particularly if it aligns with your overall strategy. Businesses and brands often have Instagram accounts, so tagging them when featuring their products or items can be beneficial.
Conclusion
Despite the staggering one billion users on Instagram, reaching and converting all of them into your audience is far from guaranteed, considering the omnipresence of your competitors. To expand your audience, it is crucial to deliver content that offers value and demonstrates why you surpass others in your field.
Investing effort in formatting your Instagram posts sends a powerful message to your audience: you are not merely focused on gaining followers, but rather on assisting and enhancing their lives through your products, services, or expertise. By freely sharing valuable insights and solutions to their problems, you establish yourself as a trusted resource and foster a genuine connection with your audience.
