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ANATOMY OF AN INSTAGRAM POST
What makes a good Instagram post? The answer might be subjective, but ultimately our goal is to encourage engagement, build trust, and create relationships that covert to business. You can do this by putting a little thought and effort into your posts. When you understand the anatomy of an Instagram post you will start to improve engagement and gain more followers.
IMAGERY
Instagram is a visual platform. It is essential to use good-quality images that are both appealing and inviting. Technology is amazing and you can take crisp, vibrant images with most iPhones and tablets. When images don’t turn out, the problem is often user error. The most important elements in a good image are lighting and focus. Using the rule of thirds is also effective. Photos with faces in them gain 38% more likes that those without them. Images that feature smiling or friendly subjects tend to rate better as well.
Whether your style is dark and moody or bright and colorful, the most important factor is to ensure that what you post is relevant to your audience. Once you decide what look represents your branding, try to keep everything cohesive to reflect that.
If you have a sequence of images that describes a story, use the carousel (multiple photos) option. Users have discovered that carousel posts are outperforming single photos. The algorithm seems to be presenting these posts to followers more than once using different images.
CAPTIONS
You want to use captions that encourage your followers to engage with you. Your followers will “like” an image, but it’s your caption that will get them to comment. The more comments you can get, the higher your posts will be boosted in the algorithm.
HEADLINE AND HOOKS
The first 10-15 words draws people in and encourages them to keep reading. Typically, after about word 15 your post will be cut off and ellipses (…) will appear. This is where you want to create your hook. You want to get your followers interested enough to continue reading. Use a phrase that is related to your topic, but peaks an interest. Example: “The one thing I wish I would have done different in my business..” or “You are never going to guess what I got in the mail today.” See! Aren’t you curious to know? Once you grab your audience’s attention, then you can introduce your topic.
TOPICS
Get your point across as simple and concise as possible while still keeping it interesting. If you are an emoji junkie (and it reflects your brand) add emojis to your caption. Try to break your topic up into smaller sections by hitting enter and using the period as a bullet point to create space, like this:
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People also love lists. Break up your posts using a list format.
GEOTAGS
The geotag is the section above the image that displays your location. When you use the geotag you will reach a wider audience. Try different tags for your area to see what works. Followers use this feature when they are looking for specific services in certain locations. It’s not always necessary if you are an online business, but it could still be beneficial for networking opportunities your area.
TAGS
Make it a point to tag other businesses, vendors and any other influencers. It is important to build a network of people who support each other. When you tag other accounts they tend to repost and/or engage.
CALL TO ACTION
Finish up EVERY post with a call to action. It is important to give your followers a definitive next step. Ask a question referencing your post and encouraging your followers to engage. Questions will generally work best here. People love to talk about themselves and this is great way to connect with your audience and build a relationship. People love to be helpful. Ask a question that needs the experience or advice from your followers. For example: “I am planning a trip to San Diego. Where is a good place to eat with kids?”
Another call to action could be to double tap the image, tag a friend or another account, click on the link in your profile, repost, comment with an emoji or DM you. Whatever you decide to do, always end with a call to action!
Your main goal is to build trust and establish a community within your platform. Establishing your brand, engaging, and providing good content will level up your business and drive traffic when you get ready to sell.
You must be social on social media for it to work effectively in your business. Remember: you get out of it what you put into it!
