Hand holding a phone with an Instagram image of a bridge in a forest.

Top 10 Tips to Quickly Build Your Instagram Following

This article was updated in March 2024.

In ever evolving world of social media, Instagram still stands out as one of the main platforms for organisations to build their brand, to connect with their audience, foster engagement, and ultimately, drive growth. Instagram remains a great place for businesses to showcase their personality, values, and offerings too, if you do it right.

To help you harness the full potential of Instagram and propel your brand to new heights, we’ve compiled the top 10 tips that cover everything from using hashtags effectively to sharing captivating visuals and engaging with your audience.

Instagram in 2024

But first a little about the app in 2024. Instagram is a photo and video sharing app owned by META Platforms. There are currently 2 billion users, and 62% of them access the platform at least once per day, spending an average of 33 minutes there. Over 90% of users on Instagram follow a business, but two-thirds of profile visits to businesses come from people who aren’t following that business. The largest segment of Instagram users are millennials aged between 18 – 34 with a pretty even split between men and women (leaning slightly more to men than women).

Since its launch in 2010, the platform continues to grow and evolve. Over the past few years, Instagram has undergone significant transformations and introduced new features aimed at enhancing user experience and providing more opportunities for businesses to engage with their audience. These changes have included the launch of Reels in August 2020 (replacing Instagram TV), offering users a platform to create short, videos set to music.

Additionally, Instagram has expanded its shopping capabilities, allowing businesses to sell products directly on the platform through Instagram Shop, and product tagging in posts and Stories. Other notable updates include broadcast channels that allow companies to directly engage with followers at scale. Alongside these advancements, Instagram has prioritized user privacy and safety by implementing features to limit unwanted interactions and filter abusive content, ensuring a more secure and enjoyable experience for all users.

Brands that benefit most from Instagram (and those that don’t)

Brands that benefit most from using Instagram are those in visually-driven industries such as fashion, beauty, travel, and food, where showcasing products or experiences can engage audiences effectively. Lifestyle brands can leverage Instagram’s visual platform to inspire and connect with followers, while e-commerce businesses can drive sales through product promotion and shoppable posts. Additionally, personal brands, influencers, and nonprofits can utilize Instagram to build communities, raise awareness, and foster meaningful connections with their audience. Ultimately, brands that prioritize visual storytelling, community engagement, and authenticity are best positioned to thrive on Instagram’s dynamic platform.

While Instagram can be a valuable platform for many brands, certain businesses may not benefit as much from having a presence on the platform. These include highly regulated industries like finance or healthcare, B2B companies that may struggle to engage their audience, niche industries with limited visual content, brands offering low-engagement products or services, and those with limited resources for content creation. For these businesses, other marketing channels may be more effective in reaching their target audience and achieving their marketing goals. Ultimately, it’s essential to carefully consider whether Instagram aligns with the specific needs and objectives of your brand before investing time and resources into building a presence on the platform.

10 tips to build your brand in Instagram

Master the Art of Hashtags: Hashtags are the bread and butter of Instagram—they help users discover new content and connect with like-minded individuals. To maximize the reach of your posts, use a mix of 3-5 popular and niche hashtags relevant to your brand and industry. Research trending hashtags and incorporate them strategically into your captions to increase your visibility and attract new followers.
Share Stunning Visuals: They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and on Instagram, this rings especially true. Invest in high-quality photography and create visually appealing content that stops users mid-scroll. Experiment with different styles, compositions, and editing techniques to find a visual aesthetic that resonates with your audience and aligns with your brand identity.
Embrace Instagram Stories and Reels: Instagram Stories offer a dynamic and ephemeral way to engage with your audience and share content in real-time. Take advantage of features like polls, questions, and interactive stickers to spark conversation and encourage engagement. Whether you’re giving a behind-the-scenes look at your business, sharing product demos, or hosting Q&A sessions, Instagram Stories are your secret weapon for driving engagement and building connections with your audience. Instagram Reels are a feature within the Instagram app that allows users to create and share short-form videos, typically lasting from 15 to 60 seconds.
Curate a Beautiful Feed: Your Instagram feed is your digital storefront—it’s the first thing users see when they visit your profile, so make it count. Create a visually cohesive and aesthetically pleasing feed by maintaining a consistent colour palette, theme, and visual style. Use tools like Instagram’s grid preview feature or visual planners to plan your content in advance and ensure a seamless browsing experience for your followers.
Share Compelling Client Stories: Your clients are the heart and soul of your business, so why not showcase their success stories on Instagram? Share testimonials, case studies, or user-generated content featuring happy customers to build social proof and credibility. Not only does this humanize your brand, but it also fosters a sense of community and trust among your audience.
Engage Authentically: Building a loyal following on Instagram isn’t just about posting great content—it’s also about engaging authentically with your audience. Take the time to respond to comments, answer questions, and acknowledge user-generated content. Show your followers that you’re listening, and they’ll be more likely to engage with your brand in return.
Follow, Like, and Comment: Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty on Instagram. Follow accounts in your industry, engage with their content, and leave thoughtful comments to spark conversation. This not only helps you connect with like-minded individuals but also increases your visibility and attracts new followers to your profile.
Use Linking Strategically: While Instagram’s bio is the only place where you can include clickable links, make the most of it by using it strategically. Direct users to your website, blog, or landing page by including a clear call-to-action in your bio. You can also use features like Instagram Shopping or swipe-up links in Instagram Stories (if you have over 10k followers) to drive traffic and conversions.
Share Behind-the-Scenes Content: Give your audience a glimpse behind the curtain and show them what goes on behind the scenes of your business. Whether you’re sharing photos from a team brainstorming session, a sneak peek of an upcoming product launch, or a tour of your office space, behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand and builds a deeper connection with your audience.
Collaborate and Cross-Promote: Partnering with influencers, brands, or other businesses in your niche can be a powerful way to expand your reach and attract new followers. Look for opportunities to collaborate on co-branded content, giveaways, or Instagram takeovers to expose your brand to new audiences and leverage each other’s followers.

In conclusion, mastering Instagram for your brand requires a strategic approach and a commitment to authenticity, creativity, and engagement. By implementing these top 10 expert tips—from mastering the art of hashtags to sharing compelling client stories—you’ll be well on your way to growing your brand on Instagram and connecting with your audience in meaningful ways. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start building your brand on Instagram today or get in touch with us so that we can do that for you!

6 Best, Scroll-Stopping First Post Ideas to Introduce Your Business on Instagram

How to Use Google Grants and AdWords for Non-Profits: Important Changes You Should Be Aware of in 2018

Did you know that Google offers ad grants for non-profit an charity organizations in Canada, allowing them to run their AdWords with a budget of $10,000 per month? If you run a charity or non-profit, this is something you have to take advantage of – it’s free advertising and drives targeted traffic to your site (if you set it up right!).

First, you need a Tech Soup account and registration – which verifies your non-profit status and eligibility
Once that is approved, you can then set up your new Google account and apply to manage your grants ads.

Google Ad Grant Changes for Non-Profits

Over the years, 35,000 non-profits have set up Ad Grant AdWords accounts, and it has been a popular offering, but recently though, Google has been rolling out a slew of changes that govern how ads are set up in the Grants program.

Above angle of hands typing on laptop on white desk beside a notebook, iPhone and mug of coffee — How to Use Google Grants and AdWords for Non-Profits

I am guessing these changes are because many organizations were lax about maintaining their ads – setting up accounts, campaigns and groups and then not maintaining their accounts well or keeping up with the new features Google has rolled out over the last couple of years like ad extensions. It could also be because some non-profits didn’t set up their accounts properly in the first place (for example not using geographical audience targeting).

As a result of these changes which were announced in December and went into effect earlier this month, non-profits are scrambling to review their ad campaigns and make them compliant – if they don’t, they risk having their ad account cancelled.

The good news is that there will no longer be the USD 2 ad bid cap which means that non-profits can bid more competitively and show up higher than ever before. There are some caveats though.

The New Google Grants AdWords Rules for 2018:

The two dollar bid cap has been removed
Advertisers must use maximum conversions bidding – this automatically sets your bidding so that you maximize the conversions of your campaign given your budget (for non-profits that about $333 per day). This means setting up conversions on Google and tracking them using two snippets of code that get added to your site and to the page you want to track.
Advertisers must use geographical targeting aka geo-targeting – this simply means that your ads must be targeted to your geographic area and not blanket targeted to broad geographical areas where you don’t operate.
Each campaign must have at least 2 Ad Groups that are live.
Each ad group must have at least 2 ad variations running.
Each ad must have a minimum of 2 site link extensions – site link extensions are links and titles that show up below your ads highlighting important aspects of your business and encouraging people to click through to specific web pages on your site.
Your account must show a CTR of at least 5% or your account could be cancelled. This is the rule is the one that everyone is panicking about, but if your campaigns are set up properly with keywords that are tight (specific to what your non-profit does), and you’re not bidding on words that don’t relate to your ad text, you should see your CTR increase.

Ten Tips to Help Non-Profits Comply with the Google Ad Grant Changes:

Have specific campaigns for each component of your non-profit business using specific keywords, both in the keywords themselves and in your ad text and landing pages.
Stop using keywords that are too generic – low-quality keywords.
Conversely, don’t have ad groups that only have one keyword.
Work to create better, target keyword centric ad copy.
Make sure that your landing pages map back to your ad campaigns and groups and that everything works as it should on the page so that visitors convert once the land on your site.
Set up conversion tracking and make sure that you are tracking conversions after people click through to your site.
Use Google Analytics to understand campaign traffic, keywords that are driving visits from people who engage once they land on your site, and bid adjustments.
Don’t use keywords that mention your competitors or other companies.
Implement your changes now, if your CTR is less than 5% for two consecutive months your account could be suspended.
If you don’t have the expertise in-house to make these changes, or the budget to hire experts then consider switching to AdWords Express.

Google Grants can be a great asset to a cash-strapped charity or non-profit organization. Done right, your campaigns can drive targeted traffic to your site, but your site has to deliver too. It is worth taking time to create great landing pages that convert once your visitor lands on them.

If you’re one of the non-profits that have neglected their campaigns over the years, this is the perfect time to restructure them and to take advantage of some of the great enhancements Google has been rolling out recently.

If you are concerned about your non-profit ads and don’t know where to start, we’d love to review them for you and make some recommendations. Get in touch with us here.

Marketing Predictions and Digital Trends for 2018

Ten years into the great social media experiment and 2017 was the year we saw Facebook hit the 2 billion user mark, the proliferation of real-time video across social platforms and the continuing email renaissance. With 2018 coming up fast upon us what better time to reflect on the past year, to dust off the crystal ball and to predict what 2018 will bring for marketers.

This post is divided into five sections to mirror the disciplines Out-Smarts focuses on websites trends, SEO – getting found when people search online, email marketing, social media and overall marketing strategy.

Website Design Trends

We know that Google is going to continue to emphasize the importance of mobile in 2018 so expect to see function taking precedence over form with a focus on usability and minimalist site navigation and content proliferating. It’s going to be interesting to see how the content is king crusaders balance their obsession with publishing content with minimalism and mobile. Expect to see more valuable content related to buyer intent rather than simply content for the sake of putting something out there.

Will 2018 be the year when small businesses finally catch up? 50% of small businesses still don’t have a website; we’re hoping this new year will be the one the laggards finally catch up. It is interesting that social media adoption for small business is much higher than website adoption. The popularity of social media is likely because of a low barrier to entry of social platforms. However, it is important to consider that you don’t own your Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter pages (or any other social media presence you might have) the social media company owns it. What happens if they switch directions or go out of business? A website belongs to your business, not to a third party.

Watch out for more animation (logos in particular) and websites that incorporate GIFs in 2018 too – hopefully, they’re less cheesy than their Flash predecessors. Artificial Intelligence is going to be everywhere in 2018 too as enhancements make Chatbots get better and better at answering questions and simulating conversations with website visitors.

Search Engine Optimisation

Don’t let anyone tell you that keyword research is no longer important. It is and will continue to be, but there will be a shift in 2018 to focus more on semantic search, buyer intent and topics rather than specific keywords. SEOs will focus more on having their site show up at the right time when people are actually considering a purchase, rather than having the site show up to attract particular personas.

Another aspect that should be on your SEO radar in 2018 is voice search which means you need to hone your long tail keywords, i.e. keyword phrases that are hyper-specific to what you are selling.

Image search will continue to grow in 2018 so now might be the time to make sure all the images on your website have well thought out and optimized alt tags.

Email Campaigns

The email renaissance will continue in 2018. Get ready to watch videos embedded directly in email campaigns. Technological enhancements in email clients will continue to lead to more and more email apps that support embedded video. Right now less than half of all email clients can play embedded videos but thanks to Apple mail, iOS and Samsung this is changing. Up until now, most senders have opted to embed a fake play button in the email with a link to the video on a separate site or by GIF.

Including video in emails can lead to big increases in open rates – Campaign Monitor

Watch for more sophistication in list segmentation too. Segmenting campaigns so that specific audiences receive emails that contain content tailored to their unique perspective.

Social Media

2017 was the year of streaming video in social media; LinkedIn In and Twitter followed Facebook Live’s lead and began supporting live streaming video content. In 2018 watch out for growing adoption of these technologies and more creative live streams.

Over 8 billion videos or 100 million hours of videos are watched on Facebook every day (TechCrunch, 2016). – via Buffer
Not doing short video is not an option – Kat Hahn

In 2018 we will also see the increased adoption of short-lived content, content that’s only available for a short period of time before it disappears, – like Instagram stories and Snapchat. Marketers must start developing strategies to maximize the reach and impact of ephemeral content as well as considering tactics to get this content noticed.

On platforms like Instagram and Facebook, only a tiny percentage of followers actually see the content you share on your page. To get noticed in 2018, you will need to invest in ads on these platforms. Consider video ads to spice things up a little.

Social media analytics, measuring tools and management solutions will become more sophisticated in 2018 with an emphasis on enterprise social marketing integrating all platforms.

How Marketing Strategies will Evolve in 2018

I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that 2018 will be the year that our obsession with all things digital and only digital will end. It’s also going to be the year we’re going to start calling our discipline marketing again (rather than digital). Marketing in 2018 will encompass all aspects of the marketing mix, both online and off and marketers will use the means most likely to help them attract their target audience.

Consider this, there are 65 million business pages on Facebook, 90% of businesses use social media. These are substantial numbers, but for marketers this means that it is becoming increasingly difficult, not to mention more expensive, to get noticed. If you want to attract your target audience’s attention in 2018, then widen your horizons and consider sending them a direct mail piece (depending on the audience) in a nice coloured envelope with handwritten wording. It will likely be the only physical mail the recipient gets that day (or maybe that week or month!), they’re going to open it, and if your copy is effective they will act on it!

Conclusion

2018 is going to be an interesting year; technological advancements will continue to speed up. To be effective as marketers, it’s going to be important not simply to jump on the bandwagon of the next big thing but to consider options strategically and with your target audience in mind (rather than from a product or service-centric perspective). That said, video popularity has been growing year over year and won’t stop. Cisco predicted that video would account for 80% of internet traffic by 2020. So if you do nothing else, consider how you might incorporate video into your digital approach in 2018.

Websites That Showcase Brand and Style

A business owner recently asked to see some examples of websites we’ve worked on so that they could get a feel for our ‘style’. It’s a great question and most companies that create sites for clients do have a distinct style.

At Out-Smarts though, it’s not about us it’s all about capturing our clients’ style (or brand!). We work hard during our discovery process to truly understand our client’s style and goals and to make sure that this shines through in the sites we build.

Here’s an example from a site we launched recently. The client is Port Moody Integrated Health, a clinic that provides Naturopathy, Chiropractic and Massage Therapy services.

When we started working together they had a vision of a site that is uncluttered and easy for people to navigate on any device, one that contained exactly the information that their clients required and, most importantly, conveyed tranquility and natural balance (this is how people feel when they leave the clinic). The site also had to have a west coast feel.

We created a scrolling parallax site that is responsive to major devices. The background image on the main page is the rainforest of BC. Clients can easily click on the navigation to book and appointment, find forms or locate their clinic. It’s also integrated to their online booking app so that clients can easily schedule their appointments online.

Whether it’s websites, social media or search for us it’s not about our style, it’s about finding our client’s style and we work hard to make surer we do that.

11 Tips For Staying CASL (Canadian Anti Spam Legislation) Compliant – Small Businesses

With the Canadian Anti Spam Legislation just days away from becoming the law, here are 12 tips to help you get opt ins and to remain email compliant. If in any doubt or you have any questions, consult a lawyer.

1. Sort your lists – if you already have an opt in process then those contacts on the list that have opted in (either on your website or through filling out a form) don’t need to re opt in. Remember to keep track of them. The rest do, so get ready to send out a communication to those you have implied consent from to get them to give you express consent.

2. There are several exemptions rules such as family members who don’t not need to opt in. Read this post. If your business is as a political party or charity then you are exempt from the rules too.

3. Make sure that your opt in email and all further communications include:

- clear unsubscribe links so that people can remove themselves from the list easily and at any time
- your name, company name and address
- an outline of why they are receiving your communication

4. After you have send out your opt-in email, you have to remove the people from your list that don’t opt in so make sure you have accounted for this in your email process and that you are easily able to track. Most newsletter tools like MailChimp facilitate this although there are varying degrees of easiness in doing so. Delete those that don’t opt in so that you never, ever contact them again.

5. Put in place processes to help you track future subscribers both online and off. This should include having a double opt in when people subscribe via your website (this is not mandatory but more of a safety net just in case). In person you should create a template that states clearly what people are signing up for then have them fill out their contact info to be added.

6. You can’t collect email addresses at trade shows any more and simply add them to your newsletter and you shouldn’t anyway because it’s rather a slimy tactic. Instead have people fill out a form that states clearly that they are subscribing. There are also apps like Chimpedeedo that facilitate this. We haven’t use these so if you have please share your take.

7. If you have a subscription opt widget in on your website make sure it is worded right so that peope know exactly what they are subscribing to. Remember the double opt in for this too.

8. Each newsletter or communication you send should state clearly why you are sending and have an easy to unsuscribe link preferably right at the top. Again most newsletter providers make this easy for you to do.

9. Get consent from people in real life – you can’t just add someone to your list because you met them at a networking event. Verbal consent is okay but it is hard to prove so a good idea might be to get new contacts to write newsletter subscribe on the back of their cards. Make sure and keep them in a file though just in case.

10. Never harvest or buy email email addresses. EVER. This is cheap and tacky and says exactly that about your brand. Who wants to do business with someone or some company they can’t trust from the get go?

11. Add value rather than overtly selling. No one likes to be inundated with emails that have the sole purpose of selling your products or services in a cheap and nasty way so instead why not find creative ways to add value for your recipients and tell them something valuable that they don’t already know. Get creative.

When is it okay to make contact Electronically – CASL

Link Building – 9 Ways to Get More Links to Your Website

What is Link Building

Link building is the process of getting external sites to link back to your site. The more of these links you have from high-quality sites the more this positively impacts your position in the search engine results pages.

Here at Out-Smarts, we often get asked to assess company websites from a search engine perspective, to ascertain why their page isn’t appearing higher on Google. One reason is that they don’t have enough backlinks to their website or they have the wrong kind of backlinks – links from other websites tracking back to their site.

Despite Google’s algorithm changes, links are still valuable online, the more your website has the better its ranking will be but you have to be really careful how you go about building links. Link building can be extremely time consuming, can seem like a fruitless task and if you do it wrong can be damaging.

Here are 9 ways that you can build links back to your site:

Link Building Techniques

1. Social Networks – use your social networking presence to link back to your site or blog posts. This will drive traffic to your site and traffic is one of Google’s rank factors (double whammy!). The links to your website in your social bios and about sections are really important to so make sure you’ve included those and updated them to https.

2. Directories and Citation Sites – beware the directories – there are gazillions of websites that simply list the URL’s of other websites (rather like the Yellow pages but online). Submit a link to your site only on directories that have a good page rank, are relevant to your target audience and locality but avoid the ones that ask for payment or reciprolinks and absolutely ignore sites that simply link farms – linking in those does more damage than good.

3. List Your Business on Google My Business and Bing Local – these are really high-value citation sites, if you are not listed on Google My Business, get on it!

4. Content – make sure that the content on your website or blog is great, it should answer the questions your buyers ask when researching and evaluating a purchase. The higher quality your content is the more likely people will find it and link back to it. Link to other key players in your industry, your suppliers and sources as this gives you a reason to reach out and ask for a link and to tag them on social to encourage shares (and traffic!).

5. Widgets – add widgets that allow visitors to easily share your content on the network of their choice. These links are not high value from an SEO perspective but they do drive traffic (which is important for SEO).

6. Relationships – ask partners, clients and organisations you are a member of to place a link on their site back to yours but only on sites that are relevant and appropriate within your area or industry. If you are already a member of an association make sure that your listing in these directories includes a link to your website.

6. Advertising – consider advertising online: Google Ads can be a valuable way to drive traffic to your site.

7. Influencer marketing – many influencers are happy to link back to your site, although many of them will charge you for it. It’s worth considering though as this can help you in a number of ways including extending your reach to there audience.

8. Outreach – make a list of sites that have a high domain authority or page rank and reach out to them asking for a link – you can do this by email or phone. One we got recently offered us a lifetime subscription to their software which caught our eye and made their communication stand out from others.

9. Blog Comments – we had written this technique off ages ago but a recent blog post from Neil Patel has us revisiting this. If you use blog commenting though you have to think your comments through and make sure they are valuable and related to the post so that it isn’t perceived as spam and deleted.

Thanks -wink- for the great Flickr image.

Updated July 2020

9 Tips for Building and Implementing Effective Social Media Strategies

Many businesses fail when it comes to social media. Why? Because organisations don’t give due consideration to strategy before they start. A social media strategy can be as long or as short (on the back of a napkin!) as you want it to be, but it should take into account and reflect:

Your brand, message, corporate mission and vision
Your target audience
Which tools you will use and who will do what
Quantifiable goals and tools to measure success
Content – how will you add value
What needs to be done and when

Here are 9 important factors that you need to consider when building and implementing your social media strategy:

1. Your strategy on-line must be reflective of your overall business strategy

Successful social media strategies augment your existing business plans, reflect your brand, goals and target audience.

2. Take a holistic approach to Internet marketing

Your Internet marketing should include your website (as the backbone), email campaigns, SEO, SEM, online ads and mobile marketing. Each component should cross-pollinate with the others (i.e. your website should be social media ready, and the words you use in your website content should be similar, or the same, as the keywords you use on Facebook, Twitter or your blog).

3. Choose your social media tools wisely

There are thousands of social networks and you can’t use them all, so choose 2 or 3 and use them really well. When deciding which tools to use, consider which tools your target audience is most likely to use, which tools best reflect your offering and which tools you will have fun incorporating into your online strategy.

4. Start small and grow

Identify one area of business and run a pilot. Doing so will allow you to test the waters in a manageable way, allowing you to prove concepts and build.

5. Social media education

Education should be an ongoing consideration and component of your social media plan. Educate your staff and executives as to what social media is, how to use it effectively from a business perspective and make sure to keep abreast of new tools and methods.

6. Make it measurable

What you can’t measure, you can’t manage. Take time to consider what are your goals for implementing social media, quantify these and determine which tools you will use to track effectiveness. There’s a wide array of social media measurement tools out there and many of them are free – use them!

7. Create a social media policy

This is important. Every employee should know what is expected of them, what to post, and what not to post when using social media on behalf of the organisation. Creating policies that build best practices helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

8. Content is key

When it comes to social media you need to remember that it’s not about you but, instead, about your audience, and this is especially true for content. Make sure that your content adds value for your audience, doesn’t overtly sell and makes people want to share it with their networks too.

9. Listen

Social media listening should be ongoing from day one. Listen for mentions (and respond!), keep an eye on competitors, peers and luminaries.

Here at Out-Smarts, one of our core services is working with clients to build and implement effective social media strategies. You know you need one, so contact us now!