The do’s and don’ts for posting on Instagram.
I'm not the type who likes to give rules, but I do have some hard and fast guidelines for social media that I strongly recommend to create a visually attractive account, increase engagement, and attract new followers. You probably know a lot of these things, but maybe you'll pick up a few along the way!
Do's
Do post consistently. Commit, whether it's posting every day or three to five days a week, and post on those days.
Do post at a time when your audience will be online. I check out my Instagram analytics (if you have a business or creator account) to find out when my followers will be on the platform.
Do post visually appealing photos. That goes without saying, right? They don't have to be perfect, but they shouldn't suck.
Do add hashtags related to your post (up to 30 for posts and 10 for IG stories). Add them in the first comment under your caption, or, leave a bunch of spaces under your caption so that it doesn't look cluttered and messy.
Do use a consistent colour theme to make your grid look nice and cohesive. I use colours that relate to my brand colours. Also, limit using only two fonts within your feed.
Do share photos of yourself. You don't feel comfortable getting in front of the camera? It's not 100% necessary, but from personal experience when I post photos of myself, my husband, friends, or pets, I get double the engagement over my other posts.
Do share behind-the-scenes photos or personal stories about your life. This will share the "who" behind your brand and will allow your audience to feel a sense of connection.
Do share your personality! People are attracted to authenticity.
Do check your analytics regularly to know what posts are working and which ones aren't so that you can measure and adjust.
Don'ts
Don't post and ghost. Make sure that you respond to every comment and DM. Follow other accounts and hashtags related to your industry and like and comment on their posts. Engage with your audience and clients by liking and commenting on their posts as well. This increases your engagement, attracts new followers to you, and will build a sense of community.
Don't post too often. If you're posting more than two times per day, that's too much, and people might get annoyed and unfollow you. If you want to have multiple posts, add them to your stories, or create a carousel post.
Don't engage with trolls. Unless you're dealing with a customer service issue, do not engage with those who just write negative comments to get attention. You're better than that!
Don't tolerate hate speech or harassment. Trolls are one thing, but hate speech is another. Block those jerks.
Don't be afraid to try something new. Try posting an IGTV video, work on your IG stories, or add a new topic to your feed.
Don't get hung up with being perfect. Done is better than perfection every time. Every mistake should be a learning experience that will put you on the path towards greatness!
Don't forget to add a CTA (Call to Action) at the end of your post. Ask a question to encourage comments or likes or direct your audience to your website or blog post.
Don't give up! This is the most important rule. It takes time to build up an organic audience and create a community, but it will be worth it.
The most important thing is to HAVE FUN! It might seem like a grind at first, but I feel confident that you'll get into the groove!