Instagram is one of the best ways to tell your brand’s story in a visual way. The Facebook-owned app makes it easy for anyone to share photos and videos complete with captions. While you can use some of Instagram’s features on desktop, it’s full range of abilities is only available on mobile. The two major features Instagram offers are Stories and the feed.
If you’re reading this blog post, you probably want to know the difference between your Instagram feed and your Instagram Story. Below are quick summaries of the two Instagram features and how you can use them to your benefit.
Instagram Story
PC: Marco Verch
Unlike the Instagram feed, Instagram Stories only last 24 hours unless you want to add them to your Instagram Highlights. Instagram Stories make it easy to share quick videos and photos. You can also conduct polls and use other tools within Instagram such as GIFs to engage with your followers.
What should my strategy be for my Instagram Story?
One way to think about your Instagram Story is sharing your day-to-day activities with your followers. Here are some ideas you can use for your Instagram Story:
Behind-the-scenes of a photo shoot happening
Sneak peek at the development of new products you’re working on
Boomerang of you and friends at a lunch meeting with a location tag
Conduct a poll on color preferences for an upcoming project
Current sales and discounts
Remember that what you share to your Instagram Story doesn’t last like it does on your Instagram feed. If you have a content idea you want to test, trying out your idea on your Instagram Stories is a quick way to get feedback. In the event that your idea is a dud, you didn’t mess up your feed and your Story post is gone in 24 hours.
Instagram feed
PC: Kate Torline
Now that we’ve covered your Instagram Story and a few ideas you can implement, lets talk about your Instagram feed. Anything you post to your Instagram feed stays unless you delete it from your feed. This is true for any videos or photos you share. Here are a few things to consider for your Instagram feed to succeed:
Consistency: If you want your Instagram account to attract more followers, it’s important that you post regularly. When you’re consistent about posting to your feed, you increase your chances of gaining new followers and building your brand.
Similar color schemes: Your feed’s overall aesthetic matters. Whether it’s natural light photos or studio pics, be consistent. This goes for your editing style and the color schemes you use.
Hashtags: Did you know that you can use up to 30 hashtags per post on Instagram? Don’t ignore the value of hashtags. Using hashtags specific to your target audience is an effective way to increase profile visits. It’s also a reliable way to find Instagram profiles you can collaborate with.
Be social: The key to long-term success on social media is to be social! Always be willing to like and comment on relevant posts from other accounts. You’re more likely to receive more love on social media when you give love in the form of likes, comments, and replying to direct messages.
How do I know what to post to my Instagram feed?
Focus on providing value for your followers on Instagram. The easiest way to figure out what to post to your Instagram feed is by understanding what problems your business is paid to solve. Below are a few ideas you can tailor to your business and use for your feed:
How to properly brush your teeth (dental practice)
How to put together an outfit for a business meeting (fashion influencer/clothing brand)
Upcoming customer appreciation event for the holidays (shopping center)
Inspirational quote to help inspire entrepreneurs (business influencer/CPA firm/life coach)
Simple hack to decorate a home office (interior designer/mommy blogger/furniture company)
PC: Daniel Korpai
After you’ve been consistently posting to your feed for a month, you’ll have a better idea of which types of posts are getting the most engagement for your brand. Continue sharing the posts that work for you and stop sharing what no longer works for your brand.
Are you an Instagram expert? Thanks for stopping by and reading this blog post. If not, don’t hesitate to send us any questions you have by sending an email to Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com.