5 Simple Rules to Engaged Followers

I have seen it a lot lately, large accounts with only 30 likes on a photo. Ugh, Instagrams new algorithm has struck again!  We all know "likes" are not the most important thing in life however, when you work really hard on a photo it does completely suck when no one see it... I mean it IS a photo therefore you want people to see it, right?! This post is not about how to get followers. That is a whole other subject. This post is just about getting your followers or even non-followers to be more active and engaged with you. I decided to take a few simple tips and put them together here. Seriously, they are super easy!

Tip #1: Post When YOUR Followers Are Active

This sounds pretty simple right? My followers are generally moms, around the same age as me. I know that is a very blanket statement but for the sake of this post I'm going use it. What does that break down to? I probably shouldn't post around 7am when were all getting our kids off to school, or at 6pm when were most likely busy with work commute, homework, dinner, laundry, etc. Maybe I shouldn't post at 7:30-8pm when most are rocking their little ones to bed. Saturday afternoons are usually pretty slow on Instagram no matter what type of account you have, I would like to think most are out enjoying their day off of work or working on the yard if its a nice day.... not looking at Instagram. If you ran a nightlife blog and post at 7am would that make any sense? See, figure out where you fit and what lifestyle your followers live. There are general times that have shown to have higher engagement on Instagram, you can easily Google those if you need something to start with. Do your own "test" and post at different times to see what works best for YOU.

Tip #2: Use The Right Hashtags

Use hashtags to reach out beyond your followers and use tags that fit with your account. This also works in reverse, I often look under a hashtag for inspiration and new accounts to follow. Also, something new I have noticed, lets use the hashtag #Blessed as an example... #Blessed currently has 73,549,656 uses. That is a lot of blessed people on Instagram. However, at certain times when I have attempted to use that hashtag it has only shown around 200,000 uses. What does this mean? In MY opinion this means that hashtag has been temporarily banned and you are only seeing those posts that are allowed under that hashtag, or those that you follow who have used that tag. When I see that, I do NOT use that tag. That means that my post will also be banned... lets use a better word: limited. I don't want to limit my post therefore I don't use that tag. It has happened often with tags like #HomeDecor or #RaeDunn. Which leads me to the next part, skip out on a tag if it only has a few uses. No one obviously uses it, which means no one will see it. Find tags that are bigger: bigger means more engagement!

Tip #3: Be More Active With Your Followers

Take the time to write something thoughtful back to those who comment on your posts. I know that you can't always write a novel back and some comments like a thumbs up emoji just seem annoying so why would you write back to that. I suggest this for two reasons: One, when people feel like you care they will continue to like/comment. That's also how you build awesome relationships with your followers. Two, the more activity on a post the higher up the timeline it will be moved. That means when you "lump" comment back to a few people you're actually missing an opportunity to make more activity on your post. Now, I do still reply to a few accounts in one comment if they would all generally get the same reply. But if someone took the time to write you something kind, take the time to write them something kind back. Also, if you know the persons name, USE IT. I honestly love when someone replies to me with my name. It makes the response that much more personal and makes me want to engage with that account more.

Tip #4: Be An Active Follower

Be the change you want to see. You can't be upset that no one is commenting/liking your posts if you don't take the time to do the same. When I took the time to be more active on my timeline I seen a jump of a few hundred follower in just a few short weeks. I know this isn't always possible but, if you spend one week doing this I promise you will see results. Also, when you comment under someone's post, their followers will see it and maybe someone will check out your page. Look at it like free advertising.

Tip #5: Use your Instagram Story Feature

When I want to share during low engagement times, I use my Instagram Stories! I consistently get hundreds of views on anything I post to my story. I absolutely love that feature. I like to call it: The Walker Residence The Unedited Version. I share so much of my day to day on there. It is a way to build a more casual relationship with your followers. I love when people reply to my story, that alone has sparked amazing convos and so many genuine friendships. In return when you do get a chance to actually post to your Instagram feed, those who have been following your Story are way more likely to engage with you on your post.

I hope you have found my tips helpful in increasing engagement on your account. Feel free to share any additional tips/tricks you have picked up along the way!

Megan