Instagram is a highly targeted visual marketing channel for brands to build an audience. In fact, over 500 million Instagram and IGTV users browse the app every day, making it home to some of the most engaged audiences. But, just like any other social media channel, there are ways to use this channel to make the most out of it.

Here are a few ways to effectively use Instagram to increase engagement and grow a massive following over time.

Use the right hashtags

The goal is to grow your followers. So, posting new and engaging photos will be the first priority, but to grow your audience, you need to learn the art of hashtagging. A hashtag makes it easier for users to find your photos while searching for those terms on Instagram. Using hashtags is one thing and using the right hashtags is different – popular tags will ensure that you get the right audience. To find relevant hashtags, you can use free online tools like IconoSquare or Websta. Remember that instagram allows 30 hashtags at a time and the popular words change frequently – so keep revisiting every few months and refreshing the hashtags that you use.

Use the right filters on Instagram

Keyword hashtags aren’t the only thing you should focus on. The Instagram community responds to certain photos and filters more favourably than others. Using these preferred filters can impact your user engagements. Some of the most popular filters (as of today) are Normal, Clarendon, Juno, Ludwig, Lark, Gingham, Valencia, X-Pro II, Lo-fi, Amaro etc.

Posting at the right time

The timing of your posts is also important. A targeted approach is to analyse what has and what has not worked for you in the past. Check out the Instagram Analytics for Business accounts for free. You can also use automated tools for scheduling posts on Instagram.

Check out your competitors

Sek out your closest competitors. Check out their Instagram accounts and engage with their audience. These people have already shown interest in similar products, so it’s easier to grab their attention.

Sponsored posts and product reviews

Optimization is the first key step, but if you really want to make an impact, you need to take advantage of influencer marketing on Instagram. How do you do that? Firstly, you will need to make a list of large accounts in your niche and you can contact them directly or by email and ask their sponsored post pricing.

Use Geotags for local discoverability

Besides hashtags, you can also make your posts and stories discoverable by tagging your location – either city or venue where the video or photo was taken or where your local business is located.

Organize stories into highlights

Whenever a potential follower lands on your profile, Instagram stories highlights communicates exactly what your account is all about. Stories have a 24 hour lifespan so – setting them as highlights is a good option.

More than anything – make sure that you follow the latest trends and align your content with the trending topics and hashtags that can improve your discoverability and engagement.