Notice something different about the discover page on your Instagram? If you’re anything like us, you immediately started tinkering with the new capabilities, excited by the prospect of something new and exciting. We love change in social media, because it’s a sign of progress. The newest Instagram update is about to be very good for business, and here’s why:
You can find people to follow more easily.
Instagram makes recommendations for who to follow based on people you follow and things you share. You can use the discover tool to find people who are sharing things similar to you. It’s an awesome fast track to better social prospecting.
But why? By following accounts that are similar to you, you can spark a conversation with like-minded people about anything from industry news to local happenings, increasing your engagement and following. Tag popular, relevant accounts in your photos and captions as they apply, and always remember to like and comment on their photos. Chances are they will return the love.
Search trending hashtags in real time.
This is the tool we have been waiting for! Thank you Instagram! Finally, you can see which hashtags are trending right now. You can also browse by most popular post, or sort by how recently they were posted.
So what? Posting using trending hashtags gives your business personality. If you’re always selling, your account won’t be interesting, and you might see an unfortunate turnover in your follower count. Take the opportunity to browse trending tags, pick one that you can participate in, and share a personal side of your business. This could also potentially help Instagram giveaways spread more rapidly and receive better engagement.
Search by location to find a local audience.
Just like targeting a specific location in Facebook ads, you can now use Instagram to look at audiences in specific areas, and engage with those users.
What does that mean? Like and comment on pictures of people in your area to engage with the locals, or even use the tool to research what your specific audience is talking about, interested in, or looking for.
Use the search tool to find the best tags.
Ever use a location tag? It’s so annoying when you tag your location as Atlantic Beach only to find out that everyone else tagged it Atlantic Beach Circle. Your photo won’t show up in the right location and isn’t likely to be seen by the most popular audience. Instagram heard our plea, and said, “Problem solved.” With the new search tool, you can now be sure that you’re using the most popular location and hashtags.
Big whoop. Yes, it is a big whoop! Before, you had to play a guessing game if you didn’t research your hashtags or locations before you made the post. This takes the guess work out of the whole process.
Shout out to Instagram for always hearing our social media prayers. These updated make it so easy to streamline social media management for business and create marketing that matters. Happy Instagramming from BG Digital Group! Subscribe to our blog to receive the latest news on social media and upcoming Instagram updates!
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