Based on a study of 7,433,417 posts, here is how to create the most engaging Instagram posts.
The first thing to note is that Instagram engagement is declining, which means that fewer people are liking and commenting on your posts.
So when you’re creating content for your small business, it’s important to be very strategic about the content that’s going out. This means focusing on the quality rather than the quantity of posts.
Right now there are three main types of visuals you can share on Instagram.
Photos
Videos
Carousels
Although over 75% of brands think that photos are the best kind of posts, Carousel pictures on Instagram get the highest engagement which brings in about 1.65% and 5.13% depending on the size of the page.
This is because carousels require you to spend more time scrolling through the posts. When consumers stay longer on your post, this signals to Instagram’s algorithm that other people might do the same.
Instagram carousel posts also gets you a high engagement rate because it generates more likes, probably due to the fact that there are more options that will likely appeal to them (in the case of fashion), more information that they find value from (educational content), or they felt good after scrolling through your posts.
AND posts with 10 words or fewer can up their engagement even more by over 3%!
The exception to this is profiles with 50k-100k, where video posts seem to work better for their audience. It’s also important to note that the weight in their high engagement on videos is due to people being more likely to leave a comment on video posts when the account is over 100k.
With this statistic in mind, it’s a great idea for businesses with over 100k to make sure they have an Instagram TV (IGTV) strategy in place.
IGTV is a huge opportunity to engage your current audience, and build up a new audience. Make sure to add in emojis in your post for even higher engagement!
The most surprising learning from this study was the fact that over 40% of people use questions in their posts, but asking questions in your post does not help your engagement. 😳
So focus less on asking the right question, and more on making sure your content provides value and is clear to follow.
With these tips in tricks to increase your engagement in mind, remember that finding the best content for your audience is a constant work in progress.
You should be creating content that aligns with your business, and adjusting based on how your audience interacts with your posts. Remember: focus on providing value & giving more than taking!
Make sure to sign up for my social media growth squad, so we can all grow on social together 🤎
For more "How to" tips for social media, check out my guide I've posted on Instagram which has the top 12 most frequently asked "How do I. ________ on social media" These tips will help you optimize and grow your brand on social media.
