Let's speak about the different Instagram post types and some best practices for encouraging engagement.
Images
The most common post on Instagram is an image post. When publishing images, share a variety of pictures. Variety will show your brand varies and engage your fans in various ways.
It's also crucial to bear in mind that Instagram users are trying to find real posts from brands-- not outright advertisements. Try to record your business culture with lifestyle shots and behind-the-scenes appearances. Avoid publishing too many pictures of your item.
Example: Nike's Instagram includes item photos, however the bulk show real professional athletes, shows, and other kinds of content that promote the Nike brand character as a whole.
As you begin to check out the platform, you'll see there are countless type of images you can post to your account. Get imaginative! Keep in mind of any ideas or styles you think would work well for your brand.
To get you started, we've assembled a list of some successful Instagram image types.
Behind-the-Scenes Posts
These posts use a peek into the part of your business that people do not usually see. It's important that they do not look staged-- authenticity is key!
Example: Aeronaut Brewing Company offered an inside look at its business culture by showcasing its employees at work.
Reposts From Employees
Terrific content Click For More Info can be right in front of you ... on your staff members' Instagrams. (Just be sure to tag or credit the original poster.) Reposting photos from your workers is a simple way to curate genuine content and humanize your business. Not only will your audience engage with your brand, however they'll also begin to "bond" with your staff members.
Example: Fenway Park frequently reposts images shared by the premises crew as they prepare the stadium.
Educational Posts
Educational posts offer snackable ideas on how to do or make something. The photos or videos generally provide the instructions in a way that are quick and easy to follow.
Example: The popular Tasty dish video series from Buzzfeed is academic yet extremely entertaining and easy to duplicate.
Influencer Posts
Influencer posts utilize the fame of a star or popular public figure to promote your brand. These posts typically include a visual of the influencer utilizing or interacting with your item. Useful Source Among the main benefits of influencer posts is gaining the attention of another audience.
Example: Goal Zero reveals prominent rock climber and photographer Alex Honnold using among its solar energy charging stations. Not only is Goal Zero reaching its own audience, it's likewise reaching Alex's 500,000-plus Instagram follower base.
Motivational Posts
An inspirational post combines an easy visual with an overlaid quote or uplifting text. These posts encourage your audience and amplify your brand worths. While efficient, try to publish these moderately to avoid looking tacky. Apps like Quipio and Typic can help you include text to photos in a way that's constant with your brand name guidelines.
Example: Foundr frequently shares motivational posts to motivate its follower base of entrepreneurs, small company owners, and marketers. The posts also align with their mission as a business media company.
User-Generated Content
Comparable to staff member reposts, user-generated material (UGC) is curated material from your fans and fans. Your tagged posts and posts with your brand name hashtag are an excellent source for UGC.
Sharing your fans' and fans' pictures not only make the original poster feel great, it also shows that you genuinely appreciate your consumers. Just make certain to credit the initial post with a tag or in the caption. To repost user-generated content, screenshot and crop the initial post or utilize a reposting app like Repost for Instagram.
Example: WeWork carries out a yearly #DogsOfWeWork campaign and compiles the very best submissions together into an annual calendar. Although WeWork does not repost every tagged image, their project helps develop vital reach and engagement.
Newsjacking (Trending Holiday Posts)
It appears like there's a "holiday" for whatever these days. Occasions like National Sibling Day and National Ice Cream Day produce a lots of engagement on social media. Participate the fun by participating in a local, national, or world trend. A newsjacking post is a terrific way to post funny material that associates with light-hearted occasions.
Example: Corridor Brewing celebrated the Cubs' Opening Day. Through this post, the American dining establishment chain used a popular American pastime.
Capturing and Editing Instagram Photos
Now that we've explored what you can publish on Instagram, let's review some methods to make certain your content achieves success. Unlike other social networks platforms, Instagram's easy profile design forces you to focus on the quality of material ... not the quantity.
While this is fantastic for engagement, it also implies that you can't hide average content. Do your absolute best to utilize high-resolution images on your Instagram feed.
Square images need to be 1080 x 1080px. Landscape images must be 1080 x 566px, and profile images should be 1350 x 1080px. No matter what size you publish, every image will be revealed as a square in your profile feed.
How to Take a Great Photo With Your Smartphone
You might be thinking How am I expected to catch the best, premium shot without a high-quality video camera? No concerns! Phone electronic camera innovation has become so advanced that it now matches thousand-dollar cams.
Fantastic photography is no longer limited to those with expert video cameras. You (yes, you!) can take appealing photos your audience will like using a tool you currently have in your hands. Here are some ideas to drive follower growth and Instagram engagement.
1. Follow the guideline of thirds.
To instantly enhance your photo structure, switch on your cam grid lines. Objective to put your subject at the intersection of one set of vertical and horizontal lines. This technique, called the rule of thirds, is popular amongst painters, illustrators, and professional photographers.
Positioning your topic off center produces a slight imbalance that catches your audience's eye. To turn on your grid lines (on an iPhone), go to Settings > Photos & Camera and switch Grid to on.
2. Concentrate on a single subject.
A crowded background with numerous topics in a frame only sidetracks from the focus of your shot. It can even confuse your audience.
Rather, concentrate on a single topic in each picture. Get rid of distractions by cropping them out or discovering a clean background to shoot versus.
3. Make the most of negative area.
Negative space is the void around your subject. Leaving unfavorable space around your subject will accentuate the desired focus of your image and avoid it from looking crowded.
4. Look for fascinating perspectives.
Individuals are utilized to seeing the world from eye level. To create fascinating and fresh images, use shots from various perspectives. Change up your shooting viewpoint to record a bird's eye view or worm's eye view. Try out various angles to discover brand-new perspectives on common sights.
5. Utilize symmetry and patterns.
The human eye is naturally drawn to in proportion shapes and items. Sometimes, it's best to break the guideline of thirds and center the scene in your frame. Leading lines are another more particular form of balance that pulls the eye into the photo. People are also drawn to patterns. A pattern might be male made, such as a tiled floor, or natural, such as petals on a flower or vines on a wall. To make things truly interesting, separate the pattern with your subject.
6. Usage natural light.
Basic overhead lighting develops harsh shadows and highlights that produce unwanted dark and light areas in your images. To avoid this from occurring, use soft natural light anywhere possible. Try taking images next to a window, and for outside shots, the half-hour just before sundown and after daybreak often provides the most striking lighting as the sun is low in the horizon.