When it comes to social media, I like simple advice. So do my clients. That’s why I do my best to always share short, sweet, and easy-to-implement tips that you can take action on right away. I’ve learned that if advice is too wordy, too complicated, or seems like it will take too much time, people just won’t do it. And I’m here to make an impact… an impact that can help you GROW your business and improve your life.

That’s why I created a mini-series on TikTok all about short, simple tips to help you increase your engagement on Instagram. If you want all of those tips in one central spot, you’re in the right place. Let’s get into them!

1. Go to your insights and find your top-performing post. Recreate with something new. Much of your social media strategy can be repurposing content in new ways. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
2. Create highly engaging polls on your Stories, asking your audience what they want to see from you. Make it super easy for them to answer. For example, social media tips or business tips. Videos or blog posts. Put two options on a poll and see what your audience is most drawn to!
3. Audit yourself and figure out how much time you’ve spent engaging with others. If you want to receive 10 comments on your post, go comment on 20, at least. “Give the engagement you want to receive” is one of my favorite pieces of social media advice.
4. Create a carousel post with multiple items to scroll through. Whether it’s a series of tips for your ideal customer or it showcases results that your ideal customer wants. The more time your audience spends on your post, the better. This will show Instagram that it’s interesting and engaging.
5. Create a Reel with a trending sound. Spend time scrolling through Reels, figure out the trending songs, and use it in a video that is in your niche. Trending sounds are one of the best ways to stand out on Instagram Reels!
6. Do an IG Live Room with 2-3 other people that your ideal customer or client would see value in and wants to learn from. Treat it as an event, promote it ahead of time, to increase viewership and retention. It will increase your credibility. You will be able to teach your audience something on a larger scale. Whether you share your story, answer FAQs, or you give loads of free value for your ideal customer, this is a great way to increase engagement.
7. Create a really valuable post for your ideal customer with a hook in your caption. Examples: 3 Ways to Get Inspiration for Your Next IG Caption, or The #1 Product You Need to Combat Summer Frizz. Having an interesting hook in the first line of the caption will make people stop their scroll and pay attention.
8. Take a 24-hour break from stories. I have tested this several times and it works! Try this if your Stories views have taken a dip and you want them to rise back up again.
9. Share something totally different for your next post. Audit your account and if your last several posts have been business-related, switch it up and share something personal. Build a personal connection with your audience on top of your biz-related posts. People want to know the face behind the business.
10. Make sure you’re posting when your audience is most active. Go into Insights to check the times when your audience is most active. The times are in PST, so convert that to your time zone if necessary. Post anywhere 15-30 minutes before that timing.
11. Make sure you have a very engaging CTA at the end of your post. Make sure it’s simple for them to answer. People don’t want to put too much thought into things. So, make sure it’s short and sweet and easy to answer. Examples: On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you for IG updates? What are your favorite types of workouts right now? Etc.
12. Do an intro post. Re-introduce yourself to your audience. Share what you do, what you’re all about, and some personal facts.
13. Gain trust with your ideal customer. Create a piece of content that solves your ideal customer’s problem. If it’s that they don’t know what to do when they walk into the gym, give them workout ideas. If it’s they can’t get their hair to grow long and healthy, give them tips. If they don’t know what to post on social, give them ideas for that.
14. Instead of a very long caption, put that long caption into bits and pieces of a carousel post. Anytime someone spends time reading or swiping through your content, that tells IG your post is engaging and interesting. Anything you can do to make it easier to digest or read, the better.
15. Share an industry update or a piece of news that your ideal customer would find value in. This positions you as a thought leader in your field. If your audience finds value in your content, they are more likely to like, comment, share, or SAVE.
16. Start interacting with accounts that your ideal customer is following. Think of it as “social media besties” with accounts that your ideal customer loves. This is a great way to increase exposure and create community on social media!
17. Find an upcoming relevant “national day” or holiday that you can tie your brand into. I like nationaldaycalendar.com and holidayinsights.com. Encourage your audience to be a part of the celebration! Example: If you’re a photographer, and World Photography Day is coming up, ask your audience to tag you in their favorite photo you’ve taken of them. It will get you a ton of interaction!

If you love these short, actionable tips, I want you to PIN this blog post on Pinterest, so you always have access to it! Better yet, follow me on TikTok (@hope_linker) and Instagram (@hope_linker) because that’s where I share my latest and greatest tips for you.