Between carefully curated photos, expertly targeted ads, and decisive adoption of Instagram stories, no other B2C industry has thrived on Instagram, much like the beauty and apparel industry. Some of the best clothing brands on Instagram are masters of consumer engagement, and businesses from any industry could learn something from these inspirational feeds. In this post, we’ve compiled a list of 30 clothing brands — both big and small — crushing the game. For a deeper dive into how to build a presence on Instagram, check out our complete guide to Instagram marketing. 30 of the Best Clothing Brands to Follow on Instagram 1. Telfar @telfar Telfar is a luxury brand well known for its bags and clothing. Like many brands on the list, it uses Instagram to share information about its products paired with high-quality product photos, videos, and user-generated content. 2. J.Crew @jcrew J.Crew has mastered the art of follower engagement on Instagram. Its vibrant feed inspires followers, whether via daily updated Stories, in-feed product announcements, or style inspo. View this post on Instagram 3. Anthropologie @anthropologie With colorful images of its bright and patterned styles, Anthropologie’s feed is a visual smorgasbord of inspiration. 4. Girlfriend Collective @girlfriend Girlfriend Collective experienced explosive social media growth after advertising a free leggings promotion. Its feed engages customers with stunning product photography of its minimal styles and funny memes related to its products. 5. BRKLN Bloke @brklynbloke Brkln Bloke is a Brooklyn-based streetwear brand that has mastered the art of sharing its products in the wild, helping followers get styling inspiration for their purchases. 6.Nike @nike The behemoth athletic brand has enthusiastically embraced video content and regularly shares clips with its impressive 263 Million followers. Its feed features a motivational mix of professional athletes and everyday people, which directly aligns with its brand mission that Nike is for everyone. View this post on Instagram 7. Paloma Wool @palomawool >In the image below, Paloma Wool shares a carousel of photos showing audiences different ways to wear one of its products, the Berlin multi-position belt. This gives wearers and audiences inspiration for how to use the product and can also inspire a new purchase if someone sees a style they like. 8. Kate Spade @katespadeny Despite being a well-established label, Kate Spade’s Instagram has a distinct personal touch that sets it apart from similar brands. Its profile features outfit pictures, snaps from around New York, and behind-the-scenes shots of the design process at the Kate Spade Studio. View this post on Instagram 9. Hermoza @the_hermoza Hermoza leverages one of Instagram's impactful native features — shoppable posts and a storefront. Each post has a “View Shop” CTA, and clicking on it leads audiences to an Instagram storefront where they can discover more products or even make a purchase without leaving the app. 10. House of Sunny @houseofsunny House of Sunny’s approach to Instagram is worth replicating as it ensures followers always have a source for inspiration for using its products. It specifically calls attention to styling opportunities with a permanent Story Highlight called “As Seen On,” where people can click through a series of UGC to discover unique ways to style its clothing. 11. Eileen Fisher @eileenfisherny Eileen Fisher emphasizes its quality materials and environmentally friendly production processes on Instagram, and landing on its profile brings you to three pinned posts displaying the lifecycle of the products it uses and how it champions sustainability. View this post on Instagram 12. Sandy Liang @sandyliang Sandy Liang is well known for creating unique versions of everyday staples. On Instagram, the brand shares lookbooks for its clothing and accessories, giving followers inspiration for what and how to wear its products. The image below is a lookbook giving inspo on what to wear when visiting a friend. 13. Asos @asos British online fashion retailer ASOS updates its feed regularly with colorful and bold product features. It stands out from the crowd with a video-first Instagram strategy, only rarely sharing still photos, allowing followers to interact and engage with content. View this post on Instagram 14. Aerie @aerie Scrolling through Aerie’s Instagram feed is like taking a tropical beach getaway. The lingerie and bathing suit brand has been applauded for its commitment to unretouched photos in its print ads, and it continues this effort on its Instagram, creating a cohesive brand image. 15. Ziran @theziran Ziran merges ancient Chinese techniques, luxury fashion, and sustainable practices to create its clothing brand. On its Instagram, behind-the-scenes content about how the brand came to be, gives people a glimpse into the people and processes that bring their favorite brand to life. 16. Aime Leon Dore @aimeleondore Aime Leon Dore shares product announcements in videos that align with the product's intended use. For example, the video below announces an upcoming collaboration with Woolrich, a brand well-known for its durability. The video features models in activities that might cause wear and tear to everyday products, but not those from the Aime Leon Dore x Woolrich collab. View this post on Instagram 17. Lisa Says Gah @lisasaysgah It often uses Instagram for restock announcements so its followers know when their favorite products are available for purchase again. Doing this also helps drive more followers to the platform, as people will see Instagram as a way to get the most up-to-date information on their favorite brand. 18. Tach @tach_clothing >Tach uses Instagram to share exciting behind-the-scenes content. The image below is a sneak peek into its line sheets, which are usually only used as a sales tool to present products to buyers. Audiences are let in on its behind-the-scenes activity, which can be exciting. >19. Fossil @fossil If you like photos of neatly organized items, then Fossil’s Instagram is for you. The accessories brand curates an impressive feed of food, fashion, and celebrities like James Phelps, generating audience excitement if they recognize their favorite actor. View this post on Instagram 20. Everlane @everlane Everlane’s account has no shortage of beautiful product imagery, but it also features photos of customers wearing its clothes, inspiring travel photography, and tips on food and art destinations worldwide, giving audiences a well-rounded experience on its profile. >21. Bode @bode >Bode is well known for its quilted jackets and one-of-a-kind clothing items. On Instagram, it shares videos explaining the background and inspiration for its collections, giving followers insight into the brand, its values, and what it stands for. View this post on Instagram 22. Teva @teva Teva’s Instagram feed is proof that it’s possible to give your brand a modern update without losing the spirit of what made you successful in the first place. Its feed includes user-generated content of its shoes out in the wild and sleek product photos highlighting new styles. 23. Zara @zara Zara has made a name for itself by emulating the marketing of luxury brands, and its Instagram feed is no exception. Its account looks like a high-fashion magazine, with professional editorial shots of its varied clothing styles. 24. Fjällräven @fjallravenofficial The Instagram feed for Swedish outdoor apparel brand Fjällräven is less about its products and more about the adventurous spirit that has defined the company for almost 60 years. 25. Madewell @madewell Apparel brand Madewell is known for its relaxed, classic styles, and its Instagram clearly reflects this aesthetic. With bright sunny images of its latest products and collaborations, its feed is a fashion lover’s delight. 26. The Row @therow Another account that focuses less on its products and more on visual inspiration, The Row features vintage photos of art, architecture, and fashion — only occasionally sharing images and actual products — where they share a brand aesthetic that is bigger than just what it sells. 27. Santos by Monica @santosbymonica Santos by Monica’s Instagram grid is eye-catching as every post uses the same color scheme and creates a pleasing browsing experience, building a cohesive brand identity and helping people develop brand recognizability for its specific color schemes and hues. 28. Carhartt WIP @carharttwip Carhartt Work In Progress announces sales on its Instagram profile, a valuable way to ensure your different audiences are aware of your brand promotions. For example, if your Instagram followers aren’t subscribed to your mailing list, they won’t receive your newsletter announcing the sale, but they’ll see it in their feed. View this post on Instagram

Did you know you could schedule your Instagram posts in advance? Or optimize your bio to appear in the Explore tab?There are countless lesser-known Instagram features, settings, hacks, and search options to help take your Instagram game to the next level. And we've compiled them all, here.Whether you’re a recruiter looking to showcase company culture, a eCommerce marketer, or just an individual looking to use Instagram in the best ways possible, here are Instagram tips and features for you to use.Note: Before getting started, make sure you're operating on the latest version of Instagram. At the time of publishing this guide, the latest version is 273on iOS and on Android. Please also note that although this article might demonstrate each tip below using an iPhone or Android device, all items on this list are available for both operating systems and can be enjoyed using the same step-by-step instructions.41 Hidden Instagram Hacks, Tips, and FeaturesInstagram Account Features1. Add and manage multiple accounts from the same device.Have a separate account for your dog? Don't be embarrassed; stand by your puppy profile. In fact, whether it's a pet account or a business account, you can add and manage this one right alongside your personal account.Here's how:From your profile, tap the gear icon. To find this icon on an Android device, you'll first need to tap the three horizontal lines to the top right of your screen.Scroll to the very bottom and tap "Add Account."Add your other account by username and password, and you're all set.To toggle between both profiles, hold down your profile picture in the navigation bar to view all connected accounts.2. See all the posts you've liked.Ever wanted to see the post you’ve liked all in one place? All you have to do is go to your profile, click the three lines on the top right (on Android and iOS), tap “Your Activity,” tap “Interactions,” and then click “Likes.”With this, you can see 300 of the last posts you’ve liked.To un-like any posts you've Liked, simply go to the post and deselect the "heart" icon below it. Don't worry — the user won't be notified that you've un-Liked the post.3. Hide, delete, or disable comments and likes on your posts.Twitter may carry a more "anything goes" culture of commentary, but your Instagram is your domain — and it's much easier to control who says what on your content. This is especially important if you manage a business account.To Filter Comments by Keyword:Navigate to Settings and tap “Privacy,” then “Hidden Words.” You can toggle “Hide comments” to filter general offensive words or click “Manage custom words and phrases for messages, comments, and posts” to add custom filters.To Delete Comments:Tap the speech bubble icon below the comment you'd like to delete, and swipe lightly to the left over this text. Select the garbage can icon that appears to delete this post. You can also do this to your own comments.To Disable Comments Entirely:To clarify, you can't turn off comments across your entire profile; you can only disable them for individual posts.To do so, start posting an image on which you'd like nobody to comment. When you reach the page to add a caption, tags, and location, tap "Advanced Settings" at the very bottom. This will open a screen where you can easily switch on an option labeled "Turn Off Commenting."4. Clear your Instagram search history.To clear your Instagram search history (on Android and iOS), go to your profile, tap Settings, then “Your activity.” Tap “Recent searches” and click “Clear all.”5. Add another Instagram account to your bio.Perhaps your company has more than one Instagram account for different aspects of your brand. For instance, LIKE.TG has a verified LIKE.TG account, a LIKE.TG Life account, a LIKE.TG Academy account, and a LIKE.TG Partners account.To draw awareness back to its main company page, then, LIKE.TG links to the @LIKE.TG account in its other account bios, like in @LIKE.TGLife's account:Fortunately, you have the option to include another Instagram account in your Instagram bio. To do so, simply type the "@" sign into your Bio, and then select the account you'd like to tag. Then, click "Done."6. Communicate with your audience using Instagram Broadcast channels.Broadcast Channels is Instagram's newest feature, and it is a messaging tool for creators to engage directly with a large group of followers.Creators can share updates and behind-the-scenes content as text, video, voice notes, and images. Followers can't send messages but can enjoy the content, react to content, and vote in polls.As of February 2023, the feature is currently in Beta mode for U.S. creators only.Instagram Design Features7. Add special fonts to your bio.Here's an Instagram bio hack that can truly make your profile stand out. You can already add emojis to the bio beneath your profile photo, but your keyboard limits your creativity right there.Using a couple of basic third-party websites, you can copy over some more special fonts not often found in the Instagram community. Here's how.To Add a Special Font to Your Bio via Mobile:Add a new font to your Instagram bio via your mobile device using a website like LingoJam. Open the site on your phone, type your desired bio text in the lefthand text box, and you'll see the same bio text in different typefaces appear on the right.Carry your chosen font over to your Instagram bio by tapping it and selecting "Copy." Then, open your Instagram app, navigate to your profile, select "Edit Profile," tap the "Bio" section and paste your chosen font into the empty field.To Add a Special Font to Your Bio on Desktop:If you're editing your Instagram profile on your laptop or desktop, Font Space has a library of fonts you can download and copy into your bio in seconds. To do so, Find a font you like and select "Download" beneath the font's sample image, as shown below.Downloading this font will open a folder on your desktop where you can pull a ".ttf" file that carries the various versions of this font. The file will look something like the screenshot below.Once you have this font copied to your computer's clipboard, open your internet browser and log onto Instagram.com. Select "Edit Profile" and paste your downloaded font into your bio field. You can then edit the sample text that came with your font to write your new bio as you see fit.8. Add special characters to your bio.Not only can you customize your bio with a special font, but you can also add atypical characters that distinguish you or your brand — but that you wouldn't find on your smartphone's normal keyboard. These include§,†, or even™ if your Instagram name features a trademarked product name.To Add Special Characters From MobileUsing your mobile device, install a free mobile app like Character Pad, which catalogs nearly every character and symbol you might need but won't find in the 26-letter English alphabet.Open the app and find the character you want to add to your Instagram bio. In Character Pad, you'll simply double-tap the picture of your chosen symbol to paste it into a text box, as shown below. Then, copy this character to your phone's clipboard. (For our purposes, I double-tapped the half moon icon.)Once you have your symbol copied to your clipboard, open Instagram, navigate to your bio, and tap "Edit Profile."Hold down your finger on the field of your bio you want to insert your special character until "Paste" appears as an option, as shown below. Tap "Paste" and then "Done" you'll be all set.To Add Special Characters From a PCYou can also insert special characters and symbols through Instagram's web client on a desktop or laptop computer. The easiest way is to use Microsoft Word's "Symbol" insertion icon, as shown below.Select your desired symbol or character and copy it to your computer's clipboard. Then, navigate to Instagram.com and follow the steps above to paste your character into a particular part of your bio.You might be tempted to simply Google search the special character you want, and at times it might work just as well as the steps above. But keep in mind not all special characters you copy from the internet are "clean" when you paste them into Instagram — some of them might become corrupted or not show up correctly.9. Reorder filters to set your favorite filters at the front.If you use Instagram a lot, chances are, you have a few favorite go-to filters, and others you never touch. To make editing photos easier, you can reorder the filters in your editing window.To reorder filters, add a new post and begin editing it. When you get to the filters page, hold down on a filter you'd like to move, and then drag it to your preferred location.10. Use Instagram as a photo editor (without having to post anything).Perhaps you love Instagram's filters and editing capabilities, but aren't quite ready to post the photo to your account — right now, or ever. To use Instagram as a photo editor without posting anything, all you need to do is publish a picture while your phone is on airplane mode.First, be sure you have "Save Original Photo" turned on in your Instagram settings.Next, follow the normal steps to post a photo to Instagram: Upload the photo, edit it, and press "Share." An error message will appear saying the upload failed, but you'll be able to find the edited image in your phone's photo gallery.11. Insert line breaks into your bio and captions.When you write a caption in Instagram, you'll see the keyboard doesn't give you an option to press "Enter" or "Return." The same is true for your bio. So how do all those people put line breaks in there?It turns out that all you have to do is press the "123" key in the bottom left corner of the keyboard, and the "Return" key will appear on the bottom right.I know this tip sounds simple, but a lot of people miss it — myself included, until a colleague clued me in. We've seen some elaborate solutions out there for hacking through this problem, like writing the caption copy in another app, then copying and pasting it into Instagram. Thankfully, it's much simpler than that.Instagram Optimization Features12. Pin important content to the top of your Instagram Grid.f you have an Instagram post that you want to call attention to, you can pin it to the top of your profile grid.To do this, pick the Reel or image post you want to pin.In the top right corner of the post, tap the three dots and click “Pin to your profile.”The post will now show up at the top of your grid.This is a valuable tool to share ongoing partnerships with your followers, draw attention to popular content, and make sure new followers or browsers can immediately see the most important content you want to share with them.13. Optimize your Instagram bio to appear in the Explore tab.Your friends, family, and coworkers might be your first group of Instagram followers, but growing your audience takes more than the people who already know you. One key way to do this is to get your profile to appear in Instagram's Explore page.The Explore page, accessible using the magnifying glass icon shown above, is a browsing page that sorts the entire Instagram community by topic and keyword. These include "Fitness," "Style," "Science," and more.Hashtagging your posts with these words can expose your content to the people browsing these topics, but you can also use them in your Instagram name and bio to promote your profile.If Jane Doe is a marketing consultant, for example, she might want to make her Instagram name "Jane Doe Marketing," rather than simply "Jane Doe." Then, in her bio, she can include all of her specialties, such as "SEO," "blogging," "email marketing," etc.14. Drive traffic to an external website.One of the biggest frustrations people have with marketing on Instagram is that clickable URLs aren't allowed anywhere except the single "website" box in your bio. If you put a URL in a photo caption it'll appear as plain text, meaning users would have to painstakingly copy the URL, open a web browser, and paste or type it in there.One sneaky way to get people to visit your Instagram profile, which is where that one clickable URL is allowed, is to use your photo captions to encourage people to visit your profile for a link. Then, update that URL frequently to point to your latest blog content, YouTube video, product, or offer.Check out the example below from the food magazine Bon Appétit, where it includes a link in its bio that draws people to external Bon Appétit content.If you have a verified Instagram account, you can also add links to your Story. Read more about this feature here.15. Sell products from Instagram using Shoppable Posts.You might already know you can tag people in your Instagram posts as (or after) you post new content. Now, you can tag products — and direct your viewers to a product page to buy what they saw.To Add an Instagram Business AccountYou'll need an Instagram Business account to publish shoppable posts. You can get one by selecting "Edit Profile" on your Instagram profile and tapping "Try Instagram Business Tools," as shown below.To Tag a Post With ProductsOnce you've launched an Instagram Business account, you'll need to enable product tags to use them on a post that depicts a product. Navigate to your settings using the gear icon from your profile page, and select "Products." Tap "Continue" and follow the prompts to connect a "product catalog" to your business profile.With product tags enabled on your Instagram Business account, you can now upload new posts and tag your photo with products you find from your product catalog. Here's what a shoppable post can look like:16. Create an auto-complete quick reply for standard responses.Responding to user comments and questions is incredibly timely, but fortunately, there's a hack to streamline the process and make it more efficient. (Note: This only works on Instagram Business accounts.)You can simply create a one-to-two word phrase that can act as your shortcut to a longer standard response you might send often. To do this, click "Business" in your Settings, and then "Quick Replies" — or, click the three-dot chat bubble icon on bottom of screen, and then click "New Quick Reply".Add a shortcut you can enter for the response. For instance, you might type "returnpolicy" as the shortcut for a longer response, i.e.: "Hey there. We're sorry you don't love your purchase. Fortunately, we permit 30-day returns, no questions asked. Please send us your order confirmation number to get the process started."Once you've added a shortcut, you can either type the shortcut "returnpolicy" into the comment box when you want it to auto-generate, or you can tap the three-dot chat Quick Replies bubble icon at the bottom of your screen to choose from a response you've created. (Read more about Quick Replies here.)17. Pin your Instagram post to Pinterest.Instagram doesn't have a natural integration with many social networks (except Facebook, its parent company) for publishing Instagram posts to other social accounts.But with respect to Pinterest, image-loving platforms stick together. Here's a backdoor way to Pin your latest Instagram Story to Pinterest:On the Instagram mobile app, tap a post to view it in full, then tap the three dots to the top-right of the image. Select "Copy Share URL" to attach the picture's link to your clipboard.Open the Pinterest mobile app — or download it; you'll need it for this step — and navigate to your profile page. If you have the latest version of Pinterest downloaded, it might ask you as soon as you open the app if you'd like to produce the image from your clipboard.If not, select the "+" icon to the top right to add a new pin, and you'll see a menu of options where you can add your "Copied Link" to a new Pin or board on your profile.Instagram Reels Features18. Upload and browse video content on Instagram Reels.Instagram Reels is one of the biggest new features of Instagram to date.You can find Instagram Reels by opening the app and tapping the TV icon in the bottom navigation bar. You'll land on a gallery of Reels to watch, including those from people you follow, trending videos, and the most popular creators on the app.As you view more videos, the algorithm will adapt to your interests and show you Reels relevant to your likes. And naturally, the same goes for your target audience.The Reels you create are visible on your Profile under the Reels icon. When you want to upload a new Reel, follow the steps to upload an image but click Reels instead.19. Easily create Reels using the template feature.Instagram’s native Reels template helps anyone quickly and easily make a Reel. To create a Reel using a template, you can either:Find a Reel you like that someone has created, tap on the three dots on the bottom right corner of the real, tap “Use as template,” and follow the steps. Note that the only Reels you can use as a template have the Use as a template button.Or,Click on the Reels tab, swipe left to access the “Templates” option, and select the template you want to use. Then, follow the steps on screen.20. Automatically add captions to your Reels and Stories.The auto-caption feature automatically converts speech into captions for your Reels and Stories. This feature is incredibly important for increasing accessibility for your content and also for allowing people to consume your content without sound.21. Remix Reels to engage with other users.Remixing a Reel means creating one that includes content from someone else’s Reel. It’s a great way to engage with other users and create side-by-side interaction.To Remix a real (on Android and iOS), tap the three dots on the Reel you want to remix. Tap “Remix” and choose whether to play your video side-by-side the original video or after it ends.Next, record your Reel and share it to your profile.If you remix a Reel using side-by-side video, you can mix the audio and add voiceovers, text, and stickers to your Reel and the original Reel.If you remix a Reel and add your video after the original, you can’t change the audio from the original post, but you can adjust the volume level of the original Reel and add a voiceover.22. Reply to a comment on your Reel with a Reel.Instagram now allows people to create Reels to reply to comments on Reels. It’s an engaging way to interact with followers and build connections.To do this (on Android and iOS), tap “Reply” underneath a comment and click the camera icon.Record your Reel or upload a pre-recorded video from your camera roll.Click on the comment sticker to update the background color or change its position in the frame.Edit your Reel, then click “Share.”Instagram Stories Features23. Use Notes to share status updates.Notes are 60-character max posts next to profile images in the messages inbox.Notes will appear in your followers' inboxes, and you can choose to share them with all of your followers or your selected Close Friends list. They last 24 hours, and Notes replies appear as DMs.The new feature is a great way to share your timely thoughts, engage with people, and see what others are saying.24. Create a collection of saved posts.In addition to being able to view all of the posts you've liked, Instagram also has an option to save or bookmark certain posts in collections that you create.Start by going to your profile, and tapping the "Settings" icon at the top-right of your screen, and then select "Saved":Next, press the "+" button and name your new Collection.Click "Next", and select images from your "Saved" section.To save photos for future collections, tap the bookmark icon below the post you want to add, as shown below:Then, go back to your saved photos by following the previous steps.You'll see the photos you've saved — to add them to your Collection, select the Collection you want to add to, and tap "Add to Collection." From there, you can add any of your saved photos.25. Create Stories Highlights to show Stories for longer than a day.Like in Snapchat, posts to your story only stick around for your followers to see for 24 hours. But sometimes, you have a story that deserves more daylight to be told.That's where Stories Highlights comes in, a feature by Instagram that allows you to save stories together in the same space on your profile page. If you ever wondered what that "New" button with the "+" icon was below your profile image, this explains it.To make a Stories Highlight, tap this New option and select any number of past stories in your album:Then, give it a cover photo and a name to display as its own Instagram Story on your profile page. You can remove Stories Highlights at any time by tapping and holding down this story.26. Reorder Instagram Stories highlights.The Highlights on your Instagram feed act as your brand's portfolio — you can use Highlights to demonstrate your company's values, showcase new products or services, or categorize various topics you post about frequently.For instance, The North Face uses its Highlights section to highlight various initiatives that are important to the brand, including a section labeled “Summit Series,” “Explore Fund,” “XPLR Pass,” “Pride,” and “Athletes.”Since a user can only see the first five highlights when they come across your profile, you'll want to ensure your first highlights are the ones you're most proud of. To do this, simply follow this trick:1. Hold down the highlight you'd like moved to the front of this list and click "Edit Highlight" when the slide-up appears.2. Next, find an image or video you'd like to add to the highlight. (Don't worry — you'll be able to delete this within 30 seconds, so you don't need to choose one that will stay on the highlight.)3. Click "Done" in the top right corner.4. Now, your Highlight will be first in the list. To remove the image or video you just added, follow the above instructions and simply un-check the image you added. Your highlight will remain at the beginning of the Highlight reel.27. Change your Instagram Highlights Icon without publishing it to your feed.The image you choose for each Highlight should accurately depict what type of content users can expect to see if they tap the Highlight, so you'll want to choose a compelling, engaging image.However, if you have a design, logo, or image you'd like to use that isn't in your Instagram feed, it's still possible to make it the Highlight Icon.To do this, click "Edit Highlight" (same as the step above):Next, click "Edit Cover," and scroll through your camera roll to find an image you like.Once you choose an image from your camera roll, click "Done." Your Highlight cover image is now an image you've never posted on your Instagram account:28. Schedule posts in advance.Instagram being a mobile app, you're probably in a routine of taking photos and posting them to your Instagram Story on the fly. But, you can also pre-post them from your computer for a set day and time in the future.This feature is available with a social media scheduling tool, as well as LIKE.TG if you have an Instagram business account. If you have this business profile, switch to it via the Instagram mobile app and follow the prompts to connect it to Facebook.Depending on the social scheduling tool you use, you might not include this step. Once you've toggled to the right account, however, you'll launch your scheduling tool, navigate to your current connected profiles, and see Instagram as an available integration.29. Use 'Type Mode' to enhance your Instagram Stories.Since its launch, Stories have become quite creative, and it takes more than a pretty filter to stand out to your audience. Enter "Type Mode," an option similar to Snapchat that gives you the power to caption Stories that need extra context to resonate with someone. Here's how to use it:1. Open Instagram Stories by swiping right from your Instagram feed. This will launch your smartphone camera. Then, take a photo or video and press the "Aa" icon to the top-right of your screen, as shown below:The "Aa" icon will open Type Mode, where you have eight fonts to choose from. Here's what a sample Story looks like with Modern font:30. Post content from other users to your Instagram Story.Although Instagram Stories are a great way to give your content exposure on your followers' homepages, you might not always have something Story-worthy. In those times, you can share an inspiring post from someone else through your Instagram Stories. Here's how:1. Find a post you want to share in your Instagram Stories and tap the paper airplane icon, as shown below.This icon will open a screen allowing you to send this post to specific followers, or add to your Story. Tap the latter option, as shown below.Tapping this option will automatically turn the post into an Instagram Story, which you can edit and design to your liking the same way you would any other Instagram Story.31. Share candid Stories with your followers.Instagram Candid Stories lets you share in-the-moment updates with friends to let them know what you’re up to. A unique feature is that each Story is only visible to others who have posted their own Candid Stories.To share a Candid Story, use the stories camera and select Candid Story, or wait for the daily Candid Story notification.Note that the Candid Story feature is not yet available to all users.Instagram User Preferences Features32. Mute Instagram notifications using Quiet Mode.Quiet Mode turns off all app notifications and adds a badge to your profile, so people know you’re taking a break. When you turn Quiet Mode off, you’ll get a roundup of notifications of things you’ve missed.To use Quiet Mode on Instagram, Navigate to your profile page. Click “Settings," then "Notifications," and then "Quiet mode."Toggle the “Quiet mode” button to enable it and turn it off when you’re ready to receive notifications again.You can also set a designated time to trigger Quiet Mode every day, so you don’t have to remember to turn it off and on.Quiet Mode is currently available in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.33. Create a Favorites list to see your favorite accounts first.If you have favorite accounts on Instagram or friends whose content you want to see more often, you can select up to 50 accounts to add to your Favorites list.You’ll see their posts higher up and more often in your Feed, and you can even swipe to a separate favorites-only feed to see what people are up to. Every Favorites feed is free of ads and suggested posts, and nobody else knows who you’ve added to the list.To choose your favorites, tap the Instagram logo on the top left corner, and select your favorite accounts to add.34. Get notifications when your favorite people post.Never want to miss an Instagram post from your favorite influencers again? You can choose to get a notification every time a specific user posts a new photo. All you have to do is turn on notifications for each user individually.To turn on these notifications, visit a user's profile, click the bell icon in the upper right corner, and choose what type of post you want a notification for: Posts, Stories, Reels, Videos, or Live Videos.Want to turn post notifications off? Just follow the same steps. It's important to note that you must enable notifications from the Instagram app in your phone's settings — here's how.To allow notifications on iPhone/iPad: Go to "Settings," then "Notifications." Choose "Instagram" and then turn on the setting to "Allow Notifications."To allow notifications on Android: Go to "Settings," then choose "Apps," then "Instagram." Select the option to show notifications.35. Hide Photos You've Been Tagged InWhen someone tags you in a photo or video on Instagram, it's automatically added to your profile under "Photos of You," unless you opt to add tagged photos manually (see the next tip).To see the posts you've been tagged in, go to your own profile and click the person icon below your bio.Next, click on an individual post (in your tagged photos) and click the three dots in the top right. Tap “Post options,” then tap “Remove me from post” or “Hide from my profile.”The first removes your tag, and the second removes it from your tagged photos.36. Adjust your settings to approve tagged photos before they show up in your profile.As we mentioned in the previous step, when someone tags a photo or video of you on Instagram, it's automatically added to your profile. But you can change your Instagram settings to enable manually selecting which photos you're tagged in that show up on your profile.To manually approve tagged posts, navigate to "Settings," tap "Privacy," "Posts," then "Manually approve tags," and toggle the on button. Now you'll be notified when you've been tagged in a post, and you can approve it to show up on your profile.37. Hide ads you don't find relevant.Instagram tries to show you ads that are interesting and relevant to you. You might see ads based on people you follow and things you Like on Instagram, or the third-party websites and apps you visit.If you see sponsored posts you don't find relevant, though, you can let Instagram know and slowly teach its algorithm what you like and don't like to see.To hide ads on Instagram, tap on the three dots to the right of a post labeled "Sponsored," and choose "Hide ad."From there, it'll ask you to share why you don't want to see the ad anymore.You can also opt out of seeing ads based on sites and apps off of Instagram and Facebook from your device's settings. Note that even if you choose to opt out of seeing these types of ads, you'll still see ads based on your Instagram and Facebook activity.To limit ad tracking on an iPhone/iPad: Go to "Settings" and choose "Privacy Security," then "Apple Advertising." From there, choose the option to turn off personalized ads.To turn off interest-based ads on Android: Go to "Google Settings," then "Ads." From there, choose the option to "Turn off interest-based ads."38. Send photos privately to your friends.Posting photos with all of your followers or with the public isn't the only way to share content on Instagram. You can also share them with individual or multiple users, kind of like a Facebook message or group text message.You can either send a new photo to friends, or send a photo that you or someone else has already posted.To send a new photo privately, upload a photo and begin editing it, as you would when editing a new post. When you get to the "Share" page, tap the top where it automatically says "New Post," but when prompted, select "Direct Message." From there, you can pick and choose whom you'd like to send the photo to.You can access your direct messages at any time by clicking the mailbox icon at the top right of your homepage.To send an existing photo privately, start by opening the post you want to share — it can be your own or someone else's, as long as the latter has a public account. Next, click the paper-airplane-like icon below the post, then select who you want to receive it when the "Send to" box appears.User Search Features39. Search Instagram users without an account.As much as Instagram would like to see you ultimately create an account for yourself or your business, you can peruse the beautiful brands, people, and dogs that are waiting for you without an account to see if it's worth signing up.There are two ways to search for people on Instagram without logging in:Entering a Username at the End of the Instagram URLThe first way to search users without an account is by using an Instagram username you already know, and adding it to the end of "www.instagram.com/."For example, if you were to start with our Instagram username — which is simply "LIKE.TG" — you can enter the following into your browser's address bar: www.instagram.com/LIKE.TG. This will bring you to our Instagram profile as well as the elusive search bar at the top of the page:Once you've reached this page, you can use the search bar to the left of the "Sign Up" button to browse users who are already active on the platform.Googling Them in an Instagram Site SearchA slightly "hackier" way of looking up users without an Instagram account of your own is to simply search their name in a Google site search. This means telling Google to only look up search terms on a website of your choice (in this case, Instagram).To site search a user, open a Google search and type the following: "site:instagram.com [name of user]."By keeping all the text prior to the brackets in your search bar, you can shuffle through names of people and businesses and Google will produce results that live only on Instagram. Here's what a site search looks like for LIKE.TG, below. As you can see, Google produces our main profile, our culture-focused LIKE.TG Life profile, Instagram posts that include the #LIKE.TG hashtag, and our LIKE.TG Academy Page.Instagram Features HacksI might be biased, but Instagram is one of the most fun (and visually appealing) social apps around. And now, with these tricks, you can use it to an even fuller extent.Plus, many of these features can help to enhance your brand's presence on Instagram. Now, you know how to use the app more efficiently, to make sure you're only tagged in photos you want to appear on your profile, and have even more ways to engage with the people by whom you'd like to be discovered.

Instagram is a powerful social media platform to help increase brand reach and drive new business, but it can be time-consuming and expensive to consistently share content you need to see your engagement grow in the long-term — which is why you should learn how to repost on Instagram. In this post, we'll show you different free ways to repost on Instagram in a few simple steps. But before diving in, let’s discuss why reposting on Instagram can benefit your brand. New Data: Instagram Engagement Report [Free Download] Why should your brand repost on Instagram? Instagram is one of the largest social media sites on the market. With over one billion monthly active users, brands that incorporate the site into marketing strategy can reach larger audiences and gain visibility faster over other social media channels. And with an audience like that, you want to consistently post high-quality content — but that can take time, effort, and resources that may not fit your budget just yet. Since most marketers post between 3-4 times per week, you should have a backlog of content to keep up with demand. Additionally, user-generated content (UGC) performs exceptionally well. In fact, 90% of consumers say UGC holds more influence over their buying decisions than promotional emails and even search engine results. For instance, consider the power of Warby Parker reposting this funny image from one of its customers, @cjronson: View this post on Instagram Not only does the image likely appeal to Warby Parker customers, but it ultimately made Warby Parker marketers' jobs easier — they didn’t need to create that content in-house. Reposting to Instagram can help you highlight brand endorsements from your customers, brand loyalists, and employees. UGC is typically considered more trustworthy since a consumer isn't gaining anything by promoting your product or service (unless it's an advertisement) — they're just doing it to tell their audiences that they like your product. How to Repost on Instagram Instagram allows you to repost other users’ Reels and posts to your own Instagram Story using its native reposting functionality. However, it has its limits: It doesn’t let you repost to any permanent part of your Instagram profile, including your feed, Reels, or videos. In other words, Instagram only lets you temporarily share someone else’s content for 24 hours max. If you do want to keep it permanently, you can add it to an Instagram Story Highlight. If you’re looking to add a post to your permanent feed and credit the original creator, read about how to do that in the next sections. For now, let’s learn how you can repost content to your Story and add it to your highlights. 1. Navigate to the post, Reel, or video you want to repost. First, find the right content to share with your followers. You can do this through several avenues: Search for industry hashtags and repost popular posts by other brands and influencers Search for branded hashtags, which will show you user-generated content made by your customers and fans See the posts you’ve been tagged in and repost any that align with your brand Find brands that you admire and repost the content that most aligns with your brand Remember that you can only repost content from users and brands with public profiles. Note: You can also repost other people’s Stories, so long as you’re tagged in them. You can find those who’ve mentioned you in their Story in your Direct Messages. 2. Click the paper airplane symbol on the post or Reel. On photos and videos, the button will be located next to the Like and Comment buttons. On Reels, it will be located between the Comment button and the three dots. 3. On the pop-up menu, click “Add post to your story.” A pop-up will appear with several options. If you’re sharing a post, you have the option to add it to your story, reply to the poster (if they allow replies), or send the post via Direct Message to anyone you’ve messaged recently. Similar options appear when you try to share a Reel. Click Add post to your story or Add reel to your story. 4. Tap to show and hide the post’s caption. Next, you should see a draft of your story. You have the option of either showing or hiding the caption. Simply tap the post to toggle between the two. 5. Add text, stickers, hashtags, and other elements. To get the most engagement possible and align the repost with your brand, spruce up the story with text and other elements. You can even add a link or a call-to-action. Learn how to customize your Instagram Story here. 6. To share, click “Your Story.” It’s time to finish your repost. At the bottom, click the button that says “Your Story” at the bottom. This will automatically share it with no additional action required. You also have the option to click "Close Friends", if you only want a select group to view your story. Last, if you click the right-hand arrow, you’ll see additional options to share the post via DM or with your close friends. 7. Add the shared post to your Highlights. While Instagram doesn’t allow you to share posts directly to your permanent feed, you can add it to one of your Highlights, which will remain permanently on your profile. Learn how to create Highlights here. Here’s one example from a stationer called MARK+FOLD: With Stories, the same best practices should be followed as for sharing a post. If you don’t know the person and suspect the content you’d like to re-share might be licensed material, ask for permission first. Give credit to the original posters whenever possible. How to Repost on Instagram Using a ScreenshotTake a screenshot of the Instagram post you want to use.Tap the new post button located on the top right corner, select post.Resize the photo in the app.Edit and add filters of your choice.Add a citation.Add a caption.Click share on the top right corner. The screenshot method doesn't require other websites to repost on Instagram. It's worth nothing that this method only works for reposting photos, not videos. Here's how to do it. 1. Find a photo on Instagram you'd like to repost, and take a screenshot with your phone. For iOS: Press down on the home and lock buttons simultaneously until your screen flashes. For Android: Press down on the sleep/wake and volume down buttons simultaneously until your screen flashes. 2. Tap the new post button. Once you've got your screenshot, return to your Instagram account. Tap the "new post button" in the top right of your Instagram screen (the plus sign inside a square). Then select "Post" (other options include "Story" "Reels" or "Live"). 3. Resize the photo in the app. Keep in mind that your phone will take a screenshot of everything on your screen, not just the photo you want to repost. So, be prepared to crop the sides of the screenshot to capture just the image you want to share with your followers. After you've cropped or resized the photo to your liking (by pinching the image and then widening your fingers apart), click "Next" in the top-right of your screen. 4. Edit and add filters of your choice. Edit and filter the post like you would any other Instagram post. 5. Add a citation. The repost won't include a citation, so we suggest adding one by typing "@ + [username]" to credit the original poster with the photo you're reposting. 6. Add a caption. At the top you'll see a preview of your post along with space for a caption. You can choose to tag people or organizations, and add a location. 7. Click share. Once you've finished customizing the post with the options above, click share at the top right corner. The post will be live. Here's how the finished product looks: Pro Tip: When reposting content through screenshots, make sure you properly tag or give credit to the original content owner either within your story by linking to their account, or in the description of a post or reel. Best Apps for Reposting on Instagram 1. Repost: Posts, Stories, Reels Price: Free with in-app purchases For Instagram for iOS or Android. The app integrates directly with Instagram so you can share content from other Instagram users from your mobile device. If your brand’s Instagram profile follows a distinct brand style guide, Repost can help you customize your reposts to adhere to those guidelines. Users can pick from 50+ different text styles and symbol art to create eye-catching captions to capture more attention. 2. Reposta Price: Free For Instagram for iOS or Android. Reposta for Instagram is a straightforward way to repost your favorite photos and videos on Instagram while giving credit to the original poster. When you find something you want to repost in Instagram, simply copy the share URL and open Reposta. Then in Reposta, you can position the attribution mark and send the reposted media back to Instagram. 3. DownloadGram Price: Free DownloadGram lets social media users download high-resolution copies of content to repost from their own accounts on channels like Instagram and Twitter. There’s no app you need to download to repost using this process, instead you can copy and paste the URL to download video, photos, reels or stories to repost via PC. Share Your Favorite Instagram Posts Now that you've learned how to repost on Instagram, you can diversify your profile with content sourced from friends, family, and brands. Use the methods above — being sure to cite the source of the original post — to quickly and easily reshare your favorite content. This article was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

More companies than ever are using Instagram for business. Back in 2017, the social platform celebrated having over 25 million businesses. Today, we can bet that number has likely doubled. Instagram has proven a worthwhile investment for marketing purposes. When we surveyed over 1,000 marketers in 2022, they revealed that Instagram is the most effective social media platform, above Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. But using Instagram for business purposes can seem daunting, particularly if you've only ever used it for personal use. Here, we're going to explore how to promote your business on Instagram. How to Use Instagram for Business What is a business profile? How to Create a Business Profile on Instagram How to Switch to Your Business Profile Top Instagram Promotion Tactics of 2022 [Data] How to Use Instagram for Business Let's delve into the six strategies you'll need to employ to get the most out of Instagram. 1. Add value with your content. First and foremost, Instagram is a visual platform. To attract an audience, it's critical you spend time delivering high-quality, thoughtful content. To succeed on Instagram, it's essential you create valuable content that attracts an audience and encourages them to engage with your business. Consider how you can delight your customers while staying true to your brand. You don't need to just post images of your product to spread brand awareness and increase sales. In fact, in some cases, it's better if you don't. For instance, Hot Pockets sells microwaveable pocket sandwiches. Admittedly, I wasn't much of a fan of Hot Pockets — until I began following their business's Instagram account. There are only so many times you can post a picture of a sandwich. Hot Pockets goes in a different direction. Instead, they appeal to their audience through humor, often posting relevant memes or funny quotes. For instance, in response to @ShallowDivers' claim that Hot Pockets aren't sandwiches, Hot Pockets responded with this: Ultimately, it might take trial and error to find the content that works best for your business. While Hot Pockets relies on humor, other brands like The North Face use impressive adventure images to appeal to their demographic. The point is, brands need to add value to Instagram's community rather than using the platform for advertisements alone. This is critical for your long-term success. Looking for a few more tips on how to use Instagram to positively impact your business? Check out these Instagram hacks in the video below. Put these tips to work, and update your marketing mantra from "content is king" to "valuable content is king." 2. Maintain a consistent theme. Imagine each Instagram post as an individual page of your website. While each post should be good on its own, ideally you'll need to create a cohesive theme to maintain an audience's loyalty. It's important to note, I mean "theme" in the broad sense, as it relates to everything from hashtags and captions to pictures and videos. You'll need to create a consistent tone of voice and a unified feed aesthetic. Ultimately, the more specific and consistent you are with your posts, the more likely you are to attract your most authentic audience. You might think it's better to appeal to more people through various themes, but ultimately, staking your claim in a specific niche will help you create stronger, more genuine connections. For instance, consider MVMT. Their feed is undoubtedly consistent, with similar filters and color palette, and an emphasis on darker, edgier images: Their consistency is equally obvious in their captions, with phrases like "Create a life you can't wait to wake up to," and "Unexplored paths lead to undiscovered stories." In every post, you'll see the same hashtag: #jointhemvmt. Undoubtedly, their followers both expect and prefer this type of content, or they wouldn't have followed them in the first place. To continue delighting customers, it's essential MVMT keeps true to their theme. 3. Engage with your audience. Engaging with your audience helps your followers feel valued and, as a result, more connected to your business. There are plenty of ways to engage with your audience. You might reply to comments on your posts, participate in comment threads, run contests or giveaways, use Instagram Stories polls feature, or give shout-outs to followers on your Stories, particularly if they post something relevant to your brand. Halo Top Creamery does a fantastic job of engaging with their audience. They frequently post cute ice cream pictures with the caption "Ice cream is better with friends. Tag a friend you'd like to eat this with." A simple "tag a friend" caption is an effective strategy for growing your audience since your followers will then tag friends who might not know about you yet. Additionally, Halo Top often does contests and giveaways, like this one: By tagging winners in their posts, Halo Top incentivizes other followers to engage with their brand in the future. Additionally, Halo Top's giveaways demonstrate their genuine commitment to connecting with their audience. 4. Consider influencer marketing. As a consumer, you've likely seen the recent influx of influencer marketers on Instagram — and for good reason. Marketers we surveyed in 2021 said it was the marketing trend that offered the highest ROI, above experiential marketing, SEO, and short-form content. By leveraging the power of an influencer, who is already authentically connected with her audience and seen as a trusted source of information, you're able to spread brand awareness and drive sales. Micro-influencing in particular is a strong opportunity for brand endorsement. You could use your budget and resources to invest in traditional advertising, but it's often easier to create a more targeted, effective marketing campaign through influencer marketing. Ultimately, influencers have already cultivated an engaged, loyal following — by identifying the right influencers for your niche, you're much more likely to find followers who will truly enjoy and support your products or services. 5. Build an ad campaign. There are two reasons you might use Instagram ads: to spread brand awareness or to increase sales. It's critical you focus on one goal when creating an effective ad campaign. An Instagram ad aiming to sell a product will look vastly different from one intending to attract followers. For instance, consider this Greenchef ad that showed up on my Instagram feed. With various images of delicious food and an enticing "$40 OFF" discount, it's likely a high-converting ad. It's very clear what Greenchef's goal is: to get people to buy their product. YouTube, on the other hand, invested in Instagram ads for an entirely different reason. Their advertisements, featuring well-known singers like Camila Cabello, entice followers to simply follow YouTube Music's Instagram channel (and, ideally, YouTube's music channel itself). To implement an effective campaign, it's essential you decide what you're hoping to achieve before you begin creating it. Once you've chosen a goal, you'll want to create the ad creative. Similar to what we discussed in strategy one, you'll need to create high-value visual content if you want your ad to be successful. Take a look at other ads on Instagram and consider how you might emulate them. Additionally, A/B test multiple variations of the same ad (changing the copy, image, or targeted audience for each version), to figure out what works best for your business. When you're ready to create your ad, you'll need to use Facebook Ads Manager. Among other things, Ads Manager lets you narrow in on your target audience (including location, age, and various interests of your ideal demographic), choose your ad objective, and analyze ad performance. 6. Utilize shoppable posts. If you’re using Instagram for business, then, Shoppable Posts is one feature you’ll want to know well. It allows you to create posts and tag your products and/services to create a seamless shopping experience directly on the platform. It creates less friction for your followers, increasing the odds of turning them into customers. Before you begin executing these strategies, you’ll need one thing: an Instagram Business Profile. What is a business profile on Instagram?An Instagram business profile is a special account that Instagram offers to brands and organizations. With a business profile, you get access to additional features, such as Instagram Insights and the ability to run ads. A business profile legitimizes your Instagram account and enables you to add critical information like your company's business hours, location, and phone number. Pros and Cons of an Instagram Business Profile “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” you might be thinking. “I don’t know how I feel about committing to all that.” Here are some helpful pros and cons so you can determine if a business profile is right for you before jumping in: Pros Access to metrics on how your posts and stories perform. Ability to track how your followers engage with your content. Access to features necessary to run ad campaigns. Gain feature for adding URLs to Stories so you can send warm traffic to your site. Cons Being labeled as a business. May experience less organic reach and visibility. Must also have a Facebook account to access ad features. For most brands, the benefits of a business profile outweigh the cons due to the additional features and analytics. However, it’s important to consider your goals before taking action. How to Create a Business Instagram Profile In order to create a business profile on Instagram, you must first create a personal Instagram account and then switch it to a business profile. If you already have an Instagram account, skip to the next section for instructions on making the switch. If you don’t already have an Instagram account, there are two ways to get one: From the computer From a mobile device (IOS and Android) For detailed steps, check out our comprehensive article on how to create a business account on Instagram. How to Switch to Your Business Profile When you have an Instagram set up, follow these easy steps when you’re ready to make the switch: 1. Go to your profile on the mobile app. 2. Click the hamburger menu (three stacked horizontal bars) in the top right corner. 3. Click the "Settings" gear at the bottom of the menu. 4. Select Account. 5. Choose Linked Accounts. 6. Choose Facebook and follow the prompts to connect your business's Facebook page. If you do not have a Facebook Business Page, you will need to create one before completing this step. If your Facebook page is already linked, move on to the next step. 7. Once complete, return to the Settings menu. 8. Select Account. 9. Choose the new option "Switch to Professional Account." 10. Follow the prompts to add any additional details. 11. Select Done.You’re now ready to begin implementing your social media strategy on Instagram. From here, you’ll want to determine the audience you want to target, the aesthetic and tone you want to convey, and the content you want to create. Top Instagram Promotion Tactics of 2022 [Data] Audience Interaction On Instagram, the number one strategy marketers plan to leverage for the first time in 2022 is audience interaction. One of the most effective ways to do this is through IG Live. According to marketers surveyed, it offers the highest return on investment, out of all of Instagram’s features and tools. That’s why 22% of respondents are investing more in IG Live than any other format on the platform. Interacting with your audience offers so much more than just engagement. It helps build a sense of community with your followers and allows you to get to know them better. Content Engagement While audience interaction takes the #1 spot as the newest strategy, content engagement wins for the overall strategy marketers will invest the most in. On social media, engagement signals that your content is resonating with your audience. Whether it’s on an in-feed post, a Story, or a live stream, engagement can be a great indicator of your page’s health. In fact, 17% plan to invest more in it than any other strategy while 43% plan to use it for the first time this year. Wondering how to make your content more engaging? Try the funny route. Our research shows that funny content is most effective for audience growth, reach, and engagement. This adds up because funny content tends to be relatable, and that’s usually what gets someone to stop scrolling and pay attention. The format can also play a role in engagement, with most marketers posting more video than anything else on the platform. Eighty-two percent of marketers surveyed post video content on the platform and the content formats they use most are video-based. Stories is another tool that can be highly effective for marketers. In fact, those who leverage it are 23% more likely to say their 2021 IG strategy was effective. Product advertising With Instagram constantly expanding its shopping tools, it’s no surprise that a top goal for marketers is advertising their products and/or services. Our research suggests that the use of content centered around products and services will increase in 2022. For 39% of marketers, it will be their first time leveraging this type of content on the platform. Those who did prioritize this content in 2021 say that it offered the second-highest ROI of any content type on the platform. When it comes to IG shopping tools, 79% of marketers surveyed say they’ve used them, and 22% plan to invest in this feature the most. Whatever your goal is, whether it's increasing brand awareness or generating more revenue, using Instagram for business gets you one step closer to achieving it. While not all of Instagram's tools will offer a high ROI, they are all worth trying to see what works best for your audience. Editor's Note: This post was originally published in May 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Instagram isn't just a go-to social network for individuals anymore. Many marketers have caught wind that it's a powerful social network where they need to have some sort of presence.The platform's heavy emphasis on visual content like photos, videos, illustrations, and GIFs is becoming a critical way for brands to communicate their story and message. Plus, it's an excellent way for businesses to humanize their brand, recruit future employees, showcase their products and content, and delight and engage customers.Check out these 18 ideas for videos, photos, and other content you can post on Instagram. (And for more inspiration, check out our list of the best brands to follow on Instagram.)Things to post on InstagramBehind-the-Scenes ContentUser-generated ContentInspirational or Motivational QuotesInteresting StatisticsTimely or Current Events PostsHumorous Images or VideosCompelling Drawings or GraphicsContent PromotionsProduct PromotionsCompelling Videos, Reels, and StoriesHyperlapse VideosFun, Lighthearted GIFsContests and GiveawaysMosaicsAsks to Tag A FriendReposts From Your EmployeesCross-promotion of Another Social Media AccountWe’re Hiring.18 Content Ideas for Videos, GIFs Photos to Post on Instagram1. Behind-the-Scenes ContentInstagram is a great platform for humanizing your brand, and giving your audience a sneak peek at what goes on behind the scenes is one way to do that. It's also a good way to show followers what it's like to work there, which is great for your recruiting efforts.Here's an example from the Boston Red Sox, showing what batting practice looks like close-up (with a really cool, fish-eye shot).And here's one from a small arts and crafts store called Cherry Tree Beads. We love how this one uses the hashtag #employeetakeover to share one of the faces behind the brand, giving followers the chance to get to know who's on the inside.Pro Tip: Posting candid photos of your work environment can help humanize your business and allow your customers to connect with your employees, which can translate into stronger brand loyalty.2. User-generated ContentSome of the best photos on brands' Instagram accounts are curated by fans and followers. (In fact, FedEx 's Instagram feed is almost entirely made up of curated photos.)Check out the posts people have tagged you in, and if you love them, consider reposting them to your followers. Not only does it make the original poster feel good, but it also shows everyone that you're listening to your fans. Just be sure the photos you're reposting are high-quality and that you @-mention the original poster in your caption.Here's a reposted image from ASOS. Take note of how they write the caption: They write an entirely new caption, which includes a tidbit on how their followers can get featured on their Instagram page (by using the hashtag #AsSeenOnMe). Then, they credit the original poster using the camera emoji and the poster's username.To repost a photo on Instagram, you can simply screenshot and crop it. You can also repost a photo to your Instagram story by tapping the share icon below the post you want to repost and tapping “Add video to your story.”3. Inspirational or Motivational QuotesSome people poke fun at the number of quotes on Instagram. But if you post them sparingly, they tend to encourage your followers. If the post speaks to your audience, people love to share it and tag their friends in the comments. Quotes are also a great opportunity to share what your brand stands for, whether it's spiritual, inspiring, funny, or something else.To create a quote image, you'll want to download an app that lets you upload a photo and overlay it with text. Here are some good ones:Canva: A free app that you can use to create graphics with text overlays to share on social media.Phonto: A free app that you can use to overlay text on photos with text resizing, alignment, and positioning tools.Snapseed: A free app with professional photo editing tools that pairs fonts with different photo filters.You can also create a quote post through your Instagram story. To create a quote post on your Instagram story, simply upload an image from your gallery to use as a background and add a text overlay of the quote.Here are a few examples of quotes done well, starting with this one from TheSkimm. The key to this post's success is that it's hilarious to their specific audience — which shows that the quote doesn't have to be fancy to delight people.Here's a more beautifully designed quote from activewear brand Lorna Jane, which carries an empowering message from their founder:Pro Tip: Want to play around with words and images? WordFoto is a $2 app that lets you turn your pictures into images made of words instead of just adding words on top of photos.4. Interesting StatisticsAnother cool way to overlay text on an image is by posting a statistic that resonates with your audience. Try using statistics from your own research or finding some relevant to your message, your value proposition, and so on. (Read this blog post to learn how and where to find accurate, compelling data.)Here's an example from the meditation app Headspace, with a simple text box overlaying a colored, nondescript background.5. Timely or Current Events PostsIs something cool happening in the world or the country where your target market lives? A specific holiday? National Puppy Day? Get in on the action by posting something delightful. Remember to use good judgment when newsjacking — the last thing you want to do is publish inaccurate information or offend anyone.What are some examples of delightful, timely posts? Here's one from a Mediterranean restaurant called Cava Mezze Grill to celebrate Halloween.And here's a fun example from Starbucks for National Croissant Day.Pro Tip: Set up Google Alerts to get notified of breaking news related to your business’s industry. News stories are a great source of inspiration for timely social media posts.6. Humorous Images or VideosIf you can make your followers laugh, they'll likely enjoy your photo — and may even share it with others. After all, sometimes the most memorable photos are the ones that make us laugh.Try posting photos and images you think will make your audience laugh like Oreo did with this fake text message conversation with "Milk."Here's another example from BuzzFeed Parents, which shows how simple a super shareable post can be.And in this one from Pabst Blue Ribbon. All they did was put an empty case of Pabst beer on a dog’s head, and it worked like a charm.7. Compelling Drawings or GraphicsHave any artists on your team? One way to stand out in a sea of images is to post a cool, compelling illustration. They don't even have to be super fancy — check out this simple, black-and-white example from Oreo:Here's a more complex one from Pabst Blue Ribbon:8. Content PromotionsBeautiful images are critical to your Instagram marketing strategy because they tell a story and draw people in. Colored visuals increase people's willingness to read a piece of content by a whopping 80%.So if you're creating a piece of compelling written content like a recipe, a report, or a blog post, why not use a visual platform like Instagram to promote it?Simply pair an interesting and relevant image with a caption that promotes the content, and then ask people to follow the link in your bio or post description. (Again, be sure to make that link trackable.)Here's an example from Staples that promotes their hard-copy planners for National Planner Day:And here's an example from Nature's Path Organic, which shows off the finished product of a recipe that's linked in their bio:9. Product PromotionsInstagram isn't the place to publish product-centric posts every day — but that doesn't mean you can't use it to showcase products every once in a while. We suggest using the 80/20 rule on social media: 80% of the content you post to social media should be helpful and valuable to your audience, and 20% can be self-promotional.Making promotional content that’s fun, compelling, and lovable is even more important when posting on Instagram. To highlight a specific product, post a picture or video about it, and then tell people where they can find the product using the product names and codes or a trackable link in your bio.Here's an example from the online clothing company ASOS. (Check out how casual and cool the caption is.)Here's another one from Frank Body, which uses an image and some humor in the caption to pique followers' interest in the product without being overly promotional.Pro Tip: When you post is almost as important as what you post. We suggest posting to Instagram on Saturdays in the mid-to-late afternoon.10. Compelling Videos, Reels, and StoriesInstagram users can record and upload videos up to 60 seconds long, reels of multiple video clips that are each up to 15 seconds long, and stories composed of images and short videos that disappear after 24 hours.When executed well, videos, stories, and reels are a great way for your Instagram content to stand out. You can record a video from scratch (including recording multiple video clips) or upload videos to your feed, stories, or reels from your phone's library the same way you'd upload a photo.Pro Tip: By default, every Instagram video will start playing without sound — after which viewers can choose whether or not to turn the sound on. Because of this, you'll need to upload videos that don't need sound to be well understood or entice people to turn the sound in the first second or two.Here's a great video from Purina that delights viewers with some cute puppy love.11. Hyperlapse VideosWant to use video to stand out from the crowd while also solving for your followers' short attention spans? Try creating a Hyperlapse video.Hyperlapse is a free app by Instagram that condenses videos into brief, moving, hyper-speed videos. The videos use built-in stabilization technology to film these time-lapse videos without keeping your hands still. (Want to make your own? Here are step-by-step instructions.)Here's one of our favorite examples, which comes from Starbucks.12. Fun, Lighthearted GIFsGIFs are everywhere nowadays, and people love them because they help accurately convey ideas, messages, thoughts, and feelings in a snackable (and often laughable) way. On Instagram, you can upload a GIF just like a video (as long as it's less than 60 seconds long).Check out the examples of GIFs on Instagram below for some inspiration. (Click here for instructions for creating your own animated GIF using Photoshop.) Here's an example from Staples.And one from Starbucks.13. Contests and GiveawaysAre you trying to support the launch of a new product? Contests are one of the best ways to expand your reach and engage your community on Instagram. A study by Tailwind found that hosting an Instagram contest or giveaway can help you grow your followers 70% faster over three months than not holding a contest.Instagram doesn't make capturing leads and information from your followers easy, but a contest or giveaway is one way to do it.Just be sure to call your followers to take action by using the space in your caption to explain the contest and even guide them to a link in your bio.Pro Tip: Make the link trackable so you can see how much traffic your Instagram post is driving. Learn how to add a trackable link to your Instagram bio by reading #6 in this blog post.There are many, many different types of contests you can post on Instagram. Here are a few ideas, starting with the one below from Social Print Studio. Their call-to-action asks for comments on the post, from which they'll choose winners.Here's one from Root Well Being Studio asking people to enter a contest by liking the post and following their account. Participants can earn an extra entry by sharing the post to their Instagram story and tagging Root Well Being Studio.14. MosaicsNot many brands use this tactic, but it’s a really cool, unique user experience. It's also a clever way to get users to visit your business' account page.Most of your followers won't look at your Instagram photos from your account page, as they'll typically look at them in their Instagram feed.When you start scrolling through the images below from MyStory Wiesbaden in your feed, it may take you a second to figure out what’s happening. MyStory Wiesbaden posted snippets of a tattoo, which is a cool teaser that entices you to go to their main account page, where you can see the full picture.15. Asks to "Tag A Friend."While you can tag friends on Facebook and Twitter posts, it happens most regularly on Instagram. There's a culture around tagging your friends if you see a post that resonates with you or reminds you of someone. This helps you both increase engagement and broaden your reach.If you want to encourage your followers to share the post with others, sometimes all you've got to do is ask. In the caption, include a call-to-action asking people to tag their friends and give them a prompt to do so.For example, the post below from Rent the Runway asks followers to "Tag your future RTR BFF!"Our post below from LIKE.TG asked followers to tag their office coffee buddy.In this cute video from Headspace, they asked followers to tag someone they love to help celebrate Valentine's Day.Similar to asking your followers to tag a friend, you can ask them to "double-tap," which is how your followers can like your photo or video. The standard language for a request like this is: "Double-tap if..."In the example below from The Parentologist, she asks followers to double-tap if they’re looking for a last-minute gift for a parent, which is a fun way to engage her fans.16. Reposts From Your EmployeesReposting your employees is an awesome way to showcase what happens behind the scenes at your company, while really helping your followers "bond" with the people who work there.For example, the people behind the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park account often repost photos and videos from their grounds crew.New Look has a really cool approach: They repost Instagram content from their employees, who function as brand lifestyle ambassadors with accounts specifically associated with New Look. Their deputy manager @newlook_georgia and their dress designer @newlook_emilie are a couple of New Look’s employees who act as brand ambassadors.While the main New Look account posts mostly their own content, they often repost from their employees, like in the image below.17. Cross-promotion of Another Social Media AccountCross-promotion of other social media accounts on Instagram is a great way to let your Instagram followers know where else on social media they can find you. That way, you can get your Instagram followers to become your followers on Facebook, Twitter, and so on.18. "We're Hiring."Finally, let your followers know you're hiring every once in a while by posting a simple call-to-action on your Instagram page, including a trackable link to your jobs page in your bio.Here's an example of a "we're hiring" post from Arey’s Pond Boat Yard:Post Like A ProNow that we've gone over some tips to get your creativity flowing, it's time to create a post of your own. Use these content ideas for Instagram to increase brand awareness and connect with your community in new ways.Editor's note: This article was originally published in October 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Instagram has demonstrated tremendous growth, with its community reaching over 2 billion monthly users in 2021. Despite its impressive reach, many business owners are still overlooking its marketing potential. As a result, they're leaving high levels of engagement, brand awareness, and even profit on the table. But why? In just 12 months, we used Instagram to gain 400,000 followers for Foundr -- which translated to over 70,000 email subscribers. At the end of that period, we were averaging 30,000 call-to-action clicks per month from Instagram, and converting 30% of the users who landed on our website from our Instagram page into email subscribers. We've seen it work, now it's time for you to get in on the action. In this article, we’ll show you how to build your brand with Instagram. (If you're looking for more marketing tools and resources for your new business, check out our comprehensive guide on how to start a business.) How to Build A Brand on InstagramBuild an Instagram strategy.Experiment with the platform's features. Jump on trends.Invest in high-quality creative assets.Leverage strategic partnerships. Foster a community of highly engaged followers.Post regularly. Review your data and optimize your approach. Share your profile on other channels. Convert your followers into subscribers.Optimize your bio. 1. Build an Instagram strategy. We listed this as the first step because it is the most crucial step in building a brand on Instagram. If you lack a clear strategy, you’ll end up with low-performing content and a scattered feed as you struggle to brainstorm new ideas. To build your Instagram strategy, you’ll need to do four things: Determine your goals. Narrow down your target audience. Research your competition. Develop your content plan. 2. Experiment with the platform’s features. Instagram is constantly evolving. In fact, every week, the Head of Instagram shares a video discussing new features and product updates on the platform. In one of his latest videos, he announced that they were testing a subscription feature that would allow people to subscribe to their favorite creators and get access to exclusive Lives and Stories. In addition to all the new features the social platform tests, there are a lot of established tools, such as Live Rooms, shoppable posts, scheduled Lives, and hashtags – just to name a few. Our advice is to choose one to two features to test out every month. This will prevent you from getting overwhelmed and allow you to measure the impact of each feature. For instance, hashtags can help you reach users who don’t follow you but could be interested in your products and services. Don’t know how many to use? Data from our latest Instagram Engagement Report suggests brands should only use one hashtag per post. Another reason to test Instagram features is that it can help you reach more users. The platform has admitted to prioritizing accounts that use features the brand wants to highlight, such as Reels. It’s a win all around: You stay ahead of the curve, discover which features work for you, and you can expand your reach in the process. 3. Jump on trends. On social media, all it takes is one person’s video or sound to go viral for the rest of the world to join in with their own version. Most of these trends are fun and harmless with a lifespan of about three weeks or less. Why should you join in? Well, it’s an opportunity to connect with your audience in a creative and fun way. If you jump in as the trend is rising, it can also give you a quick boost in engagement and reach. When considering joining any trend, there are two things you want to ask: How can I bring this back to my business and/or industry to make it relatable to my audience? What is the origin of this trend and could it go against our company values? 4. Invest in high-quality creative assets. A great Instagram post can be boiled down to a formula and requires two elements: beautiful imagery and engaging text. Beautiful Imagery Choose images that tell a story or elicit emotion. This image we shared is not only compelling and interesting, but it also elicits emotion and therefore drives engagement from our followers. What this will look like for your business will depend on your industry, but think outside of posting images of your own products and services. Posting about yourself repeatedly on social media is like being that person at a party who talks constantly about themselves. Also, beware of copyright issues. If the image is not your own, request permission to use it or source non-attribution-required photos. (Check out this awesome list of royalty-free stock photos here.) Engaging Copy While you don’t have to add text to your Instagram posts, doing so packs a punch that just an image won’t provide. Think of your caption as an additional way to reel in your followers and keep them engaged. It’s a place to add context, share more information, ask a question, and invite comments. 5. Leverage strategic partnerships. One of the biggest frustrations for most marketers delving into Instagram is that they don’t know how to build a following. After all, without a large number of followers, how can it possibly be an effective marketing channel? There’s one tactic in particular that we used to quickly grow our Instagram following to 10,000 in just a couple of weeks: partnering with other Instagram accounts. Are we talking about co-marketing or influencer marketing? Both because they lead to the same result: Expanding your reach. In addition, both require you to: Conduct research to see if their audience aligns with yours. Review your business goals and determine the KPIs for the partnership. Collaborate on a content strategy. For example. LIKE.TG recently teamed up with @ntwrk to celebrate Women’s History Month and promote the Grow Better mission. Now that Instagram allows the same post to be shared by two profiles, brands can co-market easily on the platform. Followers from both accounts will view the post, increasing each one’s reach and engagement. 6. Foster a community of highly engaged followers. Engagement on Instagram comes in many forms, including followers sharing your content, liking and commenting, tagging their friends, and clicking on your calls to action. In this section, we'll go over some of our tactics for fostering a community. Post When Your Followers Will Actually See Your Content Have you ever posted something to social media that you think will do really well, only to be met with crickets? Low likes, low shares, and the only comments you landed were from spambots. While it's easy to assume you miscalculated the potential of the post, it could just be that you posted the update at the wrong time. The easiest way to know when your followers will be active on the app is to head over to your insights dashboard. If you have a business account (you should), you can learn valuable insights about your audience’s demographics and behavior on the app, including location, age, gender, and activity. From there, you can schedule your posts based on your audience’s most active days and times. Invite the Engagement A lot of brands will start Instagram accounts and become frustrated when people aren't engaging with their content. It seems so obvious and simple, but sometimes actually asking for your audience to engage makes all the difference. You can either include the action you want your followers to take as part of the image itself, or include it in the caption. Take a look at this example from clothing brand Grass Fields. In their post, they share design images and ask their followers to name their favorites in the comments. Not only do they get real-time feedback on their product, but they also get great engagement on the post. 7. Post regularly. When a user is scrolling on the app, you are competing for their attention along with millions of other brands. Because of this, visibility is key. With so many ways to share content, from Reels to Stories to Lives, there are a lot of opportunities to reach your audience – each demanding a different level of effort and preparation. This is good news for brands, especially small ones. While it’s recommended that you share on the platform every day, you can choose how you share based on your bandwidth and which methods are offering the beinstst ROI. For instance, an in-feed post likely requires more work than a Story since it will live on your profile. With a Story, you can quickly engage your audience through a quick poll, a question, a reshared post knowing that it will disappear after 24 hours. A good rule of thumb: Publish an in-feed post three to four times a week and share on Stories every day. 8. Review your data and optimize your approach. If you’re already following all the tips we’ve outlined above and you’re still struggling to get meaningful traction on the app, the answer could be in your data. Too often, brands get stuck in one approach and don’t review their data to see if it’s actually working. Your Instagram Insights dashboar d offers a wealth of information on how each post performed, including impressions, accounts reached, content interactions, and profile activity. For instance, say you’ve been posting images for the past month, then you post one video and it outperforms 60% of your previous posts. That’s an indication that your audience may respond better to video content. It’s worth experimenting with more videos. If you don’t analyze your performance and look for optimization opportunities, there’s a good chance you’ll reach a plateau with no idea how to get out of it. 9. Share your Instagram profile on other channels. As you work to grow your following on Instagram, you can also drive traffic to your profile externally. One way to entice users to follow your page on that platform is by hosting a giveaway or sharing exclusive content. In addition, don’t be afraid to promote your Instagram on other social platforms. For instance, your website could include a section with your Instagram feed along with a call-to-action to follow your page. You can also include a link to your Instagram profile in your email marketing campaigns. Wherever you have an online presence, be sure to share the link to your profile so that your audience knows where to find you. 10. Convert your followers into subscribers. As you know, email marketing is crucial to a thriving business. Instagram has been an important driver of email subscribers for Foundr, converting around 15,000–30,000 followers into subscribers each month, depending on our promotions. If you’re familiar with Instagram’s limitations, you may be wondering how this is possible. After all, Instagram doesn’t allow links in photo descriptions. That’s where a well-crafted bio comes into play. Many businesses find it difficult to get followers to click the links in their bios because the tendency is to overload bios with ... well, junk. Break that pattern by writing your bio like you'd write a Tweet: short, useful, and packed with intention. Here’s what we’ve chosen as our bio: In your bio, you can include a URL that takes users to a link tree or a direct link to your subscription landing page. Once you’ve put the systems into place, start driving followers to your bio by including calls-to-action in your content. 11. Optimize your bio. When it comes to Instagram, many overlook the bios and focus on having great content. But your bio is a key point of discoverability so it’s essential you give it some love too. Say someone is looking for something specific on the platform, with an optimized bio, you’ll make sure your profile shows up in the search results. This means including a business category, a short description of your brand, and a few keywords related to your brand or industry. How many followers do you need to build a brand on Instagram? The beauty of social media is that there’s no minimum requirement to get started. This means that you don’t need any followers to get started building your brand. In fact, that’s how most brands start. Unless you’re launching a sub-brand or using your personal brand to promote your new brand, you will have to organically grow your followers by using the strategies outlined above. The key to success is consistency. Nothing will work if you do it for a month and give up. By remaining consistent, you increase your chances of reaching your audience and building a community. Best Way to Build a Brand on Instagram Instagram is a social platform with tremendous potential for businesses in almost any industry. All it takes is a robust strategy, high-quality content, and the ability to pivot when needed. It won’t happen overnight, but as long as you stay consistent, you’ll start to see your following grow and your community building. This can have a significant impact on your reach, brand awareness, and ultimately the revenue of your company. Editor's Note: This post was originally published in Dec 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Instagram Insights shows you engagement analytics that empower you to improve your Instagram for Business strategy. You no longer have to guess about what works for your audience; Instagram Insights will tell you. You’ll therefore be able to get more likes, earn more followers, and grow your profile exponentially. In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know about Instagram Insights(also known as Instagram Analytics)and how to leverage it to improve your Instagram profile. New Data: Instagram Engagement Report [Free Download] What is Instagram Insights?Instagram Insights is a feature that allows Instagram Business Account users to see analytics related to their profile and posts. From this data, you'll be able to identify what your audience likes and engages with the most to improve your Instagram strategy. Why use Instagram Insights? Instagram Insights allows you to get access to important user engagement data for your business profile. It’s not just enough to know the raw numbers, such as the amount of likes you get for one post. It’s important to understand your audience, too. That’s where Insights comes in. It tells you how they do things, what they prefer, and who they are. You can certainly make business decisions based on gut feeling, but you're much more likely to hit the mark when you can validate assumptions with cold, hard facts. Data and analytics help you measure the impact of your marketing efforts across different channels to see if there's something you need to do differently — like target a different audience, post at a certain time of day, or experiment with a new content format. Social media isn't any different from other aspects of your marketing in the sense that it can be measured and improved upon. That's why you'll be able to create a more effective Instagram strategy using Instagram Insights. To use Instagram Insights, you must first have a business profile. The good news? If you're already using a personal account, you can switch to a business profile right from your phone. Here's how to convert your account in a few simple steps. How to Get Access to Instagram InsightsOpen up your profile on the Instagram app.Access the Settings page.Tap 'Account.'Click 'Switch to Professional Account.'Choose your category and click 'Done.'Optional: Switch to a Business account.Optional: Connect your Facebook page. 1. Open up your profile on the Instagram app. You can convert your Instagram profile to a Business account directly from your Instagram mobile app. First up, open up the app and click on your profile picture on the bottom right-hand corner of your feed. 2. Access the Settings page. Next, it’s time to head to Settings. On your profile, click the hamburger icon on the top-right corner. On the pop-up, click “Settings.” 3. Tap "Account." A list menu will come up. Tap “Account.” 4. Click "Switch to Professional Account”. By switching to a Professional account, you can get access to Insights immediately — even if you’re not a business. 5. Choose your category and click “Done.” Choose the best category that describes you. Once you’re finished, click “Done.” After, go back to your profile. Here’s what it will look like: As you can see, you can immediately access Insights with a Professional account. If you’re a freelancer or content creator, you can stay as is, or you can take the extra step of switching to a Business account. 6. Optional: Switch to a Business account. If you’re a business, organization, or brand, you’ll want to take the additional step of turning your Professional account into a Business account. A Professional account gives you full access to Insights, but is designed for independent digital creators. A Business account is more apt for companies. Note that turning your account into a Professional account always comes before switching to a Business account. To turn your account into a Business account, click the hamburger menu in the top right corner of your profile. Click “Settings,” then “Account.” At the bottom, click “Switch Account Type.” Then click “Switch to Business Account.” Done! You’re now a Business account with access to Insights. 7. Optional: Connect your Facebook page. Lastly, if you have a Facebook Business page, it’s important to connect it to your Instagram Business or Professional account. To do so, go to your profile and click the “Edit Profile” button. Under “Profile Information,” click “Connect Facebook page.” Follow the prompts to connect your Page or create a new one. Be sure to already have a Facebook account prior to connecting your page. Click here for instructions for setting up your Facebook Page if you don't already have one. Once you’ve set up your Professional or Business Account, you can begin to use Instagram Insights. Before we get into specific instructions for using it, however, here are the analytics on this channel that marketers need to know and understand — and how to use them. Instagram Insights Explained Let’s look at Instagram Insights from a bird’s eye view and zoom in piece-by-piece. Insights Overview Insights Overview is the “home page” of Instagram Insights. Here, you’ll see how you’ve fared overall. You get several pieces of information on this page: Date Range: This represents the days and weeks of data on the screen. You can change the amount of time by clicking “Last 7 days” on the top left-hand corner. Information: If you’re ever lost or don’t know what something means, you can click on the “i” button on the top right-hand corner and get definitions for the terms on the screen. Accounts Reached: Accounts Reached refers to the number of unique users who have seen your content — posts, stories, reels, videos, Live videos, and promoted ads — at least once. Accounts Engaged: Accounts Engaged refers to the amount of users whom 1) you’ve reached and 2) interacted with your content in some way. Interactions can include likes, saves, comments, shares, and replies. Total Followers: Total Followers refers to the number of people who follow you. Content You Shared: This section gives you the overall number of posts, Stories, reels, videos, Live videos, and promotions that you’ve shared. Now, let’s go into “Accounts Reached,” “Accounts Engaged,” and “Total Followers” in more detail. Accounts Reached In Accounts Reached, you’ll see more specific information about the users who have seen your content and interacted with your profile in some way or form. Lets’ break down the different pieces of information you’ll find in this page. Reached Audience: The reached audience section shows you how many unique users have come across your content. Your reached audience will be broken down by follower status, gender, age, countries, and cities. You can also see the amount of people you’ve reached via ads and promotions. Content Reach: The content reach section allows you to see which types of posts have reached the greater amount of people. You’ll first see a graph with the number of people who’ve seen your posts, stories, reels, IGTV videos, and Live videos. Underneath, you’ll see your individual top-performing posts based on reach. Impressions: Impressions refers to the number of times all of your posts have been viewed — including repeat views by the same users. Profile Activity: Profile activity breaks down the actions users take after visiting your profile. You can see the number of website taps, business address taps, call button taps, email button taps, and text button taps. For these metrics to show up, however, you have to have set up those buttons. Accounts Engaged Accounts engaged refers to the number of users who interacted with your content beyond just watching it or scrolling past it. Let’s break down the sections on this page. Engaged Audience: The engaged audience section shows you how many unique users have liked, commented, saved, shared, or replied to your content. Your engaged audience will be broken down by follower status, gender, age, countries, and cities. Content Interactions: The content interactions section shows you the total number of times people have liked, commented, saved, shared, or replied to your content. It then breaks down this number on a per-post basis. You’ll also see your top-performing posts per category. Total Followers The total followers page of Instagram Insights allows you to see the total number of users who follow you. You can also see follows, unfollows, top locations, age ranges, and genders. Under total followers and its demographic breakdown, you’ll then see one more section: most active times. Most Active Times: The most active times section shows you the hours and days that your followers are most often on Instagram. This allows you to determine the best times to post so you can engage the greatest amount of followers. How to See Post Insights on InstagramTo see post insights on Instagram, navigate to your Instagram profile and click the button that says “Insights” right above your posts. Alternatively, click the hamburger menu on the top right-hand corner and tap Insights. There, you’ll be able to see Insights for all of your posts, reels, live videos, and more. Next, let’s go over how you can see insights for individual posts on Instagram. How to See Insights for an Individual Post Navigate to your profile. Navigate to the individual post you’d like to see insights for. At the bottom of the post, there will be a banner. Tap View Insights. You can now see how many likes, comments, shares, and saves your post received. How to See Insights for a Reel Navigate to your profile. Navigate to the individual reel you’d like to see insights for. At the bottom of the reel, there will be a banner. Tap View Insights. You can now see how many plays, likes, comments, shares, and saves your reel received. How to See Insights for a Story If your Story is currently live on your profile: Navigate to your profile. Click on your profile picture. Scroll up on the story. You’ll immediately access insights for that Story, including replies, exits, link clicks, forwards, and more. If your Story has already expired or more than 24 hours have passed: Navigate to your profile. Tap the Insights action button at the top of your post grid. Under Content You Shared, tap the row of Stories you’ve shared in the past. Swipe up on the individual story you’d like to see insights for. How to See Insights for a Live Video If you’ve just finished your Live video: Tap View Insights immediately after finishing your video. You’ll now be able to see the number of viewers, likes, drop-offs, comments, and other interactions. If you broadcasted your Live video in the past: Navigate to your profile. Tap the Insights action button at the top of your post grid. Under Content You Shared, tap the row of Live videos you’ve shared in the past. Click on the old Live video you’d like to see insights for. How to See Insights for a Video Navigate to your profile. Click the Play triangle button (▶) right above your post grid. Tap the video you’d like to see insights for. Tap the horizontal (⋯) or vertical (⋮) three dots on the corner of the video. Tap View Insights in the pop-up menu. Next, we'll get into how to use Instagram Insights in your day-to-day. How to Use Instagram Insights Instagram Insights is a fantastic tool, but it can be hard to know what to do once you gain access. Here are some of the most useful ways you can use Insights as you grow your Instagram profile. 1. Measure reach. Click the Accounts Reached section. As mentioned, reach reflects the number of unique users that have seen any of your Instagram posts. Within this category, you'll see insights for: Top Posts: The posts that generated the most reach. Top Stories: The Instagram Stories posts that generated the most reach. Top IGTV Videos: The IGTV videos that generated the most reach. Impressions: How many times your posts were seen. Profile Activity: Profile visits, website taps, and other activity. Some of these insights can be expanded for more insights. 2. Track profile visits and followers. On the Accounts Reached page under Account Activity, you'll be able to see Profile Visits. Profile Visits reflects the number of times your profile has been viewed. Find out how many of your profile visitors are turning into followers by dividing your number followers by the number of visitors. Track this number over time to find out whether your “conversion rate” is increasing or decreasing. 3. Determine website clicks. Website Taps can also be found under Accounts Reached > Profile Activity. This insight reflects the number of times any links you've included in your business profile have been clicked. 5. Track content interactions. Navigate back to Insights Overview and tap Accounts Engaged. This will bring up a page that shows how your content is performing in terms of engagement, breaking down the metrics by content type. Likes speaks for itself, reflecting the number of users who liked your post. As with likes, Comments reflects the number of comments left on your post. Saves highlights the number of unique users or accounts who saved your post. If any of these numbers are low, it’s important to reevaluate your Instagram strategy. 6. Track your followers. Navigate back to Insights Overview and click Total Followers. You'll then reach the Follower Breakdown page. This page reflects how many followers you've gained or lost over the past week, as well as the average times of day when your followers are using Instagram — data that can be highly beneficial when planning posts. 7. Learn which actions were taken on your post. To view insights for a specific Instagram post, start by visiting your profile. Tap on the post you'd like to look into, then click View Insights below the image Under the “Profile Activity” section, you’ll find out the number of actions that users took on your profile as a result of seeing your post — things like visiting your profile, then taking an action like clicking on your website link or following you. 8. Use "Reach" to see where your post showed up in feeds. Previously named “Discovery,” Reach indicates where your post was seen — or discovered — the most, including how many accounts weren't already following you when they first saw the post. This section includes metrics on Impressions, which reflect the number of times your post was discovered from a particular place within Instagram, like the user's home feed, a search, your profile, a location tag, or a hashtag. Reach insights also include data on a post's reach — which reflects the number of unique accounts that saw your post. 9. View Story insights. Instagram users with a business profile are able to view insights into their ephemeral Stories. To view your Story insights, navigate back to Insights and scroll down to Content You Shared section on the Insights Overview page. Scroll down to the Stories section, and you'll be able to see insights for older stories, as well as any that have not yet expired. Next, we'll get into the more specific insights you can explore. Impressions This insight represents how many times your Story was seen. When viewing these insights, keep in mind that you're able to add multiple images or videos to your Story. When you do this, every piece of visual content in your Story is counted as a single photo or video in your post. Let's say you add six photos to your Story. Whether someone only views one or views all six, Instagram only counts your entire Story having received one impression. The same goes for Story content that has been viewed by a single user more than once. Instagram still only counts that interaction as the entire Story having received one impression. Reach This insight reflects the number of unique users that have seen your Story. Taps Forward This insight reflects the number of times a user taps your Story photo or video to skip to the next piece of media. Taps Back This insight reflects the number of times a user taps your Story photo or video to go back to the previous piece of media. Replies This insight reflects the number of times users send messages through the Send Message text box on your Story. Swipe Aways This insight reflects the number of times users swipe to skip to the next account’s Story — not to be mistaken for "tap forward," which reflects users skipping ahead to your next piece of Story media. Exits This insight reflects the number of times a user leaves the Stories section entirely to return to the home feed. Measuring Your Effectiveness With Instagram Insights Now that you know how to access data to inform your strategy with Instagram Insights, you can analyze that data and determine what's working for your audience (and what's not). From there, creating content that gets a ton of engagement will be a lot easier as you consider those benchmarks. Editor's Note: This post was originally published in January 2018 but has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Instagram has been around for 11 years. While the app was initially meant for still images, content creators and everyday users can now share photos and videos in various forms, like Story posts, Instagram Reels, and longer-form videos on IGTV. Although there are many content types to post on the app, simply leveraging one of the options isn’t enough to find marketing success on the platform. This is because, no matter how high-quality the content you share, the Instagram algorithm determines what succeeds on the app and what doesn’t. While Instagram doesn’t disclose all the factors that the algorithm uses to assess content, they have released general information about what the algorithm looks for. In this post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the algorithm to succeed on the app, from the factors that play into it and tips and tricks to use to make sure your content doesn’t go unnoticed. What is the Instagram algorithm?The Instagram algorithm studies user behavior on the app and uses your previous activity to decide what content you see on your feed and explore page and how others on the platform see your content. Essentially, the algorithm controls your organic reach. As a business, unless you’re entirely reliant on paid ads, it’s essential to understand how the algorithm works and what you need to do to ensure that it favors your content and shows your posts to your target audience. Below we’ll explain how the Instagram algorithm works and the factors it assesses when surfacing your content in news feeds. How does the Instagram algorithm work? If you’re a frequent Instagram user, you may have heard people say something like “Bring back reverse chronological order!” when talking about the algorithm. What they’re referring to is when Instagram showed the most recent posts at the top of someone's feed and older ones at the bottom. It was great for creators and Instagram users because, at some point, your post would be at the top of all of your followers' feeds, so they would be guaranteed to see it. However, in March 2016, the algorithm changed. Instagram said, “People miss, on average, 70 percent of their feeds. As Instagram has grown, it has become harder to keep up with all the photos and videos people share. This means you often don’t see the posts you might care about the most.” It’s no longer a question of when you post, but a variety of factors that we’ll discuss below: relationship, timing, frequency, following, usage, interest. Instagram Algorithm Factors Relationship Perceived relationships are the most important ranking factor. The algorithm prioritizes sharing content with you based on the relationships you have with the accounts you follow. The more you comment, like, and interact with an account on Instagram, the more likely you will see their content, and see it often. The algorithm also notes people you direct message, accounts you search for, and photos you’re tagged in. The relationship factor applies to brands as well. If a consumer regularly likes your content and interacts with it, repeat engagement will make your posts shown to them more often and closer to the top of their feed. This means that it’s essential for you to inspire engagement in your content, which we’ll discuss further below. Timing Although feeds aren’t chronological, the algorithm still wants users to see the most recent and relevant posts, especially from accounts that you have a stronger, established relationship with. Timing just means that you’re not as likely to see a post from three weeks ago as you were before 2016. You can leverage this factor to your advantage by using your profile analytics to discover the best time to post on Instagram, helping you meet your followers when they’re most active on the app and more likely to engage. Frequency Frequency refers to how often a user opens the Instagram app. Frequent users will see a more chronological feed, but those who seldom open the app will see posts most relevant to their interests and relationships since last opening the app. Following Following many people means that the algorithm has more content to choose from when surfacing posts in a feed. When this happens, they prioritize relationships, engagement, and perceived interests. Again, this factor emphasizes the importance of generating a relationship with your audience, encouraging engagement, and posting at the right times. Usage The usage factor is similar to frequency, as it relates to how much time is spent on the app. Those who do quick browsing sessions will see what the algorithm determines to be the day’s highlights based on the factors mentioned above, while those who spend more time on the app will see a more significant number of posts. Frequent browsers may even run out of content to see, at which point the algorithm will suggest new posts and accounts based on your interactions and engagement history. Interest Instagram makes many content recommendations, so a portion of the content users see is based on the app's understanding of their interest in specific topics. If it detects that you always like, comment, and interact with posts around similar topics, you’ll see those posts first. Users who engage with content similar to what you post are also more likely to be shown your posts, and vice versa. While not a direct factor that Instagram has noted as an algorithm factor in 2016, engagement does play a significant role in the algorithms process. How Instagram's Algorithm Uses Engagement In addition to all of the above factors, engagement plays a significant role in how the Instagram algorithm prioritizes and surfaces content to users. The most important engagement metrics are comments, likes, shares, and video views. Here is a breakdown of how engagement factors into the algorithm: 1. When you first post a photo, it’s shown to a small percentage of your audience. 2. Instagram measures how quickly that photo is interacted with, i.e., comments and likes. 3. Instagram compares the engagement that your post gets to other content you’ve shared at similar times and days. For example, is your post from today at 10 am getting more or less traffic than your post from last Monday at 10 am? The app compares to similar times to ensure accuracy when evaluating your engagement metrics, especially since certain times bring better results. 4. If your photo attracts a lot of engagement, Instagram will show it to a higher percentage of your audience and maybe even share it on explore pages. 5. If your post continues to attract engagement, your photo will stay at the top of your audience’s news feeds and reach more people. If it doesn’t attract a lot of initial attention, less of your audience will see your post. Instagram Algorithm Update 2021 The 2016 algorithm update was almost a complete overhaul to how the algorithm works, so it is the most notable, publicized, and confirmed by Instagram. Unfortunately, since then, Instagram doesn’t always make it public when they’ve changed the algorithm. So, if you notice changes to your engagement and reach, it is most likely not the result of an algorithm change but most likely due to the app's growth. There are so many accounts on the platform, and as people follow more and more users, competition on the app grows. It becomes more difficult to quickly generate a significant amount of engagement, which in turn impacts how, where, and when your posts are shown in your audience's feed. This is one of the many reasons why it’s important to monitor your Instagram analytics. Instagram Algorithm Recent Changes That being said, the most recent update to the algorithm as of 2021 is the removal of like counts on people's photos. The update hasn't yet been made available to all Instagram users, but it would effectively remove a total like count from a user's photo and instead display only the usernames of people that have liked the post. Users who post a photo still have the option to see the number of likes a photo has received, though. Instagram is making this update because they believe it will do numbers to diminish bullying on the app and protect users from being influenced by social pressure that says they need to get a certain amount of likes on their posts. How to Get Your Posts Shown Higher on Instagram Although there is not much you can do to beat the algorithm, or so to speak, there are ways to get your posts shown higher on Instagram. Post when you know your audience is most active. Like all social media platforms, one of the easiest ways to generate immediate engagement is to post content when you know your followers are most active, as they’re already browsing the app and ready to see what you have to offer. To get this information, you can use the native Instagram Analytics tool available to all users with business accounts or another option like Marketing Hub. If you’re new to the app, it will be challenging to get this information right away, so come back to this tip after you’ve spent enough time on the app to get valuable, actionable analytics. Post content you know your audience likes. Again, use your analytics. Understand the content that your audience engages with the most, whether it’s high-quality product photos, behind-the-scenes content, or Instagram Reels. Use this to your advantage, and continue creating content that they enjoy as they’re more likely to interact with something they like. Use business-relevant hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to signal to the algorithm about your content, which can help surface your profile to audience members interested in the hashtags you use. Don’t overload your hashtag use, but aim to use them in all of the content you share on Instagram, from Stories to IGTV to photo captions. Encourage engagement and interaction. Interaction on your profile will come naturally, but encouraging engagement and interaction with the content you share can be valuable in getting the algorithm to work for you. Create engaging captions that entice users to comment on your posts, ask for likes and shares, and be in conversation with those who interact to inspire loyalty and entice them to return. You can also place interactive elements in your Instagram Stories, like polls, stickers, and emojis. The benefits of this are twofold, as your customers will be interacting with your content, and you’ll also learn more about their interests and desires based on the responses they give. Stay consistent. One of the most important things to do to take control over the algorithm is to stay consistent on the app. Develop an Instagram-specific posting schedule, and stick to it. It’ll help you stay continuously active on the platform, which allows your followers to continuously engage with your content, which helps the algorithm learn more and more about your account. The more information they have, and the more engagement they see, the higher you will be on your followers’ feeds. Instagram Story Algorithm Instagram Stories appear at the top of a user’s feed. The Stories algorithm prioritizes timeliness, and you’re most likely to see the most recent stories from the accounts you engage and interact with the most. The accounts that the algorithm thinks you have the strongest relationships with will always have their Stories shown before all other stories. For businesses, this means that it’s essential to maintain an active presence on Instagram Stories and to encourage engagement within your Stories, like polls and asking questions. Instagram Explore Algorithm The feed algorithm and Explore page algorithm are relatively similar, as they both show content that Instagram thinks you’ll be most interested in based on your previous app activity. The main difference is that feed content features accounts you’re familiar with and following, while the Explore page is content from new accounts. You can think of it like this: if one of your favorite things to do on Instagram is watch food videos, your feed will display content from the accounts with food videos that you interact with the most. Your explore page would also contain food videos since the algorithm knows you like them, but you won’t follow those accounts already. The explore page is based entirely on interests, so, as a business, it’s important to share content related to your brand and utilize elements that would tell the algorithm who to show your content to, like relevant hashtags. Succeeding on Instagram is not just about posting content regularly. You also need to understand how the algorithm works and leverage its makeup to your advantage. While changes to the algorithm will always happen, staying on top of the trends will help you ensure that you’re prepared for them when they do.

After months of testing, Instagram announced a big change to its user interface (UI) in late 2020: replacing the user "Activity" tab with the "Shop" tab, the social platform's latest move to be more business-friendly. It's a big evolution from where the feature was just a few years ago. Today, it's infinitely easier for users to shop products from brands without ever leaving the app. So, how exactly does the tool work and how can you leverage it to generate revenue? Find out everything you need to know in the sections below. Why Your Business Should Sell on Instagram Thanks to the Instagram shoppable posts feature and other supportive tools (like the product wishlist, product launch reminder, and shopping stickers on Instagram Stories), users can go through the entire buyer's journey, from discovery to checkout. Social media platforms are typically seen as great brand awareness tools. However, Instagram's new integrations have made it a big revenue driver. A 2019 Facebook study revealed that 54% of respondents purchased items in the moment or some time after seeing a product or service on Instagram. And it's not only direct-to-consumer brands that can benefit from using Instagram's shopping features. A Q4 2020 report by HootSuite revealed that 36.2% of B2B decision-makers use the app to source new products and/or services. Shoppable posts are marked with a clickable shopping bag icon that displays the product information and the "View Products" call-to-action to visit the brand's Shop page. This creates a seamless experience for the user and allows you to advertise your products without being too promotional. How to Sell on Instagram Meet the eligibility criteria.Upload your product catalog.Submit your account for review. 1. Meet the eligibility criteria. There are a few eligibility requirements you must check off before you start selling on Instagram. You must: Be located in one of these markets. Have an Instagram business or creator account. Sell physical goods that comply with Instagram's merchant agreement and commerce policies. Connect your Instagram account to a Facebook Business Page. Once you meet the above requirements, follow the steps below. 2. Upload your product catalog. Your catalog is a file that contains the products you want to sell along with their information, such as pricing and description. There are two ways to upload your product catalog: Take the do-it-yourself route through the Facebook Business Manager by manually adding the items. Connect to an ecommerce platform partner, such as Shopify or BigCommerce. Find a full list of compatible partners here. How to Upload Your Products Manually To create a catalog through Facebook, you must first have a Facebook Business Manager account, which is different from a Business page. From there, head to the Commerce Manager and set up your catalog. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it. It's very important to keep your product catalog synced with your Instagram Page, and that your product descriptions and prices are accurate. If you're running a sale or promotion, be sure to update your product catalog to reflect it. How to Upload Your Products through an Ecommerce Platform A second way to connect your Instagram Business Profile to a Facebook catalog is to do it through an ecommerce platform. Here are the steps using two popular platforms. Shopify Before you get started, you need to have the Facebook sales channel (included in all paid Shopify plans) installed on your Shopify store, which creates a Shop tab on your Facebook page. For specific details on how to connect your Facebook page to your Shopify account, you can view the Shopify guide here. Once you've done the above, you can easily add the Instagram Sales Channel to your Shopify store, which connects the products from your Shopify page to your Instagram business profile. To do this, head to your Shopify admin and click on the "+" button located beside the "Sales Channels" heading. Next, on the "Add sales channel" dialogue, click "Instagram" and then "Add channel." You'll need to log into your Facebook account page to authenticate your Instagram account in the sales channel. Once the Instagram Sales Channel is installed, you can enable the feature in your settings on Instagram. BigCommerce Start by opening Channel Manager on your BigCommerce account and click "Get Started" next to Facebook. On the next screen, confirm that you're using a compatible currency, sign up for a Facebook account (if you don't have one), review the product requirements, then click "Get Started." Next, fill out your details on the Configuration page, including your business' contact email, phone number, and the Facebook Page you'd like your shop to appear on. Here's the complete BigCommerce guide on how to do it. Once Facebook approves your catalog, head back to Channel Manager, click "Get Started" next to Instagram, and confirm that your store meets the requirements. 3. Submit your account for review. Once you've connected your product catalog to your Instagram account, you can submit your account for approval. 1. Go to your professional dashboard. Once there, click on "Set Up Instagram Shopping." 2. On the setup page, click on "Get Started."3. Select your catalog. 4. Review the details and click "Submit for Review." The approval process can take a few days. You may also need to provide additional information, such as domain verification. How to Tag Products with Instagram Shoppable Posts Once you get access to shoppable posts on Instagram and you've completed all the steps listed above, adding tags to your posts is quick and easy. 1. Upload your image and once you're done editing, hit "Next." 2. Click on "Tag Products." 3. Tap on the item in your image you want to tag. 4. Search for the product and select it. 5. Click on "Done" and share the image. Have an older post that still gets good traction, but doesn't have a shoppable tag? You can tag products in both new and existing posts from your Instagram Business Profile, up to five products per single image post or 20 products per multi-photo (or carousel) post. How to Optimize Your Posts for Shoppable Purchases 1. Create posts that feel natural to the Instagram feed. While selling on Instagram is easier than ever, remember that your audience shouldn't feel like they are being sold to. You should maintain their current content strategy, incorporating shoppable tags on photos that are a natural fit for your profile. 2. Leverage influencer content. A great way to organically add shopping tags to your post is by leveraging posts from consumers. Studies show consumers trust influencers much more than brands and these posts serve as social proof, i.e., credibility and validation for the brand. For example, Fe Noel recently reposted this post from a fashion influencer and added the product tag. You can also optimize your Instagram sales strategy by using influencer posts. Influencer collaborations and sponsorships have nearly replaced traditional ads and are a huge part of social media strategies today. 55% of fashion shoppers have purchased a fashion item after seeing it promoted on the platform, according to a 2020 post from Instagram's creator account. Below, popular fashion model Michelle Dee is shown sporting a Herschel Supply suitcase on the brand's profile: An Instagram influencer's stamp of approval goes a long way and is a great strategy to drive sales from your Instagram shoppable posts. 3. Optimize your post with multiple tags. Lastly, including multiple shopping tags in your photos will help your audience explore and browse through your products quickly. You can also try adding shopping tags to carousel posts to test their performance against single-photo posts. 4. Activate the Shop page on your Instagram profile. Create at least nine shoppable posts to activate the "Shop" tab on your Instagram profile. This will group all your shoppable posts under one tab for easy shopping and product discovery. Measuring the Results of Your Shoppable Posts Instagram business accounts have access to analytics for their shoppable posts, including data on how many people viewed product information and clicked through to the product page. This information helps determine what type of products resonate with your Instagram followers and identify gaps in the buyer's journey. As with all of your social media marketing efforts, you should measure performance data to see what drives the best results (and why) and use that to inform future posts. Once your business begins selling on Instagram, keep experimenting with images, copy, shopping tags, and other factors that may contribute to your sales. No matter what type of products you sell, delving into your analytics allows you to understand your audience's wants, improves your content, and ultimately helps you drive more traffic and sales. Selling on Instagram is a unique opportunity to reach users in all stages of the buyer journey through a seamless experience.

With over 1 billion active users, Instagram is one of the best social media networks to advertise your business, reach new audiences, and grow brand awareness. So even if you aren’t active on the website yet, it’s never too late to adopt an Instagram strategy in your marketing plan. If you're ready to start sharing content through this channel, we've got you covered. Here, we're sharing a quick-and-easy guide to posting on Instagram, to ensure you can begin attracting the attention of your audience with Instagram marketing. How to Post on InstagramTap the + icon at the top of your screen.Choose a photo or video from your library or shoot one in the app.Post multiple images on Instagram.Crop the image.Pick a filter.Edit your photo.Type your caption.Use hashtags for post optimization.Tag friends.Add your location.Play with emojis.Share the post on other social media platforms.Edit the post. Posting to Instagram consistently can help businesses find resonance with their audience and grow better, but doing it right is just as important. Here's how to post to your Instagram account step-by-step. Grow Your Audience on Instagram Today Now that you know how to post to Instagram, you can begin creating content for the platform and connecting with your audience. If you're a business or brand, you'll want a solid strategy for earning engagement and awareness. Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

You might know your Instagram content is good, but imagine how much better it will seem if it looks like 10,000 people agree. Whether you’re trying to become a social media celebrity or simply looking to spread brand awareness on Instagram, it can be tempting to take shortcuts wherever you can in order to expand your audience, including 'buying' Instagram followers. Here, we’re covering all the questions you have about buying Instagram followers. We’ve also explored the pros and cons, so you can decide for yourself if it’s a good move for your brand. Can you buy Instagram followers? How to buy Instagram followers? Alternatives to Buying Instagram Followers Can you buy Instagram followers?Yes, you can buy Instagram followers. There are plenty of cheap services available that allow you to buy 1,000 followers for as little as $10. But you’re only paying for a number. Many of those followers are either bots or inactive accounts, which means they’ll never engage with your posts. 1,000 followers seem like a good deal for the price of a small Starbucks latte. But of course, if it really was that cheap and easy, everyone would be doing it. So what’s the catch? Is buying Instagram followers legal and safe for your business? Is it a worthwhile investment? And how much do these fake followers cost anyway? How much do Instagram followers cost? The cost for Instagram followers can range from a few dollars to thousands of dollars depending on how many you plan to purchase. However, keep in mind that buying followers is against Instagram's terms of service, so the price you pay could be more than monetary. Buying followers could cost you your Instagram account, at worst, and a decrease in engagement and reach, at best.How to Buy Instagram Followers The vast majority of purchasable followers are either bots or inactive accounts. Here's how it works: The Fake Follower Vendors Buying fake followers on Instagram is much harder now than it was a few years ago. Why? Instagram has been cracking down on accounts that violate their terms of service. What used to be fairly above-board is now an enigma. In order to buy Instagram followers these days, you’ll need to know someone who can put you in contact with a vendor who will actually deliver the bots — I mean followers — they say they will (you’ll also want to choose someone that you trust with your credit card information). But what happens once you’ve paid for your followers? Assuming the vendor is legitimate (as legitimate as can be for this type of service) you’ll wait anywhere from a few minutes to a few days for your followers to trickle in. The sellers roll out your followers over time so as not to alert Instagram that something fishy is going on. Once you have your brand new automated followers, don’t expect much. These followers won’t do anything for your engagement metrics. When you buy Instagram followers, you’re paying for a number alone. Engagement is not guaranteed. When you buy Instagram followers, you’re paying for a number alone. Engagement is not guaranteed, or even likely. When you buy Instagram followers, you’re paying for a number alone. Engagement is not guaranteed, or even likely. Instagram Bots Instagram bots are everywhere — you’ve likely come across several of them today alone. There are companies out there that have automated the process of creating bots so well that they can then sell them as followers. In some cases, the bots may even assume the identity of a real person, using stolen images and names. Depending on the service, these dummy accounts may even seem organic, running on automation to share and like content. Some can even be programmed to produce content. However, because they're not real people, they will not have an organic-looking following-to-follower ratio. As a result, the engagement they do produce will have little impact. Without real followers to engage with your content, your posts are essentially hidden from everyone except your inauthentic audience. Plus, your bot followers won’t discuss your brand in real life with friends or family, because, well … they don’t exist in real life (no offense, bots). Inactive Accounts However, not all fake followers are bots. Some companies sell followers with genuine accounts. In this situation, the accounts are created either because they're managed by users whose only goal is to get followed in return. And while these followers might show early engagement, they'll ultimately become a drain on your Instagram account's performance metrics when their accounts go dormant. After all, if their account was created for the sole purpose of fulfilling sponsorship requests, the real person behind the account has little reason to dwell on the newsfeed, interact with content, or purchase the goods and services being advertised. Without that interaction, your follower numbers are inflated with none of the value that organic followers would bring. Demographic Accounts In addition to buying followers directly, you can also pay services to strategically follow other accounts on your behalf based on your preferences (location, hashtag usage, account type, and gender). Ideally, those followed accounts will then follow you back. With this option, your followers are more likely to be real people, but engagement is still unlikely. Since you can't even guarantee these accounts will follow you back, it’s a risky investment. Most accounts won’t follow you back, and even if they do, they probably aren’t going to be long-term, loyal, or active followers. Should you buy Instagram followers?It’s not a good idea to buy Instagram followers. The purchased followers are likely bots or inactive accounts, so they won’t engage with your posts. This means your posts won’t show up on Explore Pages, or your real audience’s newsfeeds. It will also make it hard to measure metrics. Simply put — you'll get early engagement that tapers off over time. Purchased Instagram followers also provide no long-term value to your profile's content. The followers you buy might give you views, likes, and comments early into acquiring them as a follower, but the attention they throw you now won't be there later — when you start reporting on how your Instagram account is performing. And how helpful are 10,000 followers that don't engage with you? Engagement is key to how Instagram’s algorithm displays posts to users. Without likes or comments, your post probably won’t show up on your audience’s newsfeeds, and it also won’t show up on any Explore Pages. Fake followers could hurt your credibility. Having a lot of followers could convince users to follow you organically, but it's not a guarantee. Remember the risks: these followers will probably never like or comment on a post, and if you’re caught with a ton of fake followers, that could ruin your credibility with your real audience. Users might notice you don’t have a ton of engagement on your posts, which could deter them from following you. If you have 10,000 followers but only four likes per post, it won't take people long to realize something is up. Think of it this way: would you keep following an account if you saw that most of its “loyal audience” was made up of inactive accounts or bots? I’m guessing not. It could seem deceitful, and lead you to believe the brand couldn’t get authentic followers through good content alone. Purchased Instagram followers can distort your performance metrics. It’s practically impossible to measure how well your target audience is connecting with your brand if a high percentage of that audience isn’t real. How will you measure posts that do well with your real audience if those bots and inactive accounts skew the ratio? If you don’t know how well your posts are doing or what your real audience thinks, you’ll never convert your Instagram followers into real customers. And isn’t that the point? Ultimately, if you pay for Instagram followers, you aren’t paying for quality, real-life followers. You’re paying for a blank number. And since Instagram’s algorithm is largely tied to engagement, not followers, buying followers isn’t a long-term solution. In fact, it isn’t a solution at all. Take the time, energy, and money that you would’ve dedicated to buying followers, and focus instead on building genuine relationships with a real audience. If your content is engaging and authentic, your loyal followers will spread the word and engage with your brand without needing any bribes. Instagram identifies and purges fake followers. Recently, Instagram has updated its terms of use to identify and remove inauthentic accounts from its platform. Instagram is also removing likes, follows, or comments from third-party apps that are designed to artificially grow accounts' audiences. By buying followers, you violate Instagram's community guidelines and it may trigger a reaction from Instagram's moderators. Instagram is looking to maintain genuine interactions on its site, protecting real accounts and experiences. Fake activity infringes upon this mission and might result in consequences, so it's better to grow your audience organically. Depending on your brand personality, it can help to be funny or witty in your content. Having an awareness of how your brand is perceived and the trends going around Instagram will serve you when choosing content to post and how to interact with your Instagram community. Quality Content in Action HeytonyTV became an overnight viral sensation during the pandemic when he released skits where he plays the role of a school administrator. In a short period of time, he amassed hundreds of thousands of followers who couldn't get enough of his creativity and wholesome, nostalgic humor. You don't have to be a comedian to gain followers, though. Being relatable and providing value to your audience is the number one goal. When looking at the top Instagram posts of all time, the content is engaging and relatable, rallying followers to like, comment, and share these posts. 3. Try Instagram Reels. Instagram Reels has been known to increase the reach of a post beyond the audience that is following the account. This presents an opportunity for your content to attract people who are already engaging with posts similar to yours. Start by recording a simple video using Instagram Reels. Include a few hashtags to the caption and choose a popular sound that people enjoy listening to. Even if you don't see an immediate bump in followers, stay consistent and keep an eye on how many views your Reel gets. This will indicate how many people are watching your content. Reels in Action Hickory Lane Home uses Reels to show her followers more relatable content that draws the viewer in. As a result, the comments are flooded with relatable responses and amusement that you just can't get from purchased followers. 4. Use Hashtags. Hashtags are like goldmines for finding new audiences. Users follow hashtags for updates about specific topics that interest them. If you use them intentionally in your captions, you have a great chance of showing up on the newsfeeds of people who’ve never seen your content before. But don’t start adding random hashtags to all your content. You’ll need a hashtag strategy to ensure you’re targeting the right people. Moreover, the sweet spot for Instagram hashtags is 30. That might seem like a lot, but if you have a strategy for how you’ll use them, you’ll likely find more than 30 that would work for you. The key for hashtags is to be intentional with them. The reward will be well worth the effort. Hashtags in Action Take a look at the hashtag #dogsofinstagram for example. With over a quarter of a million posts, this hashtag has the potential to reach a wide audience.However, it's a great idea to pair that hashtag with a smaller, niche one like #ridgebackpuppy to reach people who love your particular breed of dog. 5. Engage with other Instagram users. A good rule of thumb on Instagram is to engage with other users. Whether you like, comment, save or share their posts, every interaction counts for you and them. Instagram’s algorithm favors engagement which means the more you interact (and the more people interact with you) the more likely it will be that your content appears on more and more news feeds. That means more visibility and growth for your page. Engagement in Action GoSimplified does a great job of responding to comments on its posts. This example shows that the comments don't have to be detailed or long, but a simple acknowledgment goes a long way for engagement. Pro Tip: Before you go overboard, remember that Instagram does have a limit to this “rule.” There have been cases where the social media platform blocked users from engaging with content if they liked and commented on more than a few hundred posts in an hour. 6. Use Instagram stories. The audience for Instagram stories is simply waiting and watching for the next viral video or meme to slide across their screens. What makes stories arguably even better for growth than the traditional Instagram feed is the ability for users to interact with the content in a story. Polls, quizzes, and questions are engagement magnets — the more people interact with those elements, the more people Instagram will share your story with. Stories in Action RMW.Home uses a series of stories to gauge her audience's taste in home decor. Not only does this help her understand her audience better, but the polls are also helping expand the reach of her story and her profile to potential followers. 7. Conduct market research. Each of the alternatives we mentioned above is native to the Instagram app. However, a solid Instagram strategy begins with comprehensive market research, and there's no shortcut to hearing directly from your audience about what content they want to see. Market Research in Action Stephanie Morgan, Founder and CEO at Social Lock stands by market research as an alternative to buying followers and says, "The alternative to buying followers is doing market research on what your ideal customer will resonate with, then posting that content in order to naturally accumulate [a] large following." Check out her methods for conducting market research on Instagram in the image below. There’s a Better Way to Grow on Instagram Instagram has been one of the fastest-growing social media platforms for several years and it’s showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. The pressure to keep up and with the growth can make buying followers tempting, but don’t succumb to that pressure. Between repercussions from the platform itself, lower engagement metrics, and the risk of spamming well-meaning users with bot comments, buying Instagram followers is simply not worth the trouble. The alternatives in this article can help you navigate a path toward organic follower growth that will be worth more than 10,000 fake followers could ever be. Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

When you come across a beautiful sight -- be it a beach, a mountain, or your pet's face -- sometimes, it inspires you to think bigger about what certain sights and experiences mean.For those moments, you might consider posting a photo on Instagram with an equally inspiring quote as the caption. But you could take it even further -- and save characters -- by posting the photo with the quote.You've likely seen quotes on Instagram posts before, but you may never have created one for your brand's account. Here's a recent Instagram quote we shared here at LIKE.TG:View this post on InstagramPosting quote images on Instagram can diversify your content on the platform and humanize your brand a little, too. Everyone could use a motivational quote during a busy Monday morning or a slow Tuesday afternoon, so try out an Instagram quote for your next post with the help of these free apps.Instagram Text Apps to Make Inspiring QuotesFeatured Resource: 9 Instagram Quote TemplatesLIKE.TG created a collection of 9 Instagram quote templates for posts and stories – in addition to 13 more free Instagram posts for business. Download the collection of templates today to make Instagram quotes right in Google Slides for free.1. CanvaiOS, Android, Mac, or Web AppCanva's many features extend beyond text-based pictures and, for that matter, social media. But the mobile app and its gorgeous pre-made templates make it perfect for Instagram quotes.Using the Canva's social media post setting, you can draft banners, flyers, cards, and posts of all shapes and sizes using one of millions of pro-level photos for your quote background. Of course, feel free to snap a photo on the go, as well. One you select your image, you can choose from more than 100 fonts, adjust the size and color, and publish.2. Pablo by BufferWeb App or Chrome ExtensionPablo is a simple app that allows you to make quotes for Instagram (as well as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest). You have the option of choosing among 600,000 images or uploading one of your own; adding header, body, and caption text; uploading logos or graphics; and customizing with a filter.The options are limited, but the interface is extremely streamlined, making it a great choice for beginners. In addition, you can share directly to the social platform of your choosing or use Buffer to schedule the post for a later date.3. StencilWeb App, Chrome Extension, Firefox Add-On, Safari Extension, or WordPressDepending on the plan you choose, Stencil allows you to create quote images with their 140+ common presets, more than 5 million high-resolution photos (all royalty-free), and more than 1275 templates. Even better, Stencil has partnered with Google Fonts and some of the top icon providers to customize your designs even further.It also helps you determine if you're within Facebook's recommended text limits and whether any of your content might be cut off by common social media platforms.To make sharing easy, you can send your images straight to Instagram, using their in-app social sharing options, or through their native Buffer integration.4. VanillaPenAndroid or iOSVanillaPen brands itself as a "powerful tool that will transform your regular posts into creative posters within seconds." It includes more than 200 templates (with presets to make the design process easier), 86 fonts, and 360 decorative elements. You'll also have the ability to perform basic design functions such as resizing, rotating, and more. From there, you can export and share to the social media platform of your choice.5. FotorWeb App, Mac, Windows, Android, or iOSFotor is an excellent tool that offers a wide range of templates, fonts, photos, and stickers to rival any of the apps on this list. However, what makes it stand out is its photo editing and retouching capabilities, making its feature set similar to that of Adobe Photoshop's but simpler. From background removers to blur effects, Fotor can help you create stunning graphics for Instagram.6. SnappaWeb AppWith Snappa, you'll have access to more than 6000 templates and 5 million photos and graphics to use for your designs. It also has basic photo editing capabilities such as background removal, brightness/lightness adjustment, and blurring functionality. You can also repurpose your designs into the ideal image dimensions for multiple social platforms without manually resizing and redesigning for each one. The only downside is that you only get 3 downloads per month on Snappa's free plan, but there are premium plans available.7. QuotesCoverWeb AppWhat's interesting about QuotesCover is that it integrates with a large database of quotes so that you don't have to supply the text for the image you create. Simply search the database, find a quote, and load it into the QuotesCover editor. From there, it will generate an automatic design, which you can edit with their background options, text formatting tool, stickers, and other design assets. In theory, you can go from zero ideas to full-fledged professional design in just a couple clicks.8. PicMonkeyWeb App, iPhone, AndroidPicMonkey is another one of those tools that can do it all: photo editing (including background removals), graphics, and templates created with the best practices for each social platform in mind. You'll be able to draw from their library of millions of stock photos, videos, and animations. The big downside to this tool is that you'll need a subscription to download or share the images you create. However, the plus is that the subscription comes with 1GB of cloud storage (or unlimited storage if you choose one of the premium plans). This allows you to edit on the go, save to the cloud, and access designs on other devices.9. Word SwagiOSWord Swag helps you create text images that are as edgy as the app's name sounds. The app uses a special typing engine to create fresh quote designs based on the background picture you're working with.Just select (or shoot) your picture, type your quote into the app's plain text editor, select one of +80 styles, and shuffle through the diverse choices that appear. Word Swag has literally thousands of quote and image options to choose from through a handy integration from Pixabay, a free image gallery.Keep in mind that the free version places a watermark on the image.10. Quotes CreatoriOS or AndroidQuotes Creator has a neat feature that suggests quotes to use -- including their attributions -- to take the work out of creating an inspirational post for you. We also like how subtly transparent the watermark is to make it as distraction-free as possible. This is another easy-to-use app that creates quotes for Instagram in just a few simple steps -- with an easy tap to upload to the platform.Quotes Creator's stock background options are a little cheesy, so we recommend finding your own and uploading them or using their library of photos.11. Quote MakeriOSQuote Maker is another free app that requires a Pro version to unlock more background and style options, but you can always upload your own background if you feel too limited. You can add neat decals to your brand's name or a stamp-like effect to a company motto or mission statement.We recommend exploring the app, but another warning -- it can be glitchy if your design and editing actions get more complex. It's best for simple images, like the one above.Using an Instagram Post Template for QuotesThe apps above help make quotes for Instagram quickly using templates instead of starting from scratch. When you're creating content at scale, this can help you reduce the amount of time spent on design and more time focusing on the tasks that matter to you.Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Contrary to what your friends' photos suggest, Instagram isn't just a social network for selfies and brunch pics. In fact, Instagram has over 200 million businesses that use its platform and 90% of users follow at least one of them, according to recent data.In a time when visual content remains a crucial part of any brand's marketing strategy, Instagram marketing presents a unique opportunity to showcase your brand identity.Ready to get inspired? Check out this list of brands that are thriving on Instagram right now, and why their posts set them apart.Best Brands on InstagramWhat makes a brand great on Instagram?We polled 301 users across the United States, and asked “Which of the following describes the brands you follow and enjoy on Instagram?”These were their top answers:While this data is from a small sample, it does highlight what we already know about Instagram audiences. They look for:Content that relates to their lives: both personal and professional.Eye-catching, fun content.Product promotionsWhat you'll see in the next section is that every brand featured meets these needs, earning them high follower counts and high engagement rates.Psst – Want to get a stunning Instagram Story auto-magically created for your brand? Check out StoriesAds.com, a free Story generator from LIKE.TG and Shakr. Click here to get started.26 of the Best Brands on InstagramThe Every MomBolden USAThe Broke Black GirlTeleport WatchesNetflix's Strong Black LeadCalifia FarmsAnima IrisCooking With ConstanceLorna JaneLetterfolkApartment TherapySunday II SundayTentsileDesenioVansGrass-FieldsFinfolk ProductionsShiseidoThe Muted HomeSephora CollectionsClareHoneyBookDesign EssentialsFlodeskOmsomChipotle1. The Every MomFollowers: 294kModern-day moms face a unique set of challenges from raising children in a digital-first world to navigating relationships with in-laws and extended family during a pandemic. The Every Mom is a lifestyle brand that caters to this audience in every way.On this Instagram page, you'll find content about handling your kids' big emotions, teaching them about diversity, and tips on how to make mealtime more appealing.While much of the content on this page lends itself to things a mom can do, there's plenty of content advocating rest, relaxation, and mental health as well. You'll also find the occasional discount code for popular products and cross-promotion of The Every Mom blog in the Instagram stories and highlights.2. Bolden USAFollowers: 32.1kInstagram is all about visuals. This means that within minutes of being on Instagram, a user can be bombarded with images.So, the question is: How do you make sure your brand stands out and is memorable?One way is by developing a unique aesthetic and remaining consistent. Bolden USA has done just that.To mirror its green logo, the theme of Bolden USA's Instagram is green. While the brand features other colors in its images, green is always the primary, standout color – an effective tactic to aid brand recall. That brand recall being spread across more than 33,000 followers makes Bolden USA one of the best brands on Instagram right now.3. The Broke Black GirlFollowers: 174kPersonal finance is like exercise. You need motivation, the right tools, discipline, and a goal to achieve to see real success. It doesn't hurt to have a good coach to guide you along the way, either, and that's exactly what The Broke Black Girl is doing as one of the best brands on Instagram.Dasha is a financial activist who specializes in competency-based financial education. Over 170,000 people follow her for non-judgemental financial advice, empathetic budgeting tips, and free financial resources. Her work levels the predominantly white-male-led financial literacy landscape to make it more accessible to women of color.The history of women of color in finance, the $1000 Emergency Fund Challenge, and motivational messages comprise the majority of this brand's Instagram feed making it the best place for young people to start their financial fitness journey.4. Teleport WatchesFollowers: 9.1kHave you ever wondered where former President Barack Obama buys his watches? One of the brands he sports is Teleport Watches.This premium luxury timepiece brand is known for its stylish and durable watches that are perfect for day-to-day wear and special occasions. However, people come back to the brand for its modern approach to a classic accessory which is why this Instagram brand makes our list.Teleport Watches proves that you can have a loyal following on Instagram without millions of followers. Although it's one of the smallest Instagram brands in our lineup, it makes up for it in engagement and influence.5. Netflix's Strong Black LeadFollowers: 764kHere is an example of a brand that has mastered the art of having its own identity while remaining connected to its parent brand.Strong Black Lead is a sub-brand under Netflix dedicated to amplifying Black stories in media.The brand's Instagram page mainly features screen grabs and short clips from TV shows, movies, and documentaries available on Netflix that feature Black actors and/or directors. They stay on-trend, posting relevant content based on current events, holidays, and buzzy topics.In addition to its appreciation posts for widely loved TV characters, Strong Black Lead also promotes content the brand hosts on other platforms, such as podcasts and YouTube content.6. Califia FarmsFollowers: 318kWarning: If you're hungry, don't head to Califia Farms' Instagram page.The brand's food photography makes it stand out among the rest, showing users how Califia Farms' products can be used to create dishes ranging from pancakes and nice cream to artichoke dip and fettuccine alfredo.The brand doesn't shy away from featuring its product in the images either. You can usually find it somewhere in its visual content, whether it's the main subject of the photo or more in the background.7. Anima IrisFollowers: 78.9kYou probably thought this list would only feature enterprise-level brands, huh?Well, there are a ton of brands that have found the magic recipe on Instagram and Anima Iris is one of them.What sets this brand apart is the transparency of its CEO.If you watch one of Anima Iris' Instagram Stories, you'll probably see its CEO, Wilglory Tanjong, showing the behind-the-scenes of running a luxury purse brand, which helps its audience feel more connected.You'll probably also see QAs, surveys, and user-generated content – all strategies that have helped the company build a strong online community and gain brand loyalists.8. Cooking With ConstanceFollowers: 15.2kThere's more than enough food inspiration on Instagram, but Cooking With Constance takes that inspo a step further by pairing it with a side of judgment-free health and wellness. That's why more than 10,000 people flocked to follow this brand page in just a few weeks.This isn't your typical vegan brand that compares and contrasts plant-based and non-plant-based lifestyles. Instead, Cooking With Constance serves up hearty and healthy recipes that even the biggest meat lovers will enjoy.Holiday recipes, quick and easy lunches, and plant-based living tips are just a few of the types of content you'll find as you scroll through her appetizing feed.9. Lorna JaneFollowers: 1MIf your brand were a person, how would you describe its personality? Australian activewear company Lorna Jane has done an awesome job answering this important branding question with its Instagram content.Spend just a few seconds scrolling through these photos, and you'll quickly be able to name the target Lorna Jane buyer: a young, sporty, twenty- or thirty-something woman who values looking good while maintaining an active lifestyle.The images posted by Lorna Jane, which often show the brand's clothing and accessories, as well as images of women who embody its target buyer persona, are colorful, playful, and inspirational, which is a perfect representation of the brand's essence.10. LetterfolkFollowers: 360kLetterfolk is a small business run by a couple who create and sell beautiful, handcrafted felt letterboards. Each letterboard comes with a full set of characters so people can personalize the walls of their homes, which means endless room for creativity.Instagram is the perfect platform for them to inspire customers and aspiring customers with real customers' boards, as well as ideas they've come up with and staged themselves. Their Instagram content is funny and relatable – a great recipe for shareability.11. Apartment TherapyFollowers: 3.2MApartment Therapy's Instagram account really is a source of therapy, if you love the sight of cozy homes.From home decor inspiration to fun challenges like their #SmallCoolChallenge contest and trendy user-generated content (UGC), this brand gives its followers plenty of inspiration to personalize their own space and "live happy, healthy lives at home,” as written in their profile bio.12. Sunday II SundayFollowers: 20.9kSunday II Sunday is another small business with a robust social media presence.The brand describes itself as “haircare for active women.” As such, its content revolves around having and managing an active lifestyle.Sunday II Sunday also does a great job of engaging its followers, asking them questions about their routines, workouts, and hair care habits.13. TentsileFollowers: 201k"Stunning" is the first word that comes to mind when I scroll through Tentsile's Instagram photos.Tentsile sells tree tents, what they call "portable treehouses" to elevate your camping experience. Its Instagram page is full of beautiful lifestyle images of their products in just about anywhere in the world: rainforests, mountains, beaches... you name it.What the brand does well is leveraging its UGC. This saves time and resources and gives the brand some social proof.14. DesenioFollowers: 1.9MThe first thing you'll notice when you land on Swedish online art print company Desenio's Instagram page is color blocking.Every image blends beautifully with the one next to it, creating a cohesive, visually appealing page you never want to leave.Even when using user-generated content, the brand ensures it fits within its aesthetic. Establishing consistency in your creative assets is key in ensuring brand recognition (i.e., when people see your image anywhere, they know it's you.)15. VansFollowers: 17MVans is known for its stylish shoes and its Instagram business account is no exception.The maker of the classic checkered slip-on sneakers has a flashy Instagram feed, featuring both standalone product shots and action photos of people expressing themselves in their favorite Vans gear.One thing that's clear by looking at Vans' Instagram account is that its identity is no longer tied solely to skateboarding. While you'll still see lifestyle images with skateboarders, you'll also see surfers, cyclists, and other fashionable shoe-lovers.So, as your brand identity and messaging evolve, your content should also follow suit. Not sure how to get started with a strategy like this? Check out this podcast for tips from marketing experts:16. Grass-FieldsFollowers: 949kNow, here's a brand that knows how to show its personality.This Cameroon-based clothing brand isn't playing it safe on Instagram with static model shots and sale promotions. Instead, Grass-Fields showcases its products through fun, vibrant dance videos, and behind-the-scenes content.The brand also highlights Black business owners, creators, and artists on its page, which caters to Black women.The key takeaway here is: Don't be afraid to do things differently than it has been done if that's what your audience responds to.17. Finfolk ProductionsFollowers: 399kEver wanted to be a mermaid? You can come pretty close, thanks to companies like FinFolk Productions. Believe it or not, silicone mermaid tails you can put on and swim around in are quite trendy.Finfolk Productions' Instagram feed is full of beautifully shot photos that play into the mermaid fantasy by looking more like mythical art than real people.The nostalgia of being a mermaid gives Finfolk Productions' followers a sense of wonder that they can actually wear. This unique brand makes dreams come true, and that's worthy of a spot on this list of the best brands on Instagram.18. ShiseidoFollowers: 1.3mShiseido started as Japan's first Western-style pharmacy more than 140 years ago and has since developed into selling high-quality brightening and anti-aging skincare, makeup, and fragrance products.Its mission is to inspire a life of beauty and culture – a mission it portrays beautifully through Instagram content.Hot tip: Posts featuring faces, especially for a skincare brand, are ideal for boosting social media engagement.Don't be intimidated by highly professional Instagram videos like theirs. You can post highly engaging videos on Instagram without a huge video team or a bottomless budget. Here's some inspiration for making amazing Instagram Reels without breaking the bank.19. The Muted HomeFollowers: 49kDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the home improvement industry saw an 18% increase in YOY market size — the largest increase in more than ten years. With people spending more money in the local hardware stores, they were spending more time on social media, too — consuming home decor content.Instagram brands like The Muted Home provide inspiration to help their followers redefine and elevate their homes with luxury home decor. Candles, vases, spice racks, cooking utensils, and more can be found on The Muted Home's Instagram page making it the go-to brand for nearly 50,000 online home decor enthusiasts.20. Sephora CollectionsFollowers: 818kSephora Collections' brand personality is playful, colorful, and feminine. It does a wonderful job of characterizing this personality in its Instagram content, using bright colors, patterns, and fun captions.In addition to partnering with beauty influencers, the brand also promotes content from everyday makeup users, featuring their tutorials and looks on its feed.Hot Tip: What makes this big brand one of the best on Instagram is the community it's built on the platform. But what we see from Sephora on Instagram is a combination of marketing efforts elsewhere. So take it from Sephora — invest in your brand outside of Instagram, too, so that you can see even more success on this social network.21. ClareFollowers: 100kIf you're renovating or simply moving into a new home, you're likely looking for inspiration on social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest.Clare's Instagram features a collection of carefully curated images that meet that exact need. You'll find everything from new product promotions to home decor tips – everything in between.There's also a beautiful balance of colors on Clare's Instagram page, creating a cohesive profile that's inviting, warm, and inspiring.22 . HoneyBookFollowers: 93.6kWhat we love about HoneyBook is how accessible its content is.Instagram, like many social media platforms, has been slow to develop and promote its accessibility features.Thankfully, brands like HoneyBook have taken an active approach to make its content accessible by adding captions to their videos and adding image IDs that describe every image the company posts.For deaf, hard of hearing, and visually impaired users, these extra steps go a long way.23. Design EssentialsFollowers: 147kDesign Essentials knows that hair is more than just something that grows on your body. It can speak to a community, a culture.If you're looking for inspiration for your Instagram brand, take inspo from Design Essentials and try diversifying your content. Even when your business is niche, there are plenty of ways to stretch your content ideas.The brand does more than just promote products on its Instagram page. In addition to product shots, you'll find inspirational quotes about hair, playful memes about everyday life, and fun reposts from Design Essentials' audience.24. FlodeskFollowers: 45.5kFlodesk's Instagram is everything you want to see on Instagram from an email marketing platform: beautiful designs and inviting content.When you land on Flodesk's page, you'll gain tips on how to use its platform as well as general tips to optimize your email marketing strategy. With the use of vibrant colors and playful designs, every post is an attention grabber.What's more, almost every post includes a call-to-action that invites the audience to engage. Whether it's to drop an emoji in the comments or answer a question – engagement done right.25. OmsomFollowers: 51.8kOmsom is another small business that has leveraged its CEOs, two first-generation Vietnamese sisters, to build a community on Instagram.As you scroll through Omsom's Instagram, yes, you'll find beautifully crafted images showcasing the dishes you can make using the brand's food products. However, that's only one piece of the puzzle.You'll also see many posts celebrating Vietnamese culture, and debunking Asian-American stereotypes and biases.This strategy helps consumers connect with the Omsom beyond the delicious food and understand its broader mission and purpose.26. ChipotleFollowers: 1.1MInstead of reeling in consumers with food pictures, Chipotle has chosen another route: hilarious memes.While you may find the occasional food post, the brand has focused its Instagram strategy on showing its personality.Here's why it works: Memes are shareable and tag-friendly, which helps Chipotle reach new consumers as people tag their friends in funny, relatable posts.The common thread in all the brands featured is that they had a consistent brand identity that was reflected in their visuals and a deep understanding of what resonated with their audience.Ready to populate your Instagram timeline with pics and videos that are as captivating as the content above? We believe in you!Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

In 2021, marketers that used influencer marketing said the trend resulted in the highest ROI. In fact, marketers have seen such success from influencer marketing that 86% plan to continue investing the same amount or increase their investments in the trend in 2022. But, if you’ve never used an influencer before, the task can seem daunting — who’s truly the best advocate for your brand? Here, we’ve cultivated a list of the most popular influencers in every industry — just click on one of the links below and take a look at the top influencers that can help you take your business to the next level: Top Food Influencers on Instagram Top Travel Influencers on Instagram Top Fashion Style Influencers on Instagram Top Photography Influencers on Instagram Top Lifestyle Influencers on Instagram Top Design Influencers on Instagram Top Beauty Influencers on Instagram Top Sport Fitness Influencers on Instagram Top Influencers on Instagram Top Food Influencers on Instagram Jamie Oliver (9.1M followers) ladyironchef (620k followers) Megan Gilmore (188k followers) Ashrod (104k followers) David Chang (1.7M followers) Ida Frosk (299k followers) Lindsey Silverman Love (101k followers) Nick N. (60.5k followers) Molly Tavoletti (50.1k followers) Russ Crandall (39.1k followers) Dennis the Prescott (616k followers) The Pasta Queen (1.5M followers) Thalia Ho (121k followers) Molly Yeh (810k followers) C.R Tan (59.4k followers) Michaela Vais (1.2M followers) Nicole Cogan (212k followers) Minimalist Baker (2.1M followers) Yumna Jawad (3.4M followers) Top Travel Influencers on Instagram Annette White (100k followers) Matthew Karsten (140k followers) The Points Guy (668k followers) The Blonde Abroad (520k followers) Eric Stoen (330k followers) Kate McCulley (99k followers) The Planet D (203k followers) Andrew Evans (59.9k followers) Jack Morris (2.6M followers) Lauren Bullen (2.1M followers) The Bucket List Family (2.6M followers) Fat Girls Traveling (55K followers) Tara Milk Tea (1.3M followers) Top Fashion Style Influencers on Instagram Alexa Chung (5.2M followers) Julia Berolzheimer (1.3M followers) Johnny Cirillo (719K followers) Chiara Ferragni (27.2M followers) Jenn Im (1.7M followers) Ada Oguntodu (65.1k followers) Emma Hill (826k followers) Gregory DelliCarpini Jr. (141k followers) Nicolette Mason (216k followers) Majawyh (382k followers) Garance Doré (693k followers) Ines de la Fressange (477k followers) Madelynn Furlong (202k followers) Giovanna Engelbert (1.4M followers) Mariano Di Vaio (6.8M followers) Aimee Song (6.5M followers) Danielle Bernstein (2.9M followers) Gabi Gregg (910k followers) Top Photography Influencers on Instagram Benjamin Lowy (218k followers) Michael Yamashita (1.8M followers) Stacy Kranitz (101k followers) Jimmy Chin (3.2M followers) Gueorgui Pinkhassov (161k followers) Dustin Giallanza (5.2k followers) Lindsey Childs (31.4k followers) Edith W. Young (24.9k followers) Alyssa Rose (9.6k followers) Donjay (106k followers) Jeff Rose (80.1k followers) Pei Ketron (728k followers) Paul Nicklen (7.3M followers) Jack Harries (1.3M followers) İlhan Eroğlu (852k followers) Top Lifestyle Influencers on Instagram Jannid Olsson Delér (1.2 million followers) Oliver Proudlock (691k followers) Jeremy Jacobowitz (434k followers) Jay Caesar (327k followers) Jessie Chanes (329k followers) Laura Noltemeyer (251k followers) Adorian Deck (44.9k followers) Hind Deer (547k followers) Gloria Morales (146k followers) Kennedy Cymone (1.6M followers) Sydney Leroux Dwyer (1.1M followers) Joanna Stevens Gaines (13.6M followers) Lilly Singh (11.6M followers) Rosanna Pansino (4.4M followers) Top Design Influencers on Instagram Marie Kondo (4M followers) Ashley Stark Kenner (1.2M followers) Casa Chicks (275k followers) Paulina Jamborowicz (195k followers) Kasia Będzińska (218k followers) Jenni Kayne (500k followers) Will Taylor (344k followers) Studio McGee (3.3M followers) Mandi Gubler (207k followers) Natalie Myers (51.6k followers) Grace Bonney (840k followers) Saudah Saleem (25.3k followers) Niña Williams (196k followers) Top Beauty Influencers on Instagram Michelle Phan (1.9M followers) Shaaanxo (1.3M followers) Jeffree Star (13.7M followers) Kandee Johnson (2M followers) Manny Gutierrez (4M followers) Naomi Giannopoulos (6.2M followers) Samantha Ravndahl (2.1M followers) Huda Kattan (50.5M followers) Wayne Goss (703k followers) Zoe Sugg (9.3M followers) James Charles (22.9M followers) Shayla Mitchell (2.9M followers) Top Sport Fitness Influencers on Instagram Massy Arias (2.7M followers) Eddie Hall (3.3M followers) Ty Haney (92.6k followers) Hannah Bronfman (893k followers) Kenneth Gallarzo (331k followers) Elisabeth Akinwale (113k followers) Laura Large (75k followers) Akin Akman (82.3k followers) Sjana Elise Earp (1.4M followers) Cassey Ho (2.3M followers) Kayla Itsines (14.5M followers) Jen Selter (13.4M followers) Simeon Panda (8.1M followers) Top Instagram InfluencersJamie OliverDavid ChangJack Morris and Lauren BullenThe Bucket List FamilyChiara FerragniAlexa ChungJimmy ChinJannid Olsson DelérGrace BonneyHuda KattanZoe SuggSjana Elise EarpMassy Arias 1. Jamie Oliver Jamie Oliver, a world-renowned chef and restaurateur, is Instagram famous for his approachable and delicious-looking cuisine. His page reflects a mix of food pictures, recipes, and photos of his family and personal life. His love of beautiful food and teaching others to cook is clearly evident, which must be one of the many reasons why he has nearly seven million followers. 2. David Chang Celebrity chef David Chang is best known for his world-famous restaurants and big personality. Chang was a judge on Top Chef and created his own Netflix show called Ugly Delicious, both of which elevated his popularity and likely led to his huge followership on Instagram. Most of his feed is filled with food videos that will make you drool. View this post on Instagram 3. Jack Morris and Lauren Bullen Travel bloggers Jack Morris (@jackmorris) and Lauren Bullen (@gypsea_lust)have dream jobs -- the couple travels to some of the most beautiful places around the world and documents their trips on Instagram. They have developed a unique and recognizable Instagram aesthetic that their combined 4.8 million Instagram followers love, using the same few filters and posting the most striking travel destinations. View this post on Instagram 4. The Bucket List Family The Gee family, better known as the Bucket List Family, travel around the world with their three kids and post videos and images of their trips to YouTube and Instagram. They are constantly sharing pictures and stories of their adventures in exotic places. This nomad lifestyle is enjoyed by their 2.6 million followers. View this post on Instagram 5. Chiara Ferragni Chiara Ferragni is an Italian fashion influencer who started her blog The Blonde Salad to share tips, photos, and clothing lines. Ferragni has been recognized as one of the most influential people of her generation, listed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and the Bloglovin’ Award Blogger of the Year. 6. Alexa Chung Model and fashion designer Alexa Chung is Instagram famous for her elegant yet charming style and photos. After her modeling career, she collaborated with many brands like Mulberry and Madewell to create her own collection, making a name for herself in the fashion world. Today, she shares artistic yet fun photos with her 5.2 million Instagram followers. 7. Jimmy Chin Jimmy Chin is an award-winning professional photographer who captures high-intensity shots of climbing expeditions and natural panoramas. He has won multiple awards for his work, and his 3.2 million Instagram followers recognize him for his talent. 8. Jannid Olsson Delér Jannid Olsson Delér is a lifestyle and fashion blogger that gathered a huge social media following for her photos of outfits, vacations, and her overall aspirational life. Her 1.2 million followers look to her for travel and fashion inspirations. 9. Grace Bonney Design*Sponge is a design blog authored by Grace Bonney, an influencer recognized by the New York Times, Forbes, and other major publications for her impact on the creative community. Her Instagram posts reflect her elegant yet approachable creative advice, and nearly a million users follow her account for her bright and charismatic feed. 10. Huda Kattan Huda Kattan took the beauty world by storm -- her Instagram began with makeup tutorials and reviews and turned into a cosmetics empire. Huda now has 1.3 million Instagram followers and a company valued at $1.2 billion. Her homepage is filled with makeup videos and snaps of her luxury lifestyle. View this post on Instagram 11. Zoe Sugg Zoe Sugg runs a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle blog and has nearly 10 million followers on Instagram. She also has an incredibly successful YouTube channel and has written best-selling books on the experience of viral bloggers. Her feed consists mostly of food, her pug, selfies, and trendy outfits. View this post on Instagram 12. Sjana Elise Earp Sjana Elise Earp is a lifestyle influencer who keeps her Instagram feed full of beautiful photos of her travels. She actively promotes yoga and healthy living to her 1.4 million followers, becoming an advocate for an exercise program called SWEAT. 13. Massy Arias Personal trainer Massy Arias is known for her fitness videos and healthy lifestyle. Her feed aims to inspire her 2.6 million followers to keep training and never give up on their health. Arias has capitalized on fitness trends on Instagram and proven to both herself and her followers that exercise can improve all areas of your life. View this post on Instagram

Instagram is an undeniably powerful marketing tool, but with over 200 million business accounts on the platform today, it's critical that you take the time to create well-designed and thoughtful Instagram posts to stand out. You'll need to apply a strategic design plan to your business's Instagram to attract a loyal following and find success on the app, long-term. However, creating a clean and cohesive Instagram feed takes design skills and time commitment you may lack, and with an algorithm that favors brands that post at least once a day, that could be adding to your stress. If that's the case, you're in luck — in this post we’ll discuss how you can create pre-made Instagram post templates so you've got a stash ready to go. Plus, by ensuring you use the same templates for different posts, you'll have an easier time creating a cohesive and aesthetically-pleasing feed. Instagram Post Templates Instagram templates can be used to serve different purposes, and we have a list of our own for you to brainstorm ideas and customize for free. Panel Template For those trying to spread the word on an upcoming virtual or in-person panel, you can promote it using our Panel Template. Customize it by adding the speakers’ profile photos and usernames to build hype and give followers the chance to get an idea of what they can look forward to. What We Like: Your followers won’t have to DM you for panel information, as the example given in the template provides all the context necessary for them to plan to attend. Quote Template Sometimes you want to keep up with the algorithm, and posting consistently using quotes in between announcements can help keep that relevance businesses need to be seen. Interview insightful team members, or even use inspirational quotes that your followers would enjoy seeing as they scroll through their feed. What We Like: The versatility of this template lets you change the background image to fit the tone of the quote you share. Sales Announcement Template I don’t know about you, but when I see a sales announcement I get excited to check out what’s available. When you’re looking to sell existing inventory, or share a seasonal offer, this sales announcement template gets straight to the point to capture attention. Change the background image to fit the occasion and you’ll have this post ready within minutes. What We Like: This template isn’t cluttered nor pushy; those who are already fans of your product will want to go to your site to take advantage of the opportunity. Quick Tip Template Sometimes your followers could be in need of some advice, that’s where our Quick Tip Template can fit that need. If you’re catering to budding professionals or hobbyists, you can help them become more proficient in the skill they’re trying to develop. Change the imagery to reflect the tip of your choosing and share it with your followers. What We Like: While it’s a simple template, it’s an easy way to engage with followers in between campaigns, and if you want to make the most of it, encourage commenters to share their own tips or advice they found helpful, too. We’re Hiring Template Yes, you could just post job openings on websites like LinkedIn, but you could reach exactly who you’re looking for on social media channels like Instagram, too. Customize this template to either showcase a variety of positions you have open, or for a certain position that you can expand on in your post description. What We Like: You can reach a further audience with Instagram using this template and by using the post-boost feature to better target the persona you’re looking for. Offer Template Promote things like eBooks or guides using our Offer template. By giving followers a glimpse at your newer offers, you can use the post description to give them a call to action and download different types of resources. Customize it to reflect your brand’s color scheme and offerings. What We Like: This chic template is the right amount of professional and minimalist approach that viewers will want to check out, as opposed to lengthy announcements littered with too much text in imagery. New Product Template When you’re ready to launch a new product, you should meet your target audience right where they are on Instagram the day it goes live. By using our New Product template, you can give your followers an idea of what they can expect with this new innovation. You can also switch out the imagery to reflect the product solution. What We Like: Without using words, your followers can get a clearer idea of what your new product can do for them if they purchase it. Review Template Whether it's internal or external, sharing positive reviews of your brand or product can be a great way to add legitimacy to your business. Use our Review template to share the positive experiences your clients or employees had from your business, this can attract customers and talent to the company. What We Like: Sharing reviews can help customers build trust, and adding posts like these to your profile can aid in the process. Podcast Template Podcasts are on the rise, so to help get the word out, you should be promoting on your Instagram. This simplistic template is a great way to announce the creation of your podcast. You can use the post description to give your followers an idea of what’s to come and encourage them to spread the word. What We Like: You can distinguish the type of podcast in the image if you choose or frame it as a surprise. The possibilities are endless. These aren’t the only templates available in our offer, so download the pack to brainstorm even more ideas for your future posts. How to Use Instagram Posts TemplatesDownload Instagram post templates.Choose your post format.Choose an image.Add design elements.Save the photo.Upload to Instagram. 1. Download Instagram post templates. Let's face it — you don't always have the time, resources, or personnel to design noteworthy Instagram posts. That's why we recommend using Instagram Post Templates for Business which you can build from and customize. Here are some options to create and save Instagram post templates, so you can have stunning posts on-hand whenever you're ready to publish. Need templates to get started? Download LIKE.TG's free Instagram post templates for both traditional posts and stories, which you can tailor as you see fit when it comes to your brand. You can alter any parts of the template – the image, the copy, and the design elements – to ensure you're publishing posts to grow and engage your follower base. 2. Choose your post format. While traditional Instagram posts to your permanent timeline are more long-lasting and allow for comments and likes, you shouldn't underestimate the power of Instagram Stories, which can be used for more immediate needs and occasions. In fact, 500 million accounts use the Instagram Stories feature daily. So, when you're creating your post, ask yourself if it warrants publication as a story or as a traditional post. 3. Choose an image. Maybe you've decided your post doesn't need a photograph and that text overlay on a solid-color background will work for you. If that's the case, hop over to the next step. If you've decided you do want to use a photograph – particularly if you want one as the background for text overlay – you've got a few options. Take a photo on your phone or with a camera. No need to be a professional photographer for your Instagram posts – you can learn how to take great photos with your phone here. Use a photo from your company's files. This works well if you need to utilize team photos or product photography, which may be better quality. Use a stock photo that pertains to your business (just make sure you don't use the same one multiple times!). Whichever photo you decide to use, simply replace it as the background for the template you're using in the LIKE.TG Instagram Post Template collection and resize the photo so it's to your liking (and is good quality). Other Ways to Design Instagram Posts Here are some other options to create and save Instagram post templates, so you can have stunning posts on-hand whenever you're ready to publish. 1. LIKE.TG As previously mentioned, LIKE.TG has some go-to templates for your Instagram posts and stories. You can have access to fully customizable templates through Google Slides where you can alter the color schemes, images, and purpose of each template depending on the subject you’re posting about — many of which are already made to promote business events or product releases. 2. Mega Creator With Mega Creator, you can create amazing images and illustrations using their intuitive design tool. You can choose premade elements or choose and edit professionally designed templates, as well as create your own design from scratch. When your image is ready, you can easily download it and share it with your followers on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more with perfect ratio and photo dimensions. 3. Fotor If you’re looking for a free collection of templates to choose from, Fotor will give you over three thousand templates for any topic or occasion. With Fotor, you can cater your post to reflect your brand image, while incorporating seasonal designs or special sales, or discount templates for your business. 4. Crello Crello is an online graphic design tool made to enhance your content for many social media channels — providing users with plenty of templates to fill out your Instagram grid. 5. Creative Market If you're willing to shell out the cash, you might consider buying one of Creative Market's Instagram Template bundles. For instance, you could purchase this 1053 Quotes social media pack. Alternatively, you can purchase a bundle with Instagram Story content, like this Animated Stories bundle. Finally, you might consider purchasing a bundle to help you create a cohesive theme for your Instagram feed, like this The Grid template. Curate Your Instagram Posts with Ease We hope you found our guide and templates useful as you prepare to make a stylized Instagram feed. With these tools, you'll be set to create and save pre-made Instagram templates, so you can focus on attracting a loyal following without tediously designing a post from scratch every day. Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

These days, social media is all about documentation. Where you go, what you eat and drink, who you see, and what's most memorable: These are the typical fodder of Instagram Stories — seconds-long glimpses of people's lives, shared on Instagram for only 24 hours. Download Now: Free Instagram for Business Kit + Templates Below, we've created a guide for you to learn what Instagram Stories are, how to share them with your followers, and how to make sure those Stories are exactly what your audience wants to see. We'll cover the following: What are Instagram Stories? How do Instagram Stories work? Instagram Stories vs. Instagram Highlights How long are Instagram Stories? How to View Instagram Stories How to Make an Instagram Story How to Use Instagram Stories for Business Instagram Stories Tricks and Hacks Let's get started. What are Instagram Stories?An Instagram Story is an in-app features that allows users to share ephemeral content available for 24 hours. With Instagram's current UI, recently posted Stories are denoted by a gradient border around the user's profile picture. Your Instagram Story is published separately from your in-feed content. Although you might know the basics of sharing them, there are hidden tools within the app that can make the photos and videos you add to your Story more creative and engaging. You might want to do this if you're scouting freelancers and don't want them to see you first. Some Story viewers allow you to autosave copies of the Stories, while others will offer a paid option so you can automatically save copies of new Stories. Inflact is one of those apps - Stories are available on the web, you don't need to download an app. You can search for any username, and copies of the Stories posted from that username will pop up. All you need to do is create an account. Here's what that looks like in Ingramer's Instagram Story viewer: Additional tools you can use include: Instafollowers.co Stories IG Insta-Stories.online StoriesDown Dumpor Ready to start posting? Let's go over how you can create Instagram Stories step-by-step. How to Make an Instagram StoryOpen up the Instagram app on your phone and tap your profile picture near the upper left-hand corner. Alternatively, swipe right to open up the camera.Choose a filter by swiping right and left at the bottom. You'll be able to preview each filter live. Capture a photo or video using the camera.Alternatively, skip the two previous steps and swipe up on your screen to browse your gallery. Choose an existing photo or video.Add stickers, time stamps, or GIFs to the Story. Once you've finished editing your photo or video, tap Your Story to share it with all of your followers. You can make successful Instagram Stories too — but it requires a few more hacks and tips to make them look like the Stories big brands and influencers share. But first, let's review the basics of how to share an Instagram Story. 1. Open up the Instagram app and tap your profile picture near the upper left-hand corner. To start posting a Story, open up the Instagram app and click on your profile image in the top left corner. You can also swipe right or click the plus sign near the top right. If you click the + sign, you'll automatically be prompted to create a post instead of a Story. To get to the Story creator, choose Story at the bottom right. 2. Choose a filter and image capture mode. Once you start creating your Story, you can choose a filter by swiping right and left on the filter carousel at the bottom of the screen. Aside from a filter, you can choose a capture mode when taking a photo or filming straight from the app. The options appear on the left-hand side of the screen. You have a few options to choose from: Normal Normal means choosing no option. It means what it says: Tapping once on the camera button will capture a photo, and holding down will record a video. Instagram Stories can be 15 seconds in length, so if you want to share a video that's longer, film in 15-second stints, or split your longer clip into 15-second installments. Create Create mode will take you to a screen where you can create a Story from scratch. On this screen, you can choose stickers, place gifs, and write text. Boomerang Boomerang mode films looping GIFs up to three seconds in length. Layout Layout mode will take you to a screen with four quadrants, in which you can capture four different photos. You can change the style of the grid. Multi-Capture Multi-capture mode allows you to capture photos and videos consecutively without needing to upload them separately to your Story. Photobooth Photobooth mode allows you to take four photos that then appear in consecutive order in your Story. There's a flash in between, giving the effect of photos taken in an actual photo booth. Hands-Free Use hands-free mode if you want to set up your camera to film a video for you. Make sure you prop it somewhere stable before you start recording. We'll talk more about this feature in a minute. Level The level option will overlay a grid over your camera so that you can accurately align objects so that they're straight. You can combine this option with other image capture modes such as multi-capture and photobooth. 3. Capture a photo or video using the camera. Now that you've chosen your filter and image capture mode, it's time to actually start filming and creating content. Hold down on the button to film a video, and tap once to capture an image. If you don't like the filter, you can change it. You can also add stickers, text, and drawings. 4. Once you've edited your photo or video, tap "Your Story." You can also save your edited photo or video to your gallery by tapping the "Download" icon up top. Knowing how to post to your Instagram Story is one thing, but knowing what to post is a different ... well, story. For businesses looking to tell their story on Instagram, it's important to know who your ideal followers are and what they'd be interested in seeing on Instagram. Remember, Instagram is a visual platform, but that doesn't mean you can't teach or promote something in the process.Below, we cover a few ideas for using Instagram Stories to attract followers and build a customer base. How to Use Instagram Stories for BusinessPost footage of an office event.Post breaking news about your industry.Demonstrate your product.Promote a company event.Preview one of your company's blog posts.Mention other companies who follow or work with you. 1. Post footage of an office event. Sometimes, the best thing a business can do on Instagram is be as human as possible. One way to do this is to post a brief video of a company function. Whether it's an office holiday party or an award banquet, posting footage of it to your Story is easy and in-the-moment entertainment for your followers. This content also shows people you're a relevant and friendly voice in your market. 2. Post breaking news about your industry. Just as you might on your company blog, you can use your Instagram Story to report on the latest happenings in your industry. With the right design work, you can turn small news breaks — that don't merit an entire article — into a Story on your Instagram account. This keeps users coming back to you to stay abreast with market trends. You can even ask users what they think, as shown in the Instagram Story by LIKE.TG below. We'll explain how Instagram "stickers" can help you do this in just a minute. 3. Showcase your product. Your product might not be the simplest or sexiest product in the eyes of the layperson. Well, your Instagram Story is the perfect format for showing potential customers how that product is used. Post a long video, segmented into 15-second clips that show users what your product or service does and how it helps your customers. If you sell software, for example, you might record a video of your computer screen, using a recording tool like Loom, that shows people how to log in, use the software's dashboard, and navigate to the various functions included in the product. Just remember to modify your video's dimensions before uploading it to your Instagram Story. Remember, Instagram Stories' image dimensionsare 1920px high and 1080px wide, with an aspect ratio of 9:16. 4. Promote a company event. Does your organization host a trade conference or attend a big one every year? Use your Instagram Story to promote the event and tell your followers to look for you there. Work with a graphic designer, or do some artwork yourself, to illustrate an event flyer with all the information one would need to find you. Most of this, you can do directly on Instagram. For example, use the native text options in your Story to add: The event's name. Where the event is located. Dates you'll be attending. Your booth number. The event's official hashtag. 5. Preview one of your company's blog posts or videos. Your blog posts and YouTube videos need all the exposure they can get. Even if social media isn't your blog's primary source of traffic, your Instagram Story can help readers discover that post or video for the first time and find it later. In the screenshot below, Google Pixel used its Instagram Story to preview a video it published about a customer who used the device. When you tap all the way to the end of the Story, Google prompts you to swipe up with your finger, where it then links you to the full video on YouTube. 6. Mention other companies who follow or work with you. As your Instagram following grows, you'll eventually pick up other business accounts that want to follow you as well. Whether those accounts are your business partners or simply fans of yours, consider giving them shout-outs on your Instagram Story. This is a passive but effective way to nurture your relationships with the users that matter most to your business's growth. We'll explain how to link to other accounts in an Instagram Story in the tips below. Now that you know the basics, let's run through tips and hacks for producing high-quality, clickable Instagram Stories. Instagram Story Tricks and Hacks 1. Use stickers. Once you've captured a great photo or video, it's time to jazz it up with some fun stickers. You can access these by clicking "Create," then tapping the smiling sticker icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen once you've captured a photo or video. Here are some best practices after you choose a sticker. Change the size of your stickers. You can pinch the sticker once you've added it to your Story to increase or decrease its size. You can also tap and drag it around the frame to change its position. Check stickers every day for new and unique ones. Instagram releases unique Story stickers often — whether it's for a weekday, a holiday, or a season. Check this section every day for new and timely stickers to add to your Story. Add location, hashtag, poll, and selfie stickers. Boost engagement on your Instagram Story by opening it up to other people doing the same things you are. Open up the stickers section, and tap any of these buttons to customize your Story: Link Stickers Instagram recently released a new feature that allows users to include clickable, external links in their Instagram Stories - a long-awaited tool desired by many users. Location Stickers Start typing in your location, and you'll be able to pull in a geographically-specific sticker to show where you are. When people view your Story, they'll be able to tap the location sticker and see other photos and Stories happening around the same place. Hashtag Stickers Same concept here: If you add this sticker and type in a hashtag, your Story will appear in searches for that hashtag, and viewers will be able to click it and see who else is using it. Poll Stickers You can add a two-option poll to your Instagram Story, and you can even customize the possible answers so they're more unique than "Yes" or "No." Use a poll sticker to gauge if people are really engaging with your content. Selfie Stickers Open up the Stickers menu, and tap on the camera icon. Then, take a selfie — or take a picture of anyone else's face (that will work too). Then, you can use that face to decorate your Instagram Story. Somewhat creepy, but very memorable and funny, too. You can also find stickers for: Donations Countdowns Music Avatars Photos 2. Record a hands-free Instagram video. If you're a frequent video recorder on Instagram, you know you need to hold your thumb against the record button for as long as you're recording. This can make it tedious when attempting dynamic and interesting videos that require more hand mobility. But did you know you can record these videos hands-free? The hands-free video feature can be found in the list of image capture options, as shown above. Simply tap the record button once to start the video, and again to stop it after you've got the footage you want. 3. Let viewers share your Stories. Increase engagement and views of your Instagram Story by letting viewers share them with their friends — as direct messages (DMs). To do so, navigate to your app's settings, then to Privacy, then tap Story. Toggle on "Allow Sharing as Message" so viewers can DM your Story to friends to increase your audience reach. Voila! 4. Use the pen. Use the pen to add embellishment, symbols, or more text to your Story. If you tap the pen icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen once you've captured a photo or video, you'll open up your options. From there, you can adjust the thickness of your pen stroke or change the color you're writing with. I like using the highlighter pen to add emphasis to words — or even to highlight my photo or video. 5. Add a background color. If you want to share a Story with a background color — like the images I've shared above — you can actually select it from the color palette. Take a picture (it doesn't have to be a picture of anything in particular), and then tap the pen icon to open up the color palette. You can choose one of the colors from the three available menus, or if you want a specific shade of one of those colors, you can open up the full color spectrum by pressing and holding one of the colors. Then, scribble anywhere on the screen, and hold your finger down until you get the background color you want to appear. If you want to get really creative, you could use the eraser tool (the fourth option) to create new words or shapes from the background, too. 6. Mention another Instagram account in your Story. Sometimes, it's just not enough to send an Instagram Story to a particular person — you need to give them a shoutout in the photo or video itself. In these cases, Instagram allows you to tag up to 10 specific handles directly in your Story's photo or video. To mention an Instagram account in your Story, shoot a photo or video and then tap the square "A" icon in the upper righthand corner of the screen. Enter the account you'd like to tag, starting with the "@" symbol and the account's first letter. Scroll through the suggested accounts that appear below your cursor until you find the account you have in mind, and tap it. Once you post this Story, the account you've tagged will be notified. 7. Have some fun with your text. The text on Instagram Stories is pretty basic — jazz it up with these tricks. Customize your colors. If you're unsatisfied with the color palette Instagram offers, create your own from one of the colors in the photo or video you've captured. Open up the text icon, and tap the eyedropper icon in the lower left-hand corner of your screen. Use the dropper to sample a color from somewhere in the image you've captured, and use it when typing out text or using the pen tool. Add a drop shadow to your Story's text. If you want to add some extra drama to your text, add highlighting or shadowing by retyping or rewriting your text in a different color. I recommend choosing black or white to add emphasis to a bright color you've picked. Then, move the text above or underneath the brighter text to add some drama to your words. Turn your text into a rainbow. This one's tricky, but you can actually turn your text into a gradient rainbow. Tap the text icon, and type out your message to add to your Story. Then, highlight your text. This is where it gets tricky: Turn your phone to the side so you can hold one finger down on the right side of your text, and with another finger, tap on a color and hold until the color wheel pops up. Then, slowly drag both fingers across both the text and the color wheel from right to left to create rainbow text. Go slowly, letter by letter until you've created a rainbow. (This one took me several tries before I nailed it, and I succeeded using both thumbs to highlight the text and the color wheel.) Gradually add text to a Story. Sometimes, you might want to add text or stickers to an image to build on it — perhaps to promote a content offer or event, or to encourage viewers to swipe up to read a link you've shared. Start editing the photo you want to share, post it, and save it to your camera roll. Then, swipe up on your screen to add the screenshot to the next installment of your Story — adding new text or stickers on top of the first photo. Keep doing this for as long as you want the Story to last. Just make sure to keep taking screenshots of your latest photo so you can add to it. 8. Dig into your Story analytics Snapchat users have always been able to see which of their friends have viewed their snapped Stories over the 24-hour period that the Story is visible. Well, Instagram Stories can do the same thing, plus more. Not only will you see who saw your Story, but also dig into the actions taken by viewers. Start by navigating to the homepage of Instagram on your phone and click on the circular icon denoting your Story. Then, swipe up from the bottom of your open Story. This will pull up a list of all the accounts that have viewed this content plus actions they've taken. This can range from stickers they tapped to profile visits, accounts reached, impressions, follows, and more. 9. Center your text and stickers. When you're moving around text and stickers on your Story, you'll see blue lines appear vertically or horizontally in the frame. These are guiding lines you can use to make sure you're keeping everything centered. Don't put your text too high or too low on the screen. That said, make sure you don't add anything to your Story too high or too low in the frame — or it will be cut off when viewers scroll through your Story, when Instagram adds things like your name and how long ago your Story was posted that could block out your carefully-crafted text. 10. Add music to a Story (or mute it). This one's easy: Turn on music using your phone's native streaming app, and record a video Story. Once you get ready to edit and share, make sure the sound icon isn't muted so your viewers can jam with you. Alternatively, if you'd rather your video be muted, tap the sound icon so a slash appears over it. You can also add music from artists on the app by clicking on the music sticker and choosing which section of the song you'd like in your Story. 11. Upload Instagram Stories from your phone's camera roll. Great Instagram Stories aren't just created through the Instagram app. You can also upload photos and videos from your mobile device's native camera roll. To upload a photo or video for use as an Instagram Story, open your Instagram Story's camera lens and tap the little square icon on the bottom lefthand corner. See what this looks like below. Tapping the icon shown above will call up your phone's native media gallery, where you can select any photo or video to publish as an Instagram Story. It's that easy. 12. Schedule IG Stories Ahead of Time You can schedule Instagram Stories in advance with scheduling tools like Later. This can help streamline your process by allowing you to batch-upload content, be more consistent, and spend more time strategizing. Post Instagram Stories to Grow Your Audience We hope these tips help you post killer Instagram Stories your audience won't be able to stop following. There are lots of hidden ways to take your Stories to the next level — some we may not even have covered here. Our best advice? Keep clicking around and see what you can do with the latest updates from the app. Happy 'gramming! Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

More than 500 million accounts use Instagram's Stories feature, and one-third of Instagram's most-viewed Stories are created by brands (Instagram). It's clear that this feature has resonated with Instagram's base, and businesses can leverage it to drive awareness and engagement with their audiences. But with all of that comes the question: How can brands use Stories to their fullest advantage, in the effort of driving traffic and conversions for their businesses? It starts with knowing how to add links to Instagram Stories with the Swipe Up feature so you can promote your website. Let's dive into that now. What is the Instagram Swipe Up feature? The Instagram Swipe Up feature allows Instagram users to add a link to an Instagram Story. Users who view the Story can simply "swipe up" to open the link. You'll be able to post exciting content regarding a new product, service, or event, and then encourage your audience to "swipe up for details." This gives brands a low-friction way to drive traffic from the Instagram platform, and it allows users to more seemlessly interact with brands directly from those brands' Stories. Who can use Swipe Up on Instagram? The Swipe Up feature is intended for brands and Instagram users, so Instagram limits availability to those who fit three criteria: You must have a business profile, it must be a verified account, and you must have at least 10,000 followers. If you meet this criteria, continue reading to learn how to add a link to your Instagram story. If you don't meet the criteria, click here to find out your alternative options. How to Add Swipe Up to Instagram StoriesCheck that you have 10,000 followers or a verified account. When uploading to your Instagram Story, click the icon at the top right that looks like a chain. Click "+ URL" to add a link to a web page. Type the URL into the text box. Click "Done" in the top right. When you're ready to publish, click the "+Story" button at the bottom right. 1. Check that you have 10,000 followers or a verified account. You won't be able to follow the steps below if you don't. I used LIKE.TG's official Instagram account for these instructions, since my personal account isn't verified (I also, you'll be surprised to hear, don't have 10,000 followers … ). 2. When uploading to your Instagram Story, click the icon at the top right that looks like a chain. 3. Click "+URL" to add a link to a web page. This will allow you to designate which link to add to your Story. If you were interested in linking your Story to your IGTV video, you could choose that option instead. 4. Type the URL into the text box. This will be the page that the user gets directed to when they swipe up on your Story. You'll want to copy it into the text box labeled "URL." 5. Click "Done" in the top right of the screen. From there you'll be prompted to go through the process of publishing your Story. 6. When you're ready to publish, click the "+ Story" button at the bottom right. Now, your published Story has a "See More" Swipe Up link. How to Add a Link to Instagram If You Don't Have 10K Followers If you want to promote products off of the platform, you may have to get a little creative to do it. Here are your options: 1. Directing your audience to an IGTV video. IGTV (Instagram TV) is an app that allows you to create Instagram videos with a minimum length of 1 minute and a maximum length of 15 minutes (via mobile) or 60 minutes (via web). Unlike regular Instagram posts and Stories, however, IGTV allows you to add clickable links to the video description. While Stories get more attention than IGTV videos, one tactic you can use is creating a Story that promotes the IGTV video with your link. This will allow you to get some level of click-through from your Story. 2. Directing your audience to the link in your bio. Instagram also allows you to drop a link in your profile bio. In many cases, this real estate is best used to list the homepage of your website. However, if you want to drive traffic to a particular page, you could conceivably add the promo link and then include "link in bio" language in your Instagram Story to direct people there. The main downside, however, is that you wouldn't be able to promote multiple links at once, so you'd have to coordinate the link you place in your bio to match the content you're currently creating. Both of these methods may result in lower conversions because of the extra steps the user has to take in order to access the links. However, they're both excellent ways to earn traffic from Instagram as you build your audience to 10,000 followers. Instagram Swipe Up Link Examples 1. @ Detoxinista Recipes Food bloggers such as @Detoxinista use Instagram Stories' Swipe Up link to embed recipes on the platform. They wisely post images of delicious-looking food, which incentivizes users to swipe up to learn how to make it themselves. The link isn't a direct advertisement, but users are directed to Detoxinista's website, where they can find her cookbook and become familiar with her brand. 2. @Blavity #worldnotobaccoday Blavity is a media company "created by and for Black millennials." They provide their audience with news, editorial, and lifestyle content that informs and entertains. In a recent campaign with L.A. Quits, Blavity promoted World No Tobacco Day to raise awareness of the harmful effects of smoking. You'll notice the "Swipe Up" call-to-action on the left. By doing so, users are directed to the L.A. Quits website where they can get resources for living a healthier tobacco-free life. 3. @Alifedotowsky Clothing Items If you're a Bachelorette fan, you might've noticed the growing trend among Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants to become product influencers and embed Swipe Up links in their Stories. As a fashion and style blogger, Ali often takes pictures or videos of outfits she's wearing, with Swipe Up links so users can buy the items online. She also often incorporates discounts if users swipe up, further incentivizing a user to purchase an item from a brand's website. 4. @ Popsugarfitness Summer Sculpt Series One of the most effective ways to use the Swipe Up feature is to offer your followers something of value, for free. @Popsugarfitness, for instance, introduced a Summer Sculpt series with a tempting offer -- "Swipe Up for a 10-Minute No-Equipment Booty-Shaping Workout". Who could say no to that? Ideally, as users obtain more value from your site, they'll spend longer on it and become stronger brand advocates. 5. @TheLipBar Cosmetics The Lip Bar is a beauty brand that creates inclusive, vegan, and cruelty-free cosmetics products ranging from lipstick to tinted moisturizer. In this Instagram Story, The Lip Bar is promoting their summer sale with the tagline "Are ya'll ready for summer?" By swiping up on the Story, you can view one of their promoted products. 6. @Reebok Be More Human Campaign Reebok created a powerful and timely campaign called "Be More Human", celebrating women's empowerment through fitness. On their Instagram Stories, they raise awareness for the campaign by showing famous women like Gigi Hadid or Danai Gurira, and when you swipe up, you learn more about Reebok's campaign and how you can get involved. On the site there are opportunities to purchase t-shirts or donate money, but it's evident Reebok is committed to staying focused on their messaging above all else, a noble pursuit. Driving Traffic from Instagram Instagram is a thriving platform, one that your customers are likely on. It only makes sense to use these tactics as well as other Instagram strategies to build awareness for your brand and grow your business. Editor's note: This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Instagram scrollers beware: your favorite photo-sharing app has a feature that shows friends when you were last online. Similar to the activity status found on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, Instagram's “Activity Status” setting shows when you were last on the app. It’s now turned off by default in your account, but it’s better to be safe. Let's go over how it works — then take a look at how you can turn it off. How does the activity status feature work on Instagram? The activity status feature shows people you’ve direct messaged (DM'd) when you were last online and whether you’re currently active on Instagram. Your status is only shown to people you follow. So if someone follows you but you don't follow them back, they won't be able to view your status. The same is true for your friends. You can see when they were last online if they follow you back. Your friends’ status is visible when you navigate to your direct messages: Remember: the feature only shows whether you’re online and when you last accessed the app. Your friends won’t see the posts you’ve liked or commented on. On the fence about turning it off? Read on to find out whether you should keep activity status on or off. Should you keep activity status on or off? There are a few benefits to keeping it on. It allows you to keep tabs on your friends’ online status without feeling like you’re intruding. That way, if you want to send a funny meme at just the right moment, you can expect your friend to see it immediately or soon afterward. Turning it off, however, offers the great benefit of being able to access Instagram without anyone knowing. That means that you can answer DMs at your leisure, and you don’t feel as if anyone is keeping tabs on when you’re using the app. The one drawback is that once you turn the feature off, you won't be able to view anyone else's activity status. If you want to keep your late-night puppy picture scroll fests completely private, don't fret. You can turn off Instagram's activity status feature with the following quick steps. How to Turn Off Activity StatusOpen up the Instagram app on your phone.Navigate to your profile by tapping your profile picture on the far right of the bottom navigation bar.Click the menu icon on the top right-hand corner. Tap the menu item that says Setting. Click Privacy to enter your privacy settings.Click Activity Status under the Interactions heading. Once you reach the Show Activity Status option, toggle it off. Here's the setting you're looking for: Once that setting is toggled off, you're free to resume scrolling undetected. The best part? You can turn it on at any time if you change your mind. Stay Private by Turning Off Your Activity Status Staying private on social media is already difficult enough. To ensure that you’re not accidentally showing your activity status to those whom you’ve DM’d, turn it off in your settings. That way, you can enjoy privacy while you use the app. Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Every social network makes it clear how to put a link in your bio on their platform -- except Instagram. Twitter lets you tag other handles in your bio. LinkedIn gives you the ability to link yourself to your employer's official page. Facebook allows you to tag a number of different businesses, interest pages, and people in your "About" section, so you can let friends know who you work for, what brands you like, your alma mater, your relationship status, and so on. What about Instagram? Until recently, Instagram didn't give you a ton of space to brand your profile with hashtags and profile handles -- you could only link to their respective pages in photo captions. Websites were the only types of links you could put in your bio (hence the common phrase "link in bio"). What does "link in bio" mean on Instagram? If an Instagram user addresses their audience with the phrase "link in bio," it means they are directing them to go to their Instagram profile's bio section to access the clickable URL for the website they're promoting. "Link in bio" is essentially a call to action, promoting more information available outside of Instagram's parameters. But Instagram recently gifted us two new features: linkable profiles and hashtags, right in your bio. You can now add them alongside the link to your website. How to Add a Link to Your Instagram Bio Open your Instagram mobile app. Visit your profile by tapping the person icon on the bottom right. Tap "Edit Profile" at the top of the screen. Write a custom description in 150 characters or less. Add a brief link to your website in the form of yourdomain.com. Add links to other profiles by tapping "@" followed by the profile's handle. Add hashtags by tapping "#" followed by the hashtag you associate with. Tap "Done" to save your bio. Note: The instructions above apply to the latest version of Instagram -- 37.0 on iOS. You can also edit your bio on Instagram's website by navigating to your profile and clicking "Edit Profile" next to your name. On the screen to the left, below, you can see how Instagram suggests popular hashtags as you edit the bio text field, just like it would when you add a hashtag to a picture's caption. On the screen to the right, you'll see the profile of a person who uses hashtags, profile links, and websites in her bio. You can also simply clean up your Instagram bio by creating a Start Page that will allow your followers to view all of your links across multiple platforms. Things have changed at Instagram as of late, and you now have options to link to other pages you identify with right beneath your Instagram profile picture. But keep in mind that users who don't want their profile tagged in others' bios can opt to untag themselves. It's best to reserve this space for the accounts you know would agree with the association you're making. Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Finding the perfect way to engage potential customers is a challenge a lot of businesses struggle with today. SMS is too binary while email campaigns are overused and often ignored due to inbox clutter.Users want a quick and simple way to communicate their needs while businesses want a cost-effective and automated conversion process. WhatsApp interactive messages work in favor of both parties. They offer WhatsApp API users the perfect opportunity to create a response-based messaging flow to get users to take action.WhatsApp interactive messages explainedSmall buttons that offer great results – this is the best way to sum up WhatsApp Interactive Messages, and a large part of what makes them the future of customer engagement. They are a combination of text, media, and call-to-action buttons that automate interaction with customers while ensuring personalization and clarity.This WhatsApp Business API feature enables users to create and send messages that customers can reply to by selecting one of the pre-defined responses.What are the different types of interactive messages available to WhatsApp API users?By creating an account with , you can create any of the following interactive messages on WhatsApp:WhatsApp List MessagesWith a 98% open rate, WhatsApp is reshaping the digital marketing landscape. A case study conducted by the Carrefour group in 2022 showed that they had a 35% higher engagement rate with WhatsApp audiences than with email audiences.Messages that contain a menu of up to 10 options that users can select. These messages are a great way for businesses to get straightforward information about what customers are looking for:Menus of products or services.FAQs.A collection of items (names, locations, times…).A certain order.WhatsApp Reply Button MessagesMessages that offer up to 3 buttons that customers can click on. These messages are useful for offering customers quick personalized responses in situations such as:Airtime recharge.Personal details updating.Reorders.Yes/No returns.Payment method selections.Specific additional options.WhatsApp Single-Product MessagesShowMessages that include an image and description of a single product from the business’ inventory. Businesses can use this type of message to display a specific product and prompt customers to proceed with purchasing it.WhatsApp Multi-Product MessageMessages that include a catalog of up to 30 products from the business’ inventory. Businesses can use this type of WhatsApp interactive message to showcase their products using different filters (by popularity, price, availability, etc.) offers API users a simple way to create and send personalized messages with products and catalogs. Check out our documentation to learn more.WhatsApp Location Request MessagesMessages that contain body text and a Send location button. The button gives users the option to share their location with the business.Things to keep in mindWhatsApp Interactive Messages are only available to medium-to-large enterprises using the WhatsApp Business API, not small businesses using the WhatsApp Business app.Businesses can combine multiple interactive messages in the same conversation flow.Users can only select one option from a list or button message.Users can choose a different option by going back and re-opening the message.Interactive messages can only be sent as responses to user-initiated conversations. They can’t be sent outside the 24-hour window or as active notifications.Interactive messages are only supported on the following platforms: iOS, Android, and web.How to create interactive messages on WhatsApp?For API users to generate interactive messages, they need to:Specify a message’s type to interactive and assemble the interactive object.Add common message parameters.Make a POST call to /messageCheck WebhooksUsers are welcome to explore Meta’s guidelines to get a detailed step-by-step walkthrough.Our recommendation: set up your webhooks to receive message status and inbound message notifications. This way, you can track if your message was sent and the answers you get from the users.Best practices for making your WhatsApp messages engaging and memorableFormat all messagesBusinesses today are targeting mobile device users, so all messages need to be properly formatted. The best way to ensure this is to follow character limits and structures provided by Meta.Clarify your messagesPeople today have a short attention span and they do not want to waste time reading long messages or solving puzzles. By using list messages and reply buttons, businesses can eliminate redundancies and give customers a clear path to what they expect.Build a smooth messaging flowEvery extra step you make customers go through increases the chances of them abandoning the conversation. By optimizing the flow of conversation with WhatsApp interactive messages, businesses make it easier for consumers to get from one end of the customer journey to the other.Use WhatsApp marketing tacticsLists, catalogs, and buttons are all valuable upgrades, but they are still additions to the core which is the message businesses want to convey. Creating a strong and concise text message with proper visuals still makes all the difference.What makes WhatsApp interactive messages such a valuable tool?Which of these would you choose – texting back and forth with a business to get a solution or clicking on a few buttons to get the solution? And that is the basic example of how interactive messages on WhatsApp make customer engagement more efficient. Here are some others to consider:Better response rateSince responding to these messages comes down to a select-and-click system, they can provide a higher response rate in comparison to the traditional type-and-message approach.Less chance of human errorMost people text while in the middle of other activities, which often leads to typing mistakes and unclear messages. With interactive messages, businesses can eliminate unclear or prolonged communication with pre-planned lists and reply buttons.Higher chance of conversionWhatsApp testing showed that interactive messages generate more responses and conversions than text-based messages. The fewer steps users need to take to get what they expect from a business, the higher the chances are that they will convert.How can interactive messages reduce friction in the WhatsApp customer journey?Selling on WhatsApp becomes much simpler when businesses can easily guide customers through every step of the opt-in process. WhatsApp interactive messages have the potential to personalize each conversation flow to ensure a tailored customer experience. WhatsApp Button Reply Messages can be an opt-in/opt-out feature, giving users control over the type and amount of information they want to receive. That helps businesses segregate audiences into smaller groups and target them with more success. With these messages, you can maintain a higher quality rating of messages over long periods. WhatsApp List Messages can help users specify what they are interested in. This step alone can replace the initial back-and-forth communication that can take days. With one message, you can make it easier to cater to the needs of each customer. Use CasesDental practicesClinics can use the WhatsApp list message to provide available time slots for booking appointments or use Reply Buttons to confirm the payment method a customer wants to use.WhatsApp newsletterMedia businesses can use WhatsApp list messages to get users to select a specific topic they are interested in reading about (Sports, Travel, Technology, etc.) and personalize their subscription to those particular topics. Or they can use Reply Buttons to offer users the chance to subscribe/unsubscribe from their newsletter.Retail storesRetailers can use Quick Reply Messages to offer customers the option to purchase online or visit a store.They can use List messages to provide customers with different store locations and to promote in-store walk-ins. Or they can then use Single-Product and Multi-Product messages to make it easier for customers to order one or more products online.Customer serviceInstead of having customers call customer support centers and staying on hold, businesses can use the message to list down the FAQ menu that a recipient can choose from, followed up with a reply button message that gives them the option to email, call or request a call from the business.These are just some examples of how businesses can leverage interactive messages on WhatsApp to engage audiences. ’s marketing automation solutions for API users.Start leveraging WhatsApp interactive messages as an advanced API userChat marketing is opening new frontiers and getting more and more traction. People today spend hours on smartphones, making messaging platforms such as WhatsApp a gold mine for customer engagement.For businesses that use WhatsApp Business API providers such as , this is one of the many tools that can ensure business growth.

Every business owner understands the importance of growing the number of channels you advertise on. Whether you’re looking to boost traffic, expand audiences, or improve your brand exposure, messaging platforms are a great way to achieve that. And you can’t really discuss messaging platforms without mentioning WhatsApp. In this article, answers the simple question of how to sell on WhatsApp but also why you should do it.8 reasons why commerce on WhatsApp worksGlobal coverage. With over 2.4 billion registered users worldwide, WhatsApp has a massive reach. This makes it an ideal platform for businesses to reach potential customers.Personalization. WhatsApp allows businesses to communicate with customers directly and personally, making it easier to build relationships and create a more personalized shopping experience.Convenience. By offering the ability to make purchases directly through the app, eCommerce on WhatsApp provides customers with a convenient and seamless shopping experience.Responsiveness. WhatsApp’s instant messaging platform allows businesses to communicate with customers in real time, making it easy to respond to inquiries and support customer needs.Trust. By offering a secure and convenient way to make purchases, eCommerce on WhatsApp can help increase customer trust in a business, which can lead to increased sales and repeat business.Customer experience. By integrating eCommerce features, WhatsApp can provide businesses with the ability to improve the customer experience by offering personalized recommendations, order tracking, and streamlined payment processes.Cost-effectiveness. WhatsApp is an affordable way for businesses to reach and engage customers. It requires no additional costs for setup or maintenance.Mobile-first. With the majority of WhatsApp users accessing the platform through their mobile devices, selling on WhatsApp is a mobile-first solution that can help businesses reach customers where they spend the most time.How to start selling on WhatsApp Business APIConsider what your goals are and what you expect from your WhatsApp leads. The WhatsApp Business app lacks a lot of the options that businesses and serious retailers need to take their sales to the next level. If this is something that you would like to explore, then you need to explore the options of WhatsApp Business API or WhatsApp Cloud API. If you want a more versatile option, WhatsApp Business Solution Providers like can offer you just that – a way for you to showcase and share your products with a wide range of customers and have them browse and add items to their cart without having to leave the conversation.In order to use the WhatsApp API for commerce, all you have to do is follow these steps:Upload your inventory to MetaCreate and connect your catalog to your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)Set the Commerce settingsShare your products with customers (by using single-product and multi-product messages)Manage customer responsesUploading your inventory to MetaIf you want to sell on WhatsApp with ease, you should upload your inventory to Facebook in the form of a catalog.If your business already has a Facebook catalog, all you need to do is connect the catalog to your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). This will enable you to share the catalog with customers via WhatsApp.If your business doesn’t have a catalog, you have two options:Create a catalog through the APICreate a catalog through the Commerce ManagerCreating a catalog through the APIThere are three simple steps to follow:Set up your catalog feed. Once you choose one of the supported feed formats, add inventory to your catalog with a set of universal attributes, which you can boost with recommended and additional attributes.Choose your product category.Schedule your feed upload.Creating a catalog through the Commerce ManagerOnce you create a Facebook page for your retail business and a Business Manager account, you need to follow these steps:Go to Commerce Manager → Get started → Create Catalog/Add Catalog → Select Inventory Type → Upload product info/Connect to a partner platform → Select Business Manager account your catalog belongs to → Name your catalog → Click Create.Connecting your catalog with your WhatsApp Business AccountGo to Business Manager and select your business.Open the dropdown menu.Click WhatsApp Manager.Select the account you want to connect to a catalog.In the left-hand menu, click Catalog.Click Choose a catalog.From the drop-down menu, choose the catalog that you want to connect.Click View catalog if you want to view or manage the catalog.Click Connect catalog.Your catalog should be connected, giving you the option to start sending single-product and multi-product messages to customers.Updating the Commerce SettingsDuring this step, you can use the WhatsApp Business Account > Phone Numbers endpoint to enable/disable the shopping cart and product catalog for separate business phone numbers. You need to keep the following requirements in mind:System User access token/User access token.The whatsapp_business_management permission.The System User access token requires full control over the WhatsApp Business Account.India-based businesses must comply with all e-commerce laws.Sharing products with customersTo sell on WhatsApp, retailers have to share products with customers. There are two ways to do this:Catalog Link MessagesThis refers to messages with catalog thumbnails that link to the entire catalog. To send this link, businesses need to assemble a wa.me link by appending the business’s phone number (country code included) to the end of the following string:https://wa.me/c/Example:https://wa.me/c/4915503173420Product MessagesInteractive messages that offer a brief description of up to 30 products from your catalog.To get more insight, you can explore the official guide for sharing products with customers.Managing responses from customersOnce your contacts receive Single or Multi-product messages, they have three ways to respond:Ask for more information about a product.Add product(s) to the shopping cart and place an order.You can track each response by checking the webhook alerts you received for each message. This is what a sample webhook for a message that has been sent successfully looks like:{"statuses":[{ "id": "message-ID", "recipient_id": "16315555555", "status": "sent", "timestamp": "1518694700"}] } It’s important to save the message ID to track how customers are receiving that message.Useful interactive commerce features on WhatsApp APIAs the most popular instant messaging platform in the world, WhatsApp definitely has plenty to offer to businesses of all sizes, starting with its numerous interactive eCommerce features. If you want to sell on WhatsApp, you need to be able to present them properly.These features allow businesses to engage with customers, showcase their products, and make sales directly through the app. When you combine that with the WhatsApp Business API option, you get a great source of fresh leads for your business.Here are some of the key interactive commerce features on WhatsApp that you can use to your advantage:CatalogsShowcasing your products/services in a visually appealing way is an essential part of getting the attention of potential customers and sparking engagement. WhatsApp catalogs can include images, descriptions, and pricing details for each of your products or services, making them a great selling point. Make it easy for your customers to browse and make purchases by creating and sending catalogs via ’s WhatsApp Business API.Once you connect the catalog to your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), you can start sending interactive messages such as Single Products messages and Multi Product messages.Quick repliesIf you receive a lot of follow-up questions from leads, you can use Quick Replies to give quick answers and keep potential customers engaged. Quick replies are canned responses to common inquiries that can help your business boost customer experience and sell products on WhatsApp. Also, this is a great way to automate part of the workflow of your sales team.Automated messagesAnother interactive and time-efficient way to cater to customer needs on WhatsApp is through the use of automated messages. You can set certain messages to automatically respond to customers based on specific triggers such as:Sending a message for the first time;Abandoning the shopping cart;Placing an order, etc.Order trackingOne of the most common questions that retailers receive is about tracking orders. By using the order tracking option on WhatsApp, you can give customers the option to track their orders directly. As a result, they receive shipping and delivery updates while you lighten the workload for your customer support teams.Payment integrationEnabling customers to handle the payment process via WhatsApp makes the shopping experience more appealing. By using integrations with payment providers such as PayPal or Stripe, businesses can accept and process payments directly through WhatsApp. Make sure to explore all the WhatsApp Business API integration options available.Customer serviceBy opting for WhatsApp API, businesses get the ability to offer customer service directly through the app. This step makes it easier for your customers to get the help and support they need instantly.These interactive commerce features on WhatsApp can help businesses streamline the sales process, improve the customer experience, and increase sales. By utilizing these features, businesses can provide customers with a convenient, personalized, and secure shopping experience directly through WhatsApp.5 best practices for setting up a shop on WhatsAppUsing WhatsApp as your storefront can definitely help you reach potential customers, especially when you already have a strong list of contacts. However, if you’re starting from scratch, it might be wise to go through the following guidelines before you start using WhatsApp to sell products or services:Step #1: Build your customer listEvery quality sales effort starts with defining your audience. A good place to start is to import existing contacts into your WhatsApp API. Once you have a list of names, the next step is to categorize them based on different factors:AgeGenderDemographicsInterestsPast purchases, etc.Once you have your audience profiles, it’s time to start planning a personalized approach for each of those groups. One of the useful features that you can explore here is the ability to send bulk messages to contacts at once.Step #2: Create a sales strategyIf you want to sell on WhatsApp, you need to have a structured sales plan. This will help you maximize your efforts and resources by giving you a sense of direction. Here are some of the steps you want to take when creating a sales strategy for WhatsApp:Profile your audience. Research who your ideal customer is and what their needs and interests are. This will help you create messages that resonate with them.Set clear goals. Determine what you hope to achieve through your WhatsApp sales efforts. For example, you might set a goal of making a certain number of sales per week or reaching a specific number of contacts.Choose the right products. Decide which products you want to sell on WhatsApp, based on their popularity, profitability, and potential to generate repeat sales.Step #3: Optimize your engagement rateOnce you have a contact list and a strategy in place, you need to focus your efforts on engaging with all the contacts on your list. An essential part of selling on WhatsApp is to maximize your customer engagement rate. Here are some helpful ways to achieve that:Personalized messaging. Marketers have proved that people react better when they feel that a message has been tailored for them specifically. Address your customers by name and include details that are relevant to them, such as their previous purchases or interests.Offer incentives. Consumers today love to get rewarded for choosing a brand. Provide incentives for customers to buy from you, such as discounts, promotions, free samples, etc.Use high-quality images and videos. The visual appeal of your offer plays a huge role when you want to sell on WhatsApp or any other platform. Showcase your products in the best possible light by using high-quality images and videos. This will help potential customers get a better sense of what it is that you have to offer.Respond promptly. Responsiveness is another essential factor in modern consumerism. Make sure to respond promptly to customer inquiries and messages. This will help build trust and establish a positive relationship with your customers.Step #4: Track your resultsBy measuring the effectiveness of sales efforts via WhatsApp, businesses will be able to draw clear conclusions on just how impactful this sales channel is. Make sure to create a list of key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the performance of your product sales on WhatsApp.Keep track of how many sales you make, how many contacts you reach, and what type of response you’re getting from customers. This will help you determine what’s working and what’s not, and make changes as needed to improve your results.Step #5: Keep up with new WhatsApp updates and trendsThe WhatsApp team is constantly working on improvements and new features to make the app more appealing to both businesses and customers. It’s important to follow these trends if you want to ensure success when selling on WhatsApp.A simple way to achieve this is to sign up for a WhatsApp Business API account. Gain access to detailed documentation about the various functionalities as well as blogs and newsletters from Meta’s official partners.Bonus tips for boosting your WhatsApp sales effortsEverything up to this point will help you learn how to sell on WhatsApp. Once you build the foundation, you need to tailor your approach to stand out. And the best ways to do that are to:Use a separate mobile device for your business.Ask customers for their phone contacts.Verify your business on WhatsApp.Create a broadcast list/group.Label chat threads and customers.Automate your messaging workflow.Include promotional and useful links.Personalize your messages.Create a schedule for your campaigns.Ensure the growth of your business by selling on WhatsAppIn conclusion, selling products through WhatsApp can be an effective way to reach potential customers and expand your business. By setting up your WhatsApp commerce strategy and using the interactive features that the app provides, you can tap into a deep source of prospects and watch your audience and revenues grow.For more information on how to sell on WhatsApp, contact the team. Learn how our WhatsApp Business API solutions can make your presence on this powerful platform stronger than ever before!

Guided by Meta, official WhatsApp API providers such as have helped transform WhatsApp from a personal messaging app to a powerful business communication tool. Today, hundreds of thousands of businesses around the globe are using WhatsApp to promote and sell products. And standing out among those businesses are the ones that manage to get a WhatsApp Green Tick Verification.What is the WhatsApp Green Tick?The green tick on WhatsApp represents the verification badge and indicates that the number belongs to an Official Business Account (OBA). To get the badge, businesses must undergo a detailed verification process and meet specific WhatsApp criteria.Why is getting the WhatsApp green badge so important?With a 98% open rate, WhatsApp is reshaping the digital marketing landscape. A case study conducted by the Carrefour group in 2022 showed that they had a 35% higher engagement rate with WhatsApp audiences than with email audiences.Verification translates into trust – it’s that simple. As a messaging platform with 2.4 billion users, every way in which a business can stand out in the eyes of users matters. For WhatsApp users, the green tick is a sign that marks an Official Business Account (OBA). It gives the business a stamp of approval in terms of authenticity and reputation, and that makes it easier for customers to engage and convert.Showcase a notable brand image – getting the WhatsApp Green Tick Verification is not an achievement that a lot of businesses can claim. Only brands that are well-established, reputable, and popular can claim the green badge.How to prepare for the WhatsApp Green Tick application processBefore you start the WhatsApp business account verification process, you need to meet all necessary requirements. Here are the 4 vital conditions for being eligible for a green badge:Create a WhatsApp API with (watch video).Verify your Business on Meta Business Manager (complete guide)Activate Two-Factor Authentication (complete guide)Get your display name approved (see the steps in our documentation)How to apply for a WhatsApp Green Tick VerificationOnce you meet all the above-mentioned requirements, you can apply for an Official Business Account (OBA) directly through the WhatsApp Business Manager.Login to WhatsApp ManagerClick on Account Tools on the left sidebarChoose your phone number and click on ProfileSubmit a request for an Official Business Account (Green tick for WhatsApp Business API)Make sure to carefully fill out all the required information before you click on Submit Request. If your request for verification gets rejected, you will have to wait for 30 days before attempting to apply again.Important note: Once you get a WhatsApp green badge, you won’t be able to change the display name without having to re-apply. Choose your display name with care before starting the application process.The average response rate for getting a response from WhatsApp is 2-4 business days. You can check the status of your application on the “Direct Support” tab in Meta Business Manager.WhatsApp Green Tick Verification denied!? No need to panicIf everyone could easily get the green tick, it would lose its value. Only a small percentage of businesses actually succeed in getting the green badge. And WhatsApp does not share details when they reject an application. But what they do is allow businesses to apply again after 30 days.Our suggestion: take 60 days to improve your online presence and traffic, to make sure that your chances are higher than they were the first time.4 tips that will boost your chances of getting a WhatsApp Green Tick VerificationBased on the experience of ’s customer support team, if you want to boost your chances and take the best possible approach to get an Official Business Account on WhatsApp, make sure to check these points off your list:Create an official website and email addressNobody wants to deal with a business that doesn’t even take the time to create official contact information. Having an email address and a website is one of the standards for professionalism today.Run Click-to-WhatsApp ad campaignsWhatsApp marketing campaigns show both audiences and Meta that you are an advanced platform user. The wider the range of your WhatsApp marketing activities, the more reasons there are for your business to get a WhatsApp green badge.Maintain a high-quality rating for your WhatsApp phone numberScaling your WhatsApp API account gives you a bigger claim when appealing for an OBA. So, if you want the best shot at getting verified on WhatsApp, you need to make sure that your messaging volume and quality rating are impressive.Learn how to upgrade your messaging tier and start from there.Raise your brand awarenessAccording to Meta, notability is one of the crucial factors for a business to get verified on WhatsApp. To become a notable entity, your business needs to establish a strong online presence. That means getting a lot of good publicity through PR campaigns on sites with high traffic.Negotiate publishing press releases about your business on niche-relevant websites and popular news sites. During the application process, you will be able to reference up to five publications. Make sure that each of them counts.Use WhatsApp links and QR codes to invite customers to follow your business on Facebook/Instagram and leave positive reviews about your business.How can help you earn an Official Business Account?As you have concluded by now, there are multiple factors that influence whether or not your business gets verified. That’s why it’s important to have a point of contact you can turn to for support. is an official partner of Meta and an official WhatsApp Business API provider. By setting up an account with us and becoming an advanced user, you can get the insight and support necessary to secure the WhatsApp Green Tick Verification for your business.

Sending WhatsApp Newsletter bulk messages gives businesses the ability to send a high volume of broadcast messages simultaneously to thousands of WhatsApp Business contacts.In this article, answers important questions about WhatsApp Newsletter bulk messages and why they are such an essential marketing tool for all WhatsApp API users.What are the options for sending WhatsApp newsletter?In theory, there are three known WhatsApp Newsletter tools that businesses can turn to:WhatsApp Business App. This official WhatsApp solution with basic features suitable for micro-small businesses that want to test the option of broadcast messaging on a limited number of contacts (up to 256 contacts).Unofficial tools. Unofficial tools are circumventing the use of WhatsApp Business API. WhatsApp bulk message senders that are free but not affiliated with WhatsApp. These come with high risks due to workarounds that disregard WhatsApp Policies.WhatsApp Business API. Using the official WhatsApp Business API offers a customizable option to send WhatsApp newsletter bulk messages with scalable messaging options, supported integrations, and the official WhatsApp Business API complies with WhatsApp Policies.In reality, while all three methods are functional, the official WhatsApp Business API is the only solution that allows businesses to scale and automate newsletter messaging to thousands of recipients with a minimal chance of getting banned by WhatsApp.Why is WhatsApp API the best choice for sending newsletters?Automated WhatsApp Newsletter MessagingWith the WhatsApp API, businesses can automate sending WhatsApp messages to thousands of prospects. This ensures that all WhatsApp newsletter messages are sent consistently and reliably while saving hours of time on manually preparing and sending messages.Medium-sized and large enterprises can easily schedule and manage WhatsApp broadcast flows with minimized operational costs and human error.All WhatsApp bulk newsletter messages sent through the API are encrypted and protected in a way that upholds GDPR and WhatsApp standards. Users are able to opt-out with the click of a button.With the integration-friendly options of ’s WhatsApp API, businesses can simultaneously message newsletter broadcasts to multiple contacts in their CRM database, improving productivity and responsiveness.Personalized automated messaging for WhatsApp newsletter subscribersEstablished brands build stronger relationships with customers by delivering content that is relevant and engaging to them.WhatsApp Newsletter and Promotions | Watch this video on YouTubeHere are some of the benefits of WhatsApp bulk messaging and WhatsApp Newsletters:Reach customers through their favorite messaging appIncrease your Open rates and your Conversion rate (45-60%)Boost Sales through WhatsAppScale your business with 1-on-1 communication and serviceEngage more customers with customized messages and offersReduce response timeSend Rich media messagesBenefit from constant updates and new featuresAchieve a more relevant and customer-centric communicationImproved customer engagement within WhatsApp newsletter flowsWhatsApp has over 2 billion active users, and over 300.000 businesses use the WhatsApp Business API. In 2022, people spent a global average of 17 hours per month on WhatsApp (April 3rd, 2023 – Statista). The potential is there – it’s simply a matter of whether businesses are profiting from it.By using the WhatsApp API to send bulk WhatsApp newsletter messages, businesses can reach a large audience and engage with customers in real-time with their WhatsApp broadcasts. And with the option of using interactive and multimedia broadcast messages, it becomes easier to guide users through the WhatsApp sales funnel, guaranteeing improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.Increased reach with WhatsApp newsletterWhatsApp API enables businesses to send messages to WhatsApp users all over the world, regardless of their location.With ’s WhatsApp campaign tracking and attribution software, businesses are in a better position to expand their reach and target new markets, which can lead to increased sales and revenue.WhatsApp newsletters can be very cost-effective, especially compared to mobile appsCompared to traditional marketing channels, sending WhatsApp API newsletter bulk messages through the WhatsApp API can be a cost-effective solution. Compared to creating and maintaining mobile apps, businesses can save on infrastructure costs and still deliver high-quality messaging to their customers.Example: With ’s WhatsApp API solutions and Marketing Automation team, India-based businesses that invest €4,000 in Conversation-Based Pricing (CBP) fees would be able to secure up to 481,927 Marketing conversations per month.Want to know how many messages you could send from other countries? Check out the conversation-based pricing tariffs on Meta here.Risk control and managementEstablished enterprises looking to invest large amounts of money into WhatsApp campaigns need to search for solutions that can guarantee success. As good as they might sound, cheap do-it-yourself solutions can’t deliver top results, especially for established companies.Combining a flat-rate API with the premium technical support of a professional marketing automation team, on the other hand, can guarantee quality results. Turning to official WhatsApp API solution providers such as increases the chance of ensuring a successful outcome from sending bulk WhatsApp messages.How does using the WhatsApp API for broadcasting minimize risks?Opting for the API solution eliminates the limitations of using the app and the unknown outcomes of using unofficial tools. It offers a safe way to reach the highest number of users. It also helps with managing all the risks involved with launching a big newsletter marketing campaign with the use of WhatsApp bulk message software.What are the risks of sending bulk messages on WhatsApp without an official API provider? Violation of WhatsApp policies or updates.Unreliable and harmful to brand image.Inability to get a WhatsApp Green Tick Verification.Higher chances of getting banned.Limited messaging tiers. No integration or chatbot options.No multi-agent access.Lower standard of customer service.No access to technical documentation. What should API users know before sending bulk WhatsApp messages?To prevent dissatisfaction and protect users from spam, WhatsApp has protective measures that encourage businesses to create quality messaging campaigns when sending bulk messages on WhatsApp.WhatsApp phone number tiersWhile WhatsApp API users have the potential to send messages to an unlimited number of customers, they can’t do so instantly. Instead, users have to advance through Phone Number Tiers gradually.Phone Number Tiers represent the number of contacts you can bulk message. Higher phone number tier = more unique contacts that you will be able to message within a 24-hour period.WhatsApp Phone number status and quality ratingTwo essential factors for maintaining the ability to send bulk messages on WhatsApp.WhatsApp Quality RatingHow WhatsApp newsletter broadcast messages are perceived by customers and based on the response rate and communication. There are three types of ratings:High (green-colored)Medium (yellow-colored)Low (red-colored)Phone number statusThere are five statuses for WhatsApp phone numbers:If your quality rating remains low for a week, your account gets downgraded to a lower tier, and its status changes back to Connected. And if a phone number reaches its messaging limit with a poor quality rating, the number gets a Restricted status, and the user is no longer able to send bulk messages.How to increase WhatsApp tiers and message quality ratingThe best way to advance through tiers and keep your rating in check is straightforward – make your WhatsApp bulk messages relevant to your contacts! Here is a simple example of how easy it will be to upgrade tiers:If you want to learn more about tiers, quality ratings, and messaging limits, you can find it all explained here.How to launch a successful WhatsApp newsletter bulk messages campaign?Setup a WhatsApp Newsletter broadcast with There are two things that a business needs to start sending WhatsApp bulk messages – an official WhatsApp Business API account and an integrated WhatsApp bulk message sender solution. is an official WhatsApp API provider that has a WhatsApp Marketing Automation team specialized in helping enterprises increase sales with bulk messaging. In addition to the team, there is also a variety of partners who offer customizable messaging software solutions.Create WhatsApp newsletter marketing campaigns with the support of ’s teamWhatsApp Business API users need to create templates for messages and get them approved by Meta in order to send bulk WhatsApp messages. ’s Marketing Automation team caters to the unique needs of all enterprises looking to create high-impact and hyper-personalized bulk WhatsApp messaging campaigns for subscribers:Custom WhatsApp Channel setupWhatsApp Green Tick Verification AssistanceTailored opt-in and opt-out methods (QR codes and interactive messages)Automated messages workflow creationCampaign KPIs tracking and analysisOnce the WhatsApp newsletter bulk messaging flow is established, businesses will be able to engage with thousands of subscribers based on phone number tier and quality score.How to send a newsletter via WhatsApp without getting banned?One of the most common risks with WhatsApp group messaging is that businesses can easily get banned. To prevent this, just stick to these guidelines:Uphold WhatsApp guidelinesBulk messages need to comply with WhatsApp’s Business and Commerce Policies. Any violation of WhatsApp policies can easily lead to your business losing the ability to send WhatsApp messages altogether.WhatsApp business account verificationBusinesses with a WhatsApp Green Tick Verification have lower chances of getting flagged by customers. The green badge portrays brand legitimacy and reputation, making it a vital element in high-performance WhatsApp bulk messaging. A good place to start is by learning how to increase your chances of getting the WhatsApp Green Tick.Get consent from recipients before messaging themSpam raises flags and leads to getting banned by WhatsApp. Enterprises must use opt-in/opt-out methods to get users to confirm that they want to start/stop messages from your business. ’s team can create prefilled messages with QR codes or Quick Reply Interactive Messages to get quick responses from customers, which has two benefits:More conversations result from users scanning the QR code or clicking a WhatsApp chat button.Lower chances of getting reported and blocked due to users being able to unsubscribe from receiving messages with one click.Respect the users’ privacyBusinesses are professionally obligated to protect the personal information of their users. Ensure never to share information about your users beyond WhatsApp communication, and you will minimize the risk of getting banned.Track and improve the response rateIf messages are not getting a high enough response rate, businesses might want to consider reworking them to make them more engaging. Forcing open-ended welcome messages or messages that are just not interesting will only lead to getting banned due to spam.Finally, use an official WhatsApp Business API solutionWhatsApp has the authority to control and ban its users, so why risk such retaliation by using unofficial tools that might not comply with WhatsApp terms of service? Instead, eliminate this risk by turning to tried and tested WhatsApp API providers such as . That way, you minimize any risk of getting banned for using shady WhatsApp bulk messages software.Use casesBusinesses around the world are already successfully using ’s bulk WhatsApp messaging solutions to generate interest and build communities with WhatsApp audiences. Here’s how some of them are doing it:WhatsApp community channel for FC Köln fansWith the technical support of , BILD decided to create a WhatsApp News Channel for devoted supporters of FC Köln. With a paid subscription, loyal fans of this football club get daily updates about club member activities both on and off the pitch. You can read the full story here.Weekly digital leaflets for Rewe customersTo prevent the use of raw materials in the printing of its weekly promotional flyer, the German food retailer Rewe found an eco-friendlier solution through the use of WhatsApp. With the help of ’s WhatsApp API, Rewe has transitioned to providing customers with digital leaflets via WhatsApp bulk messaging, and the results have exceeded all expectations. Read more about it here.What comes next?By using ’s Official WhatsApp API, businesses get more than just access to WhatsApp bulk message software. From strategizing and implementation to WhatsApp marketing automation and CRM integration, ensures that any investment in the messaging platform delivers on its full potential.Most importantly, ’s expertise and guidance can ensure that brands remain on the right side of WhatsApp’s strict rules and regulations at all times. What are some of the examples of WhatsApp Newsletter use cases?Here are some WhatsApp Newsletter Examples: 1. Aldi Süd implemented a new and highly sustainable method of distributing their leaflets, resulting in one of Europe’s most successful WhatsApp newsletter campaigns. Additionally, Aldi Süd enhanced engagement on WhatsApp by incorporating contests.2. REWE ceased offering printed flyers starting in 2023. In their quest for an alternative, REWE chose the solution to deliver flyers to customers through their dedicated WhatsApp channel. Customers were able to subscribe to these updates at any time and were subsequently kept informed on a weekly basis.3. Vodafone Qatar executed a fruitful campaign that resulted in the acquisition of 5000 new leads with ads that click to WhatsApp and automated messages.Consequently, the company designated a dedicated annual media budget specifically for ads with WhatsApp click capabilities.What is WhatsApp Newsletter?It is a Newsletter that is sent via WhatsApp to a large number of subscribers. The Newsletter can be sent Manually through broadcast or bulk messaging features for small businesses. However, Enterprises with thousands of subscribers can automate sending their Newsletter messages via WhatsApp through marketing automation tools.How do I send a WhatsApp Newsletter?The best way to send a WhatsApp Newsletter is through the WhatsApp Business API provided by an official BSP like . has a dedicated WhatsApp Marketing Automation team that can set up a newsletter campaign for Enterprises in 2 to 3 weeks. However, smaller businesses with a smaller number of subscribers can send newsletters through broadcasting or bulk messaging tools.

By following the best practices for ads that click to WhatsApp below, businesses can create more effective and impactful interactions with customers. This can result in improved customer engagement, higher conversions, and better marketing outcomes.Create a seamless user experienceHow people view Facebook ads that click to WhatsAppIs the ad setting the expectation of a chat? Ads that Click to WhatsApp often feature Business-as-usual creative assets with a Click to Action button underneath. This makes the journey from ad to chat appear disconnected, eventually leading to suboptimal engagement. Below you can see an image showing the order in which the viewer’s attention goes:Tips for an effective chat experience on WhatsAppMake sure your ad clearly indicates that users can engage in a chat conversation. Sub-optimal engagement can occur when the ad and chat experience appear disconnected.Use ice-breakers to set the context and build a seamless bridge or handover from the CTWA ad. For example: “Hi! Welcome to <Brand + Project name> Let us find you a dream home today!” or “Hi, let’s make your money work harder by investing with <brand name>”Incorporate qualifying questions to improve lead quality and gather relevant information and reiterate the utility of your product or service to nudge users along the journey.For example, an online retailer runs a click-to-WhatsApp ad showcasing their latest collection with a “Chat Now” button. The ad visuals and messaging align with their brand image, seamlessly transitioning from the ad to the WhatsApp conversation.Frameworks for crafting engaging messagesUse different messaging approaches to engage users in a chat conversation. Ready-to-use messaging frameworks can help you create more conversational CTWA ads.Framework #1: “Provoke Resolve Chat” – Make a bold pitch to prospects and provoke them to take action.Framework #2: “Attention Benefit Chat” – Use curiosity to turn passive consumers into active chat participants.Framework #3: “Problem Solution Chat” – Empathize with your customer’s problems and offer solutions.Consider the Ad Ecosystems for different industriesTailor your messaging to the specific industry and its target audience.For example, a language learning platform runs Ads that Click to WhatsApp in the EdTech ecosystem, offering a free trial and personalized course recommendations. By understanding the specific needs and pain points of students, they attract more leads through WhatsApp conversations.Some specific ecosystems are:EdTech Ad Ecosystem: Use messaging lead-ins such as free registration, scholarship offers, and easy access to attract potential students.HealthTech Ad Ecosystem: Focus on incentives, reassurance, and cost benefits to encourage users to engage in a chat for consultations or appointments.FinTech Ad Ecosystem: Gather basic information to provide suitable insurance or investment plans tailored to users’ needs.Use Ad placements formats to maximize performanceUtilize various ad formats to reach a wider audience. In order to maximize delivery and performance, develop a toolbox of assets (like a mix of video and images) that can run across all available placements.Recommended formats include a 9:16 video image for Facebook Stories, 4:5 video for Facebook News Feed, Facebook Marketplace, and Instagram Feed, and 1:1 image for Facebook News Feed, Facebook Marketplace, and Instagram Feed.For example, a fashion brand creates video ads for Facebook Stories, showcasing their latest collection in a visually captivating format. Utilizing the optimal format for each placement increases engagement and drives more WhatsApp conversations.Engage users by quickly capturing their attentionGrab the audience’s attention from the beginning. Some quick tips are:Start your ads with captivating moments to immediately grab users’ attention.Incorporate branding early to create brand recognition and association.Put your main message or offer front and center to communicate the value proposition clearly.For example, an electronics retailer runs an Ad that Clicks to WhatsApp featuring a stunning visual of their flagship smartphone with a limited-time discount. By capturing attention with the striking image and highlighting the discount, they entice users to initiate a WhatsApp conversation.Don’t rely on soundWhen using videos, make your ads visually appealing and understandable, even without sound.Some quick tips are:Start with your most captivating momentsCreate an engaging copy using text and graphics to deliver your messageIncorporate your branding earlyPut your hero front and centerTell your story visuallyTry captions layer on contentHighlight key elements and feature productsExplore vertical framesFor example, a food delivery service creates an Ad that Clicks to WhatsApp that showcases mouth-watering food images and overlays them with text describing their various cuisines and quick delivery. Even without sound, users can understand the value and convenience through visuals and text.Use the Facebook Mobile Studio and Creative Hub to simplify ad creationUse mobile tools and creative mockups to simplify the ad creation process and generate attention-grabbing ideas.Mobile Studio: Create Mobile First AdsWith the Mobile Studio, learn how to make great ads directly from your phone with video tips, a planning brief, and app recommendations.You can find great Mobile ad best practices, such as:Core basicsAdd your logoCraft a single-minded messageInspire action with a strong CTAAdding motionAnimate textBuild simple animationOptimizing video for mobileCapture attention in the first 3 secondsKeep video length under 15 secondsDesign for sound offShoot vertically or for squareCreative Hub: Build mockupsThe Creative Hub allows for a faster and easier way to produce ideas that capture attention and delight people on mobile platforms. Be inspired, explore possibilities, create mockups, and share your ideas effortlessly.For example, a small business owner can utilize Creative Hub to explore different ad formats and designs for his click-to-WhatsApp campaign and the Mobile Studio in order to check if it’s adequate for mobile devices. By experimenting with various ideas and mockups, they optimize their ads for maximum impact.Reinforce your value propositionReinforce the value proposition of your product or service to keep users engaged.Continually remind users of the value and benefits they can gain by proceeding with the conversation or taking the desired action.Emphasize how your product or service can solve their problems or meet their needs.Highlight unique features, special offers, or exclusive benefits to maintain user interest.For example, an e-commerce platform uses Ads that Click to WhatsApp to promote a limited-time sale. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the exclusive discounts, fast shipping, and hassle-free returns, reinforcing the value users can gain by making a purchase.Build a good chatbot flowBuilding a well-structured chatbot flow is crucial for delivering a seamless user experience and achieving the desired outcomes. In this guide, we will explore three different industries—Real Estate Lead Generation, Edtech, and FinTech—to provide journey flow guidance for each. By understanding the specific requirements and objectives of these industries, we can create effective chatbot conversations that engage users and drive successful outcomes.Some examples of important parts of the chatbot flow are:Welcome messageHi! Thank you for getting in touch. What can we help you with?Options in buttonsHi, welcome! We’re here to help you choose the perfect product for your needs. Please select one of the following options to start.Options in buttonsOpt-in requestClick on Continue to allow us to reach out to you via Whatsapp in the future.Please click on yes to receive news and promotions in the future via WhatsApp.Data validationPlease give us your name and date of birth so we can identify youPlease enter your query or choose from the following options:Account inquiriesProduct informationTechnical supportCustomer serviceIf the data is incorrect:I’m sorry, but the email address you provided is invalid. Please enter a valid email address.Hello! We need your confirmation regarding [specific action].Re-engageHi there! It looks like you’ve been away for a while. Is there anything else I can assist you with?Hello! Just a friendly reminder that we’re still here to help with your previous question. If you need any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.I’m still here to assist you! If you have any questions or need help, just let me know. I’ll be happy to jump back into the conversation.It seems you may be busy at the moment. Remember, I’m always available to assist you whenever you’re ready. Just drop me a message or visit us at www.greatcompany.com. Have a great day!In conclusion, incorporating these best practices for Ads that Click to WhatsApp is not just a recommendation but a strategic imperative for your campaign’s success. By seamlessly connecting your ads to chat conversations, engaging users with compelling messaging frameworks, and tailoring your approach to specific industries, you have the power to captivate your audience and drive meaningful interactions. With the ability to leverage different ad formats and placements, you can reach a wider audience and maximize performance.Additionally, by reinforcing your value proposition and building a well-structured chatbot flow, you can create a persuasive and seamless user experience that leads to higher engagement, better lead quality, and, ultimately, greater business outcomes. Embrace these best practices and unlock the full potential of your Click to WhatsApp campaigns.

Have you been searching for a way to boost customer engagement while saving money on WhatsApp conversation costs? Adding WhatsApp to a website as a live chat feature is the solution! And all you need is a WhatsApp API account and this guide.Having WhatsApp on your website can lower the cost of generating leadsWith the WhatsApp chat option, WhatsApp Business API users get to use an opt-in method that motivates users to initiate a conversation. User-initiated conversations cost less and fall under Free Tier Conversations. The WhatsApp chat option drives more user-initiated conversations, which automatically reduces the cost per conversation after the free 1,000 conversations threshold.Can the WhatsApp chat option increase the success rate of ads?When users follow an ad to a landing page and like what you see, they want to be able to easily get in touch with a business. Having a WhatsApp chat button makes it easier for potential customers to engage with your business. It also builds trust since users are able to get real-time responses. Having a live chat service increases a company’s conversion rate by 3.87% (Popupsmart, 2023).What about businesses that don’t have live chat?Efficient as it is, not all businesses offer the live chat option, and there are alternative solutions for adding WhatsApp to your website. By using click-to-WhatsApp links and QR codes, businesses can help customers initiate a conversation from a variety of marketing channels. The link or code can lead customers to send messages to WhatsApp or it can lead them to a landing page, Contact Us page, etc.Each WhatsApp interaction has the potential to become a conversion. That is why it’s important to store each number that initiates a conversation. WhatsApp API users can then create contact databases and send promotional bulk messages to engage customers.Using attributions to manage leads – why and how?Understanding where leads are coming from can help a business personalize its approach, enhancing the chances of conversion. That is why in addition to integrating WhatsApp on a website, WhatsApp API users should explore third-party tools for tracking and managing contact lists. has numerous partners that offer customizable tools that users can easily integrate with WhatsApp:ChatbotsCRMsAutomated Workflows via ZapierRule engine featuresExplore our integration documentation to learn more about the different options available to ’s API users.Why is having a WhatsApp Business API account essential?If you are not already a WhatsApp API user, official WhatsApp API Business Solution Providers (BSPs) such as can help you unlock the full potential of WhatsApp chat. The WhatsApp Business API integrates seamlessly with our chat widget and other business solutions such as Team inboxes, automation solutions, and CRMs. You can manage thousands of daily WhatsApp messages coming from your website through:High Service level with no delaysMultiple users and multiple devices accessAutomated responses and workflows (i.e. chat assignment and chat tagging)Integration with your CRM or Helpdesk24/7 customer support with the addition of the WhatsApp chatbot feature.The WhatsApp chat widget makes it easier for your business to respond to large volumes of customer queries, leading to a better customer experience.The most efficient ways to add WhatsApp to your websiteThere are different approaches that WhatsApp API users can take to drive customers to engage with them:WhatsApp linkThe very first option businesses can offer to customers is a simple link that they can click on to start a WhatsApp conversation. Like any contact link, it can be easily integrated into ads, emails, landing pages, articles, and other online promotional materials.How to create a WhatsApp linkUse https://wa.me/<number> where the <number> is your business phone number in international format. Omit any zeroes, brackets, or dashes when adding the phone number in international format. Example:QR codeTo create a QR Code for a number, go to Facebook Business Manager > WhatsApp Manager. You must have access to the WhatsApp API-enabled number (i.e. the number is visible in your WhatsApp Manager and is Connected).How to create the QR codeIn WhatsApp Manager, navigate to Phone numbers.Navigate to the phone number that you’d like to use for the code.Click Settings.Click Message links.Click Create message link.In the Message field, input the text for a pre-filled message that will populate for customers to edit and send to you after they scan the QR code. If you don’t add text, your QR code will pop up as an open-ended conversation when scanned.Click Save.You have the option to copy, download, edit, or delete the QR code link.Our recommendation: create both a click-to-WhatsApp link and a QR code. Why? Because you can cover more ground in terms of communication. You can include links in any digital format while QR codes can be imprinted on product packages, promotional flyers, and other advertising materials.Put it together and your business covers all its bases in terms of interacting with customers during any stage of the customer journey.WhatsApp chat widgetWhatsApp links and QR codes are simple and convenient, but far more practical for third-party communication channels and marketing campaigns. When it comes to your website, you want to simplify the user experience as much as possible. Having a visible and appealing chat button is what will drive the highest engagement rate.Creating a WhatsApp chat widget is the most efficient solution by far, and you can do it on your own in 5 simple steps:#1: Create a WhatsApp Business API account#2: Use ’s chat button generator and customize the chat widget #3: Generate the widget code (it will be forwarded to your email)#4: Add the widget code to your website’s chat widget helps your business display a WhatsApp button on all of your website’s pages. All you have to do is follow the steps below:HTML website – copy/paste the code before the </body> tag on every page of your website.WordPress website – Go to Appearance → Theme file editor. Look for footer.php in the theme files. Paste your code in before the closing </body> tag. As an alternative, you can also use the plugin “Head, Footer, and Post Injections” to insert the code.Shopify website – Online store → Themes → Current theme. Click on “Actions” and then “Edit Code”. Look for the ‘theme.liquid’ code file and paste your code right before the closing </body> tag.#5: Test the WhatsApp chat button to ensure that everything is working correctly.Test your WhatsApp chat regularly to ensure that it is functioning properly and that visitors are able to use it as you intended. Use analytics tools to track chat usage and identify areas for improvement. Modify canned responses in accordance with feedback from customers.2 bonus tips to maximize the impact of your WhatsApp chat buttonHow you present WhatsApp on your website will impact how users interact with it. That is why you should take the time to properly customize and optimize your widget. Here are some of the practices necessary for guaranteeing maximum results: ResponsivenessFast responses show visitors that you value their time and are committed to providing excellent customer service. Additionally, quick response times can help you build a positive reputation and earn customer loyalty. We advise using ’s solutions that include saved and automated responses that help you achieve this with ease. Smart AutomationAutomation tools can help you manage WhatsApp conversations efficiently, but they can’t answer all customer queries. Automated responses can feel impersonal and may not adequately address the needs of visitors. We advise using automation tools to support your chat efforts but be prepared to respond personally to complex queries or sensitive issues such as refund requests, booking errors, complaints, etc. Use these tips to effectively integrate WhatsApp on your website and enhance communication with site visitors. Consult about any additional features or integrations that you might require.How can help you add WhatsApp to your websiteIn addition to the chat widget generator and detailed WhatsApp API documentation, offers global support for its clients. Our team can provide businesses with the knowledge and tools to integrate WhatsApp on websites quickly and with ease. Use the full potential of WhatsApp Business API with the solutions, integrations, and support of our team!