4 Ways to Increase Engagement on Instagram

• Date: 22 July 2019
• reading time: 4 Minutes
• Blogger: Kelsey McKeon

Instagram is a powerful social media platform that continuously introduces new tools and features to help businesses succeed on its platform.

An estimated 71% of US businesses have a presence on Instagram, and more than 80% or Instagrammers follow a business.

According to a recent HubSpot report, engagement is the most important metric for 80% of businesses on Instagram.

In this article, we share 4 ways to increase your Instagram engagement using interactive tools and features native to the Instagram platform. The four ways include:

• Stories
• Stickers
• Swipe-up left
• E-Commerce integrations

You can use the information in this article to understand which of Instagram's features are most effective for increasing engagement.

Stories Can Start Conversations With Customers

Instagram Stories allows users to create a collection of images and videos that can follow a 24 hour window.

Businesses use Stories to promote products, share behind-the-scenes clips or their brands, and engage users in several ways.

For example, Google uses Instagram Stories to share statistics and promote its products and services through storytelling.

Stories last for 24 hours, then disappear from view unless you pin them to your Instagram profile. Pinned Stories are called "Highlights" and remain on your profile until you remove them.

According to Instagram Business:

• 500 million users use Stories daily
• One-third of the most-viewed Stories come from businesses
• One in five Stories results in a direct message

Instagram Stories allow businesses to start a conversation with users that can create a connection that drives commercial interest.

Stickers Make Stories Engaging

Instagram stickers are interactive tools that you can add to Instagram Stories.

There are many children or stickers that help brands meet specific objectives. Stickers that help boost engagement include:

• Question stickers encourage people to ask you questions in real time.
• Poll stickers and emoji sliders allow viewers to vote on polls that you create.
• Quiz stickers let you test your audience's knowledge.
• Location stickers help local people find your events or stores.

For example, HubSpot tests its users on their marketing skills with quiz stickers in Stories.

Adding stickers to Instagram Stories can significantly increase your engagement rates and help you get to know your users.

Swipe-Up Links Create Calls-to-Action

Swipe-Up links are calls-to-action (CTAs) attached to outside links in Instagram Stories, although businesses must have at least 10,000 followers to use this feature.

For example, cosmetics company Boxycharm uses swipe-up links to encourage users to sign up for its subscription service.

Swipe up links are an excellent way for Instagram brands to increase engagement and boost conversions without disrupting the user experience.

Businesses should consider developing a corresponding landing page that expands on the topic introduced in a story and converts casual Instagram users to legitimate leads.

E-Commerce Integrations Create a Social Sales Function

Brands that sell physical products online can take advantage of Instagram's e-commerce feature, "Shopping on Instagram."

The shopping feature allows pre-approved brands to add shopping tags to posts or shopping stickers to Stories.

For example, retail store Anthropology shares an image that tags multiple products in one post.

Product stickers are a good opportunity for brands to promote their physical products on Instagram.

Increase Instagram Engagement With Native Features

Stories, stickers, swipe-up links, and product tags and stickers are interactive Instagram features that can significantly increase engagement for your brand.

These features help you learn more about your audience preferences and makes your brand more accessible and fun.

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• Blogger: Kelsey McKeon
• Content Writer at Visual Objects
• Kelsey McKeon is a Content Writer for Visual Objects, a visual portfolio platform for businesses to showcase their visual case studies and for businesses to compare service providers.
• Other blog articles of Kelsey McKeon