Last Updated on 1 year by Komolafe Bamidele
According to a Wyzowl report, videos are the most powerful social media content these days.
That is because 85% of social media users have revealed that they want brands to share more videos on social media platforms.
In a similar vein, 54% of content marketers have regarded video content as the most valuable for social goals.
Therefore, it didn’t surprise social media marketers when Instagram Head Adam Mosseri announced that the platform would focus more on entertainment, including video content format.
And with the introduction of features like IGTV and Instagram Reels, the social media platform has made it clear that video content is the future.
If the numbers are to be believed, 91% of Instagram users watch videos on the social media platform every week.
An accessible online video with built-in captions and accessibility description is more effective than several images posted.
Therefore, if you are working on a strategy to boost your reach on Instagram, give video content a priority.
Several proven methods help influencers and marketers boost their reach and engagement on Instagram.
Here are some of the best tips to effectively trend on the video and photo-sharing social media platform.
Create Unique Content
There’s a reason why they say that content is king. To trend on Instagram, you must create different content that grabs attention and is uniquely entertaining to the audience.
It’s not always easy to come up with viral content, but it’s best to strive for unique and genuine content consistently.
To stand out from millions of Instagram users, think out of the box and dwell upon ideas that will set yourself apart from the flood of content posted every minute.
One of the most popular examples of standout content is the #followmetto photo series by Instagram-famous couples – Murad Osmann and Natalia Zakharova.
The series showed Osmann’s point of view, holding Zakharova’s hand as they traveled to exotic locations in the world.
The idea was fresh and catapulted Osmann to the top of the trending chart, quickly gaining him millions of followers and his concept being imitated by many.
Post More Videos
As mentioned before, Instagram is leaning more towards becoming an entertainment and video platform than just a photo-sharing app.
The head of Instagram specifically stated in a tweet that Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing app.
To this measure, the Instagram algorithm is said to be pushing reels and videos to more users instead of photos.
Considering the auto-play feature of Instagram videos, they are also likely to gain more engagement on hashtags and explore pages.
More engagement means more likely to trend on Instagram. Create dynamic and visually pleasing videos to captivate your audience.
Come up with ideas that have entertainment value and also stand out from the rest.
If you can strike a good balance between entertaining and informative, users are more likely to share your content and tag others.
Pick Right Hashtags
Everyone knows this as it’s the bare basics of trending on Instagram.
Without appropriate hashtags, your content —however unique or entertaining—might have less chance of trending.
Picking the right set of hashtags requires a good knowledge of your community on the platform and the specific hashtags and terms they use.
There are general hashtags while posting on Instagram like #travel or #food.
However, knowing your niche-specific or community-exclusive hashtags will help you target your desired audience effectively.
At the same time, they have less competition than the general hashtags.
Studies have shown that posts with at least one hashtag get more engagement than those with none.
It has been noticed that posts with 9-12 hashtags receive the most engagement.
Tag Your Location and Other Users
Another effective way of getting your content noticed is to tag the video or photo location.
It will help the audience in that area find your post more easily.
Instagram has a section called ‘Places’ in its Search option, and when a user is searching for places in a particular location will be able to see your post if you have tagged the location.
You might even feature in the ‘Top’ tab of that location with enough engagement.
Tagging other accounts on the post is another effective way to get noticed.
However, practice caution when doing that, except if tagging feature content pages.
Tagging high-interest individual profiles frequently will get annoying for them and might result in you.
Do it sporadically on more interesting posts, and you might get featured on a high-profile Instagram account, which will only boost your reach and engagement.
Check Your Insights for the Best Time to Post
Instagram offers a powerful analytics tool called Insights if you turn your account into a business account: Instagram Insights.
This section offers intel like monthly, weekly, or daily reach, best-performing posts, and audience engagement insights.
The audience data include the most engaged age range, gender percentage, and time or days when your audience is most active.
This data is your best friend when you are trying to establish your Instagram account and get trending.
Use the most active time data as a rule for when to post on Instagram. Figure out which days and when your followers are the most active to get the most engagement.
These are the top tips to get the ball rolling and start trending on Instagram.
Getting under the Instagram spotlight can do wonders for your profile and set up a good audience base.
It helps to understand the algorithm, hashtags, and type of content your audience likes the most.
By keeping these points in mind, you’ll be churning out viral content in no time.