How to use data to increase your Instagram influence

If you’re not using Instagram to market your business, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to connect to your customers.

Success on Instagram starts with a strategy.

You’ve got to set realistic goals for how often to post and what to post.

Thinking about how often you’ll create video, quote graphics and/or curate content is critical.

It’s also important to engage daily. If you want your audience to grow, you’ve got to cultivate a sense of community.

Is it time-consuming to create a killer Instagram strategy? Yes.

Is it worth it? Double yep.

These statistics, detailed in a great Hubspot write-up, should help make the case:

The number of online adults who use Instagram and Pinterest has doubled since Pew Research Center first started to track social media platform adoption in 2012. (Source)
It’s predicted by eMarketer that Instagram will add 26.9 million users between 2016 and 2020. (Source)
In 2015, 59% of Instagram users used the platform daily. (Source)
The apparel industry’s adoption rate (84%) of Instagram was double or triple that of other industries. (Source)
There’s little correlation between caption text length and engagement rate. (Source)
Posts that include both a hashtag and a location tag see higher engagement. Posts with multiple hashtags also perform better than average. (Source)
Posts with a location tag see 79% higher engagement than posts not tagged with a location. (Source)
The most common posting frequency for brands is 11-20 times per month. (Source)

So what does all of this mean for you?

How can you apply these statistics to shape your Instagram strategy?

Here are a few insights to leave with as they relate to the power of Instagram:

Not just for kids: Instagram isn’t just for kids. Adults are adopting the platform, making it more meaningful for businesses to claim their space. Since the platform is only expected to grow in coming years, you want to get posting now in order to create a community.
Apparel attracts: If you work in the apparel industry, Instagram is your platform. It skyrocketed in adopting from other brands in the industry, so now is your chance to hop on the bandwagon and join the buzz.
Consistency is critical: Since most users post or engage daily, you should do the same. Being consistent on the channel is one of the best ways to stay top-of-mind.
Use tags: Hashtags and location tags help to drive engagement. Use more than 1 hashtag for each post, and try to put your hashtags in the comments section for your post. Add a location tag whenever applicable.
Don’t overthink: There’s not a proven correlation between the length of your caption and your engagement rate. All this means is don’t overthink things! Want to post a shorter caption today? Go for it!

What do you think? How will you use the tips above in order to increase your influence on Instagram?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!