Tips for publishers to win at Instagram. Feed, Reels, Live, Posts, Stories done right.
Instagram’s Nicci Meek explains why shareable and saveable content is king.
Takeaways
Shareable and savable content are worth more for engagement and for improving feed rankings.
Different countries and communities have different tolerance limits for hashtags, hence finding the sweet spot is necessary for publishers.
Don’t overthink or over-produce Insta Lives. Do not treat them like broadcasts.
Every Instagram user has an unique feed based on their likes, follows and interactions and no two feeds are ever the same.
Combine all five key surfaces offered by Instagram: Feed, Reels, Live, Posts, Stories. Cross promote your work between these five platforms.
Context
As the coronavirus pandemic shut down economies and accelerated work-from-home scenarios worldwide, billions of users resorted to digital dating, virtual meetings and eventually branching out on social media platforms like Instagram with their own content.
According to Nicci Meek, Strategic Partner Manager for Asia Pacific region at Instagram, Insta Live usage jumped 70 percent between March and April 2020, coinciding with the time-period when most major economies stayed shut to prevent coronavirus contagion.
On Splice Beta Online, Meek chronicled best practices for publishers to use Instagram in an optimum manner, combining all available options to boost feed engagement and the art of going live.
Things to remember during Covid
Focus on engagement
Try going Live as it is the only push notification Instagram sends to your followers.
While sharing content, be real.
Take time to personify your account and show people your behind-the-scenes. This is much easier to connect to.
Why go Live
Publishers can use IG Live to conduct interviews or two reporters can go live simultaneously from different locations to draw comparisons and contrasts.
Live is very personal and flexible. Freedom to be used whenever needed without much planning or ideation.
Once completed, Live can be shared to IGTV.
Always provide a title to your Instagram Live before sharing it on IGTV.
Instagram is also experimenting with ‘Badges in Live’ to help publishers and individuals monetize Instagram Lives.
Give notice, use countdown timer, stickers, engagement tools.
Pin your comment or user comment on top to drive engagement.
Save Instagram Live to your camera roll. Share your live to IGTV and promote IGTV in stories. Pretty lucid, right?
The Splice cheat sheet to Instagram
Feed Highlights of your work
Stories Offers engagement in real life
Live Offers real-time connection
IGTV Extends storytelling to a wider audience
Reels For creating viral content