Instagram has grown from being a fun photo-sharing app to an incredibly powerful marketing platform. Research from the 500 Project, where 500 Instagram marketers shared their data, reveals why and how businesses should be using Instagram today. In this article, you’ll discover how to create your account and set up your posts correctly, what kind of content to share, and how to get followers without resorting to shady follow-for-follow tactics. The only problem you’ll have once you’ve finished reading this article is deciding which account to follow first!

How Much Time Do I Need?

If you’re just starting out, you may be wondering how much time you need to spend on social media. The answer is, it depends on your goals. If you’re trying to grow a following, engagement is key. That means posting regularly and responding to comments and messages.

For brands looking to reach a wider audience, the sweet spot is usually 1-2 posts per day. More than that will likely result in diminishing returns since people are only able to engage with so many posts at once before they start to feel overwhelmed or bored by the content.

What’s My Brand Personality?

Take the time to consider what your brand’s personality is. This will be a huge factor in determining how you want to present yourself on social media. Are you friendly and approachable? Humorous? Serious and professional? Once you know this, you can start to think about which platforms will work best for you.

Facebook, for example, might not be the best choice if you are looking to project a serious image. You should also make sure that your brand fits into an appropriate category on these sites- don’t use Facebook if it would look better as an Instagram account!

What Should I Post?

If you’re wondering what kind of content you should be posting on Instagram for your business, wonder no more! Here are 500 marketers’ top tips for what type of posts have been most successful for them:

• Visual posts that show off the product or service (32%)
• Behind-the-scenes photos and videos (30%)
• Product demonstrations and tutorials (27%)
• Inspirational quotes and life lessons (25%)
• Contests or giveaways (24%)
• How-to’s and FAQs (24%)

How Can I Tell If My Posts Were Successful?

To get insights on your post, simply click on the view Insights icon below your photo. Here, you can see how many people have seen your post, how many people have engaged with it, and more. If you want to track even more data, consider using a third-party Instagram analytics tool.

These tools can give you detailed information about your followers, when they’re active on Instagram, and what kind of content they prefer. With this information, you can adjust your posting strategy accordingly to maximize engagement.

Can I Cross Promote?

You can absolutely cross-promote on Instagram! In fact, it’s one of the best ways to get your content seen by more people. Just make sure that the content you’re promoting is relevant to both audiences. For example, if you have a fashion blog, you could promote a post about summer fashion trends on your Instagram account. If you own an e-commerce store, consider sharing posts with links to new products or sales on your profile.