Instagram is the younger kid of Meta, the free spirit everyone needs in their lives.
Even if social media enthusiasts were reluctant at first, this platform started to grow on us and up to this day, it is one of the most engaging platforms. A complete game changer.
However, keeping on feeding users’ curiosity every day is not easy. Brands and creators have to keep up with all the trends to make sure their engagement keeps its head held high.
Keep on reading to find out how to increase Instagram engagement in 2023. You’re about to read a top-notch guide that will help you rethink your Instagram strategy.
18 ways to boost Instagram engagement in 2023
- What is Instagram engagement
- What is a good engagement rate on Instagram
- 18 ways to boost Instagram engagement
3.1. Post consistently
3.2. Use Instagram carousels to tell your brand’s stories
3.3. Use relevant Instagram hashtags
3.4. Add a link to Instagram Stories
3.5. Go live
3.6. Experiment with Instagram Reels
3.7. Create savable Instagram visuals
3.8. Play with Instagram AR filters
3.9. Use the help of influencers and user-generated content
3.10. Use other social media accounts to promote your Instagram
3.11. Build a story around your brand
3.12. Use interactive stickers in Instagram Stories
3.13. Post relatable memes
3.14. Host giveaways
3.15. Use call-to-actions in your posts
3.16. Engage with your audience
3.17. Promote your posts via Instagram ads
3.18. Write captions that drive engagement
1. What is Instagram engagement
Instagram engagement is a metric that measures how many Instagram users interact with your content.
Engagement on Instagram is made up of a collection of metrics that sum up and imply how valuable your content is perceived to be by your audience.
To tie the knot between your Instagram strategy’s efforts and your brand’s goals, you need engagement. Not an engagement ring, but something similar.
Only well-written content makes users form a bond with your brand. When someone stops scrolling to interact with your Instagram post, it means they got valuable information.
Your Instagram engagement also proves that you’ve passed the test of the Instagram algorithm. This means that your posts comply with the rules implied by the algorithm and your content has greater chances of becoming viral.
2. What is a good engagement rate on Instagram
When getting started with Instagram marketing, you start wondering what is a good engagement rate and how to get it.
Here is how to calculate Instagram engagement:
Based on the latest Instagram statistics, the average engagement rate per post on Instagram is 0,96. Your goal should be to get a higher engagement rate than Instagram’s average.
Our Instagram stats show that the average engagement rate for Reels has increased in 2023.
Moreover, based on our Instagram benchmarks study, you can see how the average engagement rate has increased for all types of posts on Instagram.
Reels remain the most engaging type of content on Instagram. So if you wonder how to get more engagement on Instagram, the answer is Reels.
3. 18 ways to boost Instagram engagement
Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for from the beginning of this article. Learning all these useful tips & tricks on how to increase Instagram engagement will help you boost your marketing campaign.
Use these tips & tricks to increase Instagram engagement for your brand.
3.1. Post consistently
When you regularly post on Instagram, you start having your own pace. Posting more helps your audience get greater chances to interact with your audience.
All that matters is to post top-quality content. There’s no need to post regularly just for the sake of posting if you are not focused on your final goals.
Choose a strategic time based on demographics and your engagement evolution. By using an Instagram analytics tool, you can check all key metrics and more.
I added Socialinsider’s Instagram’s profile and then I scrolled down in the Overview section to get data about the best time to post.
Here is what I got. It seems that on Fridays, at 2 p.m. Instagram users are more likely to engage with the content we post.
This insight helps you determine a time frame for your posts and even schedule them, knowing for sure that your audience will be available and ready to engage.
3.2. Use Instagram carousels to tell your brand’s stories
I like to say that Instagram carousels have a great impact on users: they are more than an image and less than a Reel. However, you can combine both Reels and images when uploading a carousel.
Carousels rank second when it comes to the most engaging types of posts on Instagram.
By posting carousels, you have enough space and time to tell a story in a handful of images and short videos you can upload together.
Use this Instagram content type to introduce a new product and explain its use. Your audience will be so curious to find out more about your product that you may not even need a CTA there.
3.3. Use relevant Instagram hashtags
Hashtags help you categorise your content and make it fall into clusters, all split by topic. Cheers to the OCD-obsessed human who invented hashtags!
With the help of these helper-words that classify Instagram content, users are able to search in the “Discover” section and get posts on a specific topic.
When launching a new product or service, you can add branded hashtags and then check via social listening whether the audience has used it yet.
Those who buy your products may tag you and this is your chance to ask them if you can use their user-generated content. This type of content will add up to your overall engagement rate.
3.4. Add a link to Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are another type of Instagram content that helps you increase Instagram content.
Stories are a great opportunity for you to connect with your audience, when using all the interactive features, like polls, “ask a question” text box, and countdowns.
You can also share your recent post in Stories and add a link for your audience if they wanna know more about the topic you’ve posted about.
Stories make followers feel safe to share their thoughts, opinions and feedback with you. This is how genuine connections are created, showing them that you can humanize your brand.
3.5. Go live
The next best thing after Stories? Instagram Live. When going Live on Instagram, you show your audience that you’re open to questions, answering their queries and providing them with all the infos they need.
Moreover, you show your followers the face behind your brand, using a human-to-human approach. This is what makes the bond with your community even stronger.
With Instagram live, you welcome your audience into your and your brand’s life, engaging with everyone.
3.6. Experiment with Instagram Reels
Reels are the most engaging type of post on Instagram. Our latest study on Instagram benchmarks shows that Reels have an engagement rate of 1.23%.
This is a good enough reason to create and share more Reels. You could use this type of content to promote your latest products and services.
This type of Instagram post  makes it easier for you to get your content in front of your audience. When  you Reel appears in the “Discover” section, your audience is likely to transform into your followers.
Make sure you record high-quality and creative Reels while presenting your products to draw users’ attention.
As you can see here for Rare Beauty’s Instagram profile, Reels have the highest engagement rate when it comes to post types ranked by engagement.
By using an Instagram analytics tool like Socialinsider, you will get a lot more Reels metrics with actionable insights that will help you adjust your Instagram strategy.
Try to focus on crafting more Reels to increase your chances of virality, increase brand awareness and visibility.
3.7. Create savable Instagram visuals
Visuals carry a much more powerful message than a bunch of words put together. That is why the impact of your images and Reels need to strike the user and attract them to engage.
High-quality, eye-candy visuals on Instagram should be so yummy and tempting that they encourage users to save them for later.
To unlock this achievement, you need to be super creative and use top-quality gear when recording your videos and taking pictures.
You don’t need a professional photographer. You just need the perfect mixture between inspiration and creativity.
3.8. Play with Instagram AR filters
Some say AR filters are the future, while others are more reluctant. It depends on your brand goals in what category you fall.
If you wanna attract Gen Z, filters of any kind will be considered a plus. They want to see that you’re different, authentic and aware of all the latest Instagram updates.
Moreover, if your products can be worn, like clothes, glasses or make-up, you can make your own AR filter, encouraging users to try on your new launch.
3.9. Use the help of influencers and user-generated content
This is definitely something you want for your brand. You want to market your products on Instagram so well that people end up buying them and then posting pictures when using them.
User-generated content is the greatest type of feedback you want. If people post content with your products or services, it means that you can check off your list “satisfying clients”.
They become your community, trusting you that you will come up with more revolutionary products that live up to their expectations and satisfy their needs.
Before you repost your customers’ content, ask them for permission first and then maybe you find an opportunity to collaborate with them.
A lot of brands use the help of nano-influencers to boost their new marketing campaign on Instagram.
Finding the right influencers requires a lot of effort and research, but influencer marketing is pure gold.
3.10. Use other social media accounts to promote your Instagram
When you try to grow your brand’s presence on more social media platforms, you can use all of them to promote your content. This is what will give your engagement rate another kick.
Promoting your top-quality content across platforms will help you reach a wider audience and increase your brand’s community.
Even if your Instagram account may not have the same audience as your Facebook page, this does not mean that you shouldn’t try to bring more followers to both accounts.
Make sure you use cross-platform promotional posts to increase your follower count and thus your Instagram engagement.
3.11. Build a story around your brand
Storytelling is what makes brands human. Stories are part of everyone’s life and they always bring more people together.
Telling your brand’s story will make people relate more to it and understand your products and services even better.
Your “About” page on your website should include your brand’s history and make sure you add the link to your Instagram Bio.
As people find out more about your brand’s purpose, values, perspectives and the needs you try to satisfy, they will feel strongly connected to you.
Stories will help you keep your community closer and engaged. If you manage to successfully use stories in your Instagram captions, you’re in for a treat because your engagement rate will sky-rocket.
3.12. Use interactive stickers in Instagram Stories
Playfulness is a key advantage to all those brands who are happy to experiment with every Instagram feature just to make people engage more with their Instagram content.
A suitable example here is interactive stickers in Instagram Stories. Stickers can attract your audience’s attention, making them engage even more.
You can easily develop a loyal community who is always eager to interact with you and stay up to date when it comes to your newest launches.
Use the question sticker to ask your audience for recommendations, to ask for their opinion regarding your new products or simply allow them to ask you any question they want.
This will help followers feel close to your brand, especially if you have a friendly tone.
3.13. Post relatable memes
Memes are the fun part of social media. Everybody loves to see them everywhere.
Memes are relatable, they make people chuckle and users immediately like you more if they find a sense of familiarity in your Instagram content.
If you integrate memes to talk about your brand, your team, relatable situations or new products, your audience will be more likely to interact, comment and even share your content.
3.14. Host giveaways
Giveaways are meant to attract your audience even more, since you offer them a little something to repay their loyalty.
From time to time, you should consider hosting Instagram giveaways, especially after launching a new product or service.
Make sure you offer your audience the opportunity to win some of the products from your previous collection.
And if they are satisfied with your brand’s products, they will surely be returning customers, being tempted to try out the new ones as well.
Moreover, giveaways also increase impressions, interactions and your overall Instagram engagement, since users will comment and then share your contest in Stories.
3.15. Use call-to-actions in your posts
Every Instagram caption should end with a CTA. After you present your audience a new concept, service or product, tell them what you expect from them.
The CTA (click-to-action) has to instruct the user what to do next. It should be something like:
-Get yours here now on (website)
-Let us know in the comment section
-Try it out now in our locations
To drive engagement with your CTAs you have to encourage your Instagram audience to click the link in bio.
The good news here is that you can add up to 5 links in your Instagram bio.
3.16. Engage with your audience
When being present on Instagram, it doesn’t mean your job is over after you post your content. You have to engage with your audience.
Make sure you answer all comments and DMs, solving users' queries. This will not only empower your strong connection with your community, but it will also account as a great customer service.
When you show your audience you care about their opinion, they will like you even more. And this will translate into a higher engagement rate on Instagram.
3.17. Promote your posts via Instagram ads
When launching a new Instagram campaign, you need to boost your content using Instagram ads.
The great part about Instagram ads is that you can target your audience and customise it to your advantage.
Before scheduling an Instagram ad, you need to do a lot of thinking because it has to rely on a strategy.
Based on users preferences, interests and searches, the ads that pop up in their feed need to be relevant.
When targeting your audience, you can use all your sources, like newsletter lists, customers, former customers, people who have visited your store, and people who have engaged with your Instagram posts.
Then let ads do their magic and contribute to your brand’s visibility growth.
3.18. Write captions that drive engagement
Keep your captions concise, but powerful. Even if you create short captions for your posts, make sure they are catchy, they empower your visuals and perfectly complete the story conveyed by your type of post.
Instagram captions need to be strong to determine your audience to engage with your posts.
Even if the length is 2.200 characters, you shouldn’t use them all. Otherwise, people will not read it and may even scroll further away from your content without interacting with it.
Final thoughts
If you want to increase engagement on Instagram, you have to take your Instagram account to the next level, to spend whatever it may take to create your Instagram content calendar and put all your creativity in there.
These tips for an Instagram engagement boost are just a couple of ways in which you can improve your performance, but there are plenty of other things you have to keep in mind.
It's time to put your creativity to work using all these insights on how to increase Instagram engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.How much does engagement cost on Instagram?
Cost per engagement is calculated for Instagram ads by dividing your spend by the number of engagements. For example, if your spend was $100 and you got 125 engagements, your cost per engagement was $0.80 ($100/125=$0.80).
2. How much does Instagram pay for 1,000 followers?
Instagram accounts with 1,000 followers make $1,420/month on average and up to $100 per sponsored post. However, Instagram does not pay influencers directly, so you can begin making money whenever you land your first sponsorship deal or join an affiliate program, even if you don't have 1,000 followers yet.
3. What happens when you hit 1K on Instagram?
Growth is always a good indicator of a successful, thriving account and once you have 1,000 followers, a lot of monetization opens up for you. All in all, as long as you are seeing great engagement and creating quality content, you are on the right track to making money on Instagram
4. How many followers do I need to be an influencer?
Mega influencers have many followers on their social networks, often more than 1 million followers on a platform. People with followers in the range between 500,000 and 1 million followers on a social network are macro-influencers. Most influencers are micro-influencers with between 10,000 and 50,000 followers.
