Ep. 21: 3 Overlooked Instagram Hacks to Boost Engagement (and keep them coming back!)

Authentic Online Marketing with Ruthie Gray

Here are 3 {simple} Instagram hacks to boost engagement that work if you feel like you’re wasting time on Instagram! Planning posts only to watch them fall flat is no laughing matter. And frankly, I see way too much of this - it makes me sad because I remember a time when I felt the same way. But the reason this was happening to me was because I was missing the point; I didn’t realize the strategy of Instagram. There is a reason why people either stop and comment, or keep on scrolling. If you’re tired of being a bystander at the busy intersection of Instagram Influencers and Cat Memes, stick around. I’ve got the scoop. Click below for shownotes. https://ruthiegray.mom/instagram-hacks-to-boost-engagement/ The IG Insider Newsletter (with free Instagram Caption Blueprint) https://creative-creator-6398.ck.page/ab5350d864 What you’re about to hear is an insider Zoom call with my Instagram pro coaching membership. You’ll hear me refer to “Group A” and “Group B”,and listen for a familiar voice asking a question - it may be someone you know). You’ll find I give a healthy dose of tough love, but I think you know I’m just trying to help my people (like you) develop their message so they can get in front of their target followers. Here we go! SHOW: [00:00:00] I want to give you three to three overlooked Instagram Hacks to boost engagement because group B is having trouble with engagement. that is the biggest overall theme of the struggle that they mentioned to me. So if you, no matter what group you're in, if you have trouble with engagement, you need to be doing these three things. Instagram Hacks to boost engagement: Hack #1 [00:00:20] Number one of the 3 overlooked Instagram Hacks to Boost Engagement: Answer your comments. I know that's a duh, but do it. Stay on to answer those comments, don't just let them sit, go answer them. And try to answer with integrity and value. It doesn't have to be super long, but the more comments you get right after you drop your post and the more you respond to them, the more that pushes your post up and Instagram pushes it out to more people. [00:00:53] Because Instagram senses, "Oh, people are engaging with this. So that's number one Engagement: Hack #2 Number two, generate longer, valuable comments. When you go into a share thread and you are loving on everybody else's posts, don't just say, Oh, I love this...heart, heart, heart. Don't do that. Say something valid and valuable. And go seek new accounts and followers to interact with. [00:01:18] Think of a connection that you have with that person or with that post or with that picture, some value you can give to leave a longer comment. Take the time. [00:01:39] And the reason you want to do that is twofold: Number one, people come back and reciprocate on your account. And number two, other people that don't know you but see your valuable comment think, "I want to get to know this person because I have a connection with this person." [00:02:05] Let's say you homeschool your kids and leave a great comment on someone else's post. Another homeschool mom sees your comment and thinks, "This person really knows what she's doing. I want to follow her. Cause she's homeschooling"... or she's an empty nester. She is going through grief, letting go of her kids. I see that. I want to connect with that person. This is why you want to do that. . Instagram Hacks to boost engagement: Hack #3 And then the number three engagement tip is this. [00:02:24] This is really important. I do this every week, 10 to 15 minutes before you post, go on the app, connect, engage, and leave valid, valuable comments on follower posts or reach out to new people. Do that for 10 to 15 minutes before you post, because Instagram knows if you post and ghost - they know it. [00:02:50] And so if you go post, wait five minutes, and answer a few comments,