Breaking it down: The Anatomy of an Instagram Post
Posting an image on Instagram seems easy enough, but have you ever wondered which part of the post you should focus on, or why certain posts do better than others? Did you also know that you can find other posts around the world through cyberspace with topics related to what you are interested in?
Before we get down into the nitty gritty of what a good post should look like, here's a little breakdown of the components you would see when you click on that Instagram icon.
#1: Creative
With the attention span of audiences. getting shorter, it's all about making an impact with visuals on Instagram! You'll need high quality and relevant visuals to reel in your audience.
Most mobile devices have the capability to take pretty good photos nowadays, so whether you're using your phone or something a little fancier, make sure you're following a few basic principles: learn basic rules of composition, experiment with angles and lighting, and use a good photo editing tool. We recommend VSCO if you’re using your phone to edit!
Some creatives could be a graphic, like something you designed through platforms like Canva, or even a Instagram Reel that you created through splicing together videos.
💡 Pro Tip: You may use platforms like iMovie or Splice to create those stunning reels, but the best way to get reel engagement on Instagram is to tap into the existing templates and audio that Instagram Reels has to offer.
Experiment with these different creatives to find out what works FOR YOU. Instagram rewards those who are able to communicate their personality and ideas in a clear and concise way!
#2: Caption
Instagram may be all about the visuals, but any quality post is going to have a well-written caption as well. Proof read your caption for grammatical errors or spelling mistakes before you post, and remember that there is a word limit of 2,200 characters and links aren't clickable in your caption. You'll need to direct followers to a link in your bio, which is updatable and clickable.
If you want to include a call-to-action in your post, this is a great place to put it. Ask a question to your audience engaged and responding, tag a friend for a giveaway, share it on their stories, or direct them to the link in your bio to find out more or contact you!
#3: Engagement Metrics — Like, Comment, and Share!
♥️ LIKE: Double Tap to show that you like the post
💬 COMMENT: Say something
✈️ SHARE: Send it to a friend!
These are the three engagement metrics that show you how much your post resonate with your audience/friends. You can also save a post to a collection by tapping and holding the banner icon. This is a great idea if you want to reference that post at a later date. When you save a post, only you can see it on a private section of your profile. To see your saved posts and collections, go to your profile and tap the banner icon.
Note: Only you can see the posts you've saved, and a user cannot tell if you have saved one of their posts.
#4: Hashtags
Hashtags are a way to tag digital content, and have become a marker for topics. These little "#" symbols are everywhere, and clicking on one will lead you to similar posts tied to that topic! For example, if I clicked on "#eggs", I might find my self looking at a feed of many variations of how eggs are cooked to get some inspiration!
Utilizing hashtags on Instagram is one of the best ways to help maximize your reach. Hashtags allow people who don’t already follow you to discover your posts, so it’s a great way to grow your audience as they can connect you to more people, posts, and ideas.
Pssst... you get a maximum of 30 hashtags per post, otherwise the algorithm doesn't work, so pick those hashtags wisely!
*BONUS: Location Tags
This is where you tag where the photo/video was taken.
Adding the location to your post not only directs your followers to where you had that amazing dinner last night, but also allows other users on Instagram to discover you when they click on that location tag, and can potentially be another way for you to reach more potential followers!
💡 Pro Tip: Your account has to be set to be viewed by the public though!
You don't have to feel lost in the ever-changing sea of social media posts.
If you are a busy business owner and need help navigating social media and creating content to get your product out there, schedule a meeting with us!