6 Simple Mistakes You Might be Making on Instagram
If you’re using Instagram as a marketing tool for your business it’s important that you’re putting your best foot forward. For some of your potential new clients, this is their first impression of you - so your social presence could either draw them in or push them away. That can be a lot of pressure, especially if you are just winging it on Instagram or if digital marketing isn’t your strong suit.
I’ve put together a list of 6 simple mistakes you might be making and how these little changes could have a big impact on how your business is perceived on Instagram.
Putting links in your post’s copy
9 times out of 10 this mistake leads to a big ole dead end for your followers. Think about it, if you are the follower and you see Bit.ly/Zq12rKst6D7t are you going to remember that link and type it into your browser? Probably not, and neither will your followers. The good news is there are a number of ways to solve this problem!
You can say “link in profile” and change the link in your profile out frequently. But keep in mind then when you change the link out any previous posts stating that will no longer be directing people to the right link. So this is not my favorite option, but better than a link that is impossible to remember.
You could point people to a central website and prompt them to search for the information or create an easy to remember URL. Ex) Head to my website and search, “Instagram mistakes” to read more! Or Visit hannahrothermich.com/digital-marketing/instagram-mistakes to see the complete list.
The path of least resistance for your follower, is to use a service that hosts multiple URLs and links out to different posts so it’s all right there in one place. Here are some popular services: Linkinprofile.com, Linktr.ee, Tap.bio. Most of these services cost a little each month, but some of them have free plans too.
While you can tell this is a lovely house, the image is too pixelated and doesn’t look very professional. Realtor.com
Using fuzzy or busy images
Instagram is a visual first social platform, so if you are missing the mark on this one it can turn off your followers. Images should be clear and focused on what you want your audience to see. Avoid photos that are really busy or distracting from the post’s central message.
If the photo or image you want to use isn’t clear, is there another photo you could use? Could you make a different graphic? If you have multiple images you want to post, try using the multi-upload feature on Instagram instead of making a collage of images.
Adding too many hashtags
The more the merrier, right? Not in this case. Adding too many hashtags can come off as pandering or kind of desperate. I totally get you might be trying to cast a wide net but do so with a little more intention so you are capturing the RIGHT audience and building trust with your followers.
For instance, if you are a cook & you have some recipes that for are a certain diet, like Whole 30, but you are posting a photo of something you have cooked that is not allowed on the Whole 30 diet, do not use that hashtag. That tells me that you are not paying attention to your tags and you are more concerned with getting views than misleading your audience. And as someone who is on Whole 30, I am now mad at YOU because you just showed me a delicious cheese dip that I can not eat. Not cool.
Pay attention to the hashtags that seem to be bringing you the most traffic by looking at your insights (if you have a business account) or by testing out different hashtags. I suggest sticking to 3-8 key hashtags that are applicable to that specific post.
Profile grid: The black box where the video cover should be gives me no indication what the content is behind it.
Forgetting to pick a cover image for your video
Oops! It’s happened to me before but I caught it because after I posted, I checked to see what the post looked like on my Instagram profile grid. I saw the video was black or that I didn’t pick a clear cover image. You also have an opportunity to pick a cover that is compelling and makes the user want to click on the video and watch it - which is ultimately the what you want.
It’s a simple fix that can make your video feel polished and blend with the rest of your content. After you select which video to upload you are given a few options to choose a filter, trim the video and select a cover image. Don’t skip this step!
Content not formatted for Instagram
Far too many times I see people share photos or videos on Instagram with part of the image/video cut off. Whether it is the video’s bumper or part of the photo is clearly missing, it looks unprofessional and rushed.
Most of the time this could be corrected by expanding the photo in Instagram. As you’re selecting your video or photo there is a button on the bottom left that looks like two Ls going in different directions. That little button can be your friend and help your content look its best.
Sometimes the image just isn’t made with Instagram specs in mind. Especially graphics with text on them. They might look good as an individual post, but when you look at it on your profile grid can you see all the text on the image? Is the post’s message clear from the grid as well as from the post?
To fix that I’d suggest re-working the graphic. If someone else is making the graphic for you, ask them to make an image specifically for Instagram that will have the focal point in focus from the profile level as well as the post level.
Neglecting your Instagram “grid”
This is a big one! Businesses tend to focus primarily on the “post” and not their overall profile grid. But that’s a miss because when a potential new follower finds your post if it intrigues them they will go to your profile. When they arrive on your profile you want them to see a cohesive message, vibe and a complete and thoughtful grid.
A few things to keep in mind to ensure your profile grid is cohesive:
Color scheme (brights, darks, cool colors, warm colors, black & white, etc.)
A good balance of photos & graphics (if you want quotes or graphics)
If you are using graphics keep a consistent theme/look/font so they flow together
Avoid repeating images too frequently or avoid all-together if possible
Hopefully you found this post to be helpful and maybe you learned something new or picked up on a new tip! If you would like to dive a little deeper into your Instagram strategy or want me to personally audit your Instagram account contact me (hannah@hannahrothermich.com). Or visit the “Get To Work” page and we’ll get started!