Here are a few fail-safe tricks to make sure you stay on top of one of the most visual-orientated and mobile-centric social networks around…

Plan your content ahead of time

Though Instagram doesn’t currently offer any way of scheduling content ahead of time, it’s still possible to plan your Instagram content on a monthly basis. Keep a content calendar, and choose your images and make a note of when you plan to post them. You can also plan your captions, and choose posting dates which correspond with relevant world events.

Choose ‘one or none’ when it comes to filters

In the last year or so, one of the aspects of branding on Instagram that has come sharply into focus is the idea of using the same filter on all your images to give them a more consistent look. Be aware that each filter will affect aspects such as tone, contrast and brightness in a different way. Increasingly, more brands are choosing to use no filter at all, as it can be misleading in the way it makes a product look. If your Instagram is product-heavy in focus, then perhaps #nofilter at all is the best way forward.

Be tactical with hashtags

Whilst you’re planning Instagram content for the coming month, it’s a good idea to look up the best hashtags to use with your image. It’s also a good idea to have a few consistent hashtags associated with your business, which you use on every image. Both of these types of hashtag will maximise the audience reach of your posts.

Beware of elusive comment notifications

Be aware that if you engage with another user on a photo that isn’t your own, you will only be notified of their reply if they remember to tag your Instagram handle in the message. In order to keep your networking game strong, it’s worth checking back occasionally to see if someone has replied without tagging you.

Keep on top of what’s trending

Instagram is great for finding new and trending photos simply by looking at their Discover section. The most popular images on Instagram tend to be focused on celebrities, high-quality photography and humorous posts. You can also regularly search hashtags specific to your brand or product to find out what’s most popular in that particular demographic, too.

Be elitist with your work

On Instagram, you get a free pass for being snobby about the kind of content upload. Keep your pics high quality and on-brand. Making sure these photos all contribute to a slick-looking feed that will catch a browser’s attention as they scroll through your images. Don’t be afraid of video content either, but make sure any on-camera subjects are on their best behaviour!

Be flexible and creative

As well as having planned content, make room in your schedule for spontaneous postings or posts which follow a trend. Remember that infamous Oscars selfie featuring Bradley Cooper, Ellen Degeneres, Jennifer Lawrence and co.? The day after that selfie was taken, Instagram was buzzing with celebrities and companies recreating the selfie with their own spin on it. Recreating trending pics like this boosts brand awareness and demonstrates that you’re aware of current trends.

By Olivia Rose French

Olivia is an expert writer, blogging specialist and Copywriter at Shake Social. Struggling to maintain your own blog? We can help!