If you’re a small business owner, it’s crucial to showcase your brand and connect with your audience on Instagram. With more than 2 billion users, Instagram is one of the most-used platforms in the world. That’s what makes it such an effective marketing tool for brands that are just starting out or have limited resources to invest in their marketing plan.
The problem is that many brands express frustration or overwhelm when it comes to effectively engaging their audience. In this article, we’ll explore 10 practical Instagram content ideas you can use to make your Instagram feed pop while generating attention, showcasing your products and services, and building long-term growth.
1. Behind-the-scenes looks
What to Share: Photos or videos of your workspace, team members, or daily operations.
Why It’s Effective: Behind-the-scenes content gives your audience a glimpse into the inner workings of your business, showcasing the human side of your brand. Whether it’s a peek into your creative process, a tour of your workspace, or a day in the life of your team, this type of content helps build trust and create a personal connection with your audience.
In this example, photography magazine ISO1200 shares a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their 1-on-1 lighting workshop, alongside a couple of final portraits from the shoot. This helps to generate interest from their target audience: photographers who want to sharpen their lighting skills.
2. Product highlights and demonstrations
What to Share: Features and benefits of your products or services, how-to-use guides, and live demonstrations.
Why It’s Effective: Highlighting your products or services is a great way to educate your audience about what you offer while showcasing their value. Whether you’re launching a new product or highlighting the features of an existing one, product demonstrations allow you to show your audience exactly how your offerings can benefit them.
In this example, Nespresso posted a product highlight video where influencer Maude uses a few of Nespresso’s products. The video also shows Maude in and outside her home living her daily life, making it a lifestyle promotion.
3. Customer testimonials and reviews
What to Share: Positive feedback from customers, user-generated content, and case studies.
Why It’s Effective: Social proof is a powerful tool for building credibility and trust with your audience, and one way to build it is through testimonials and reviews from your satisfied customers. User-generated content, where customers share their own experiences, provides authentic endorsements that help win the trust of other buyers.
NYC-based fitness trainer Noelle McKenzie posted a traditional customer testimonial in the form of an image with the customer’s story written on it. Noelle used this as an opportunity to connect with her audience and create a sense of collective accomplishment.
4. Exclusive offers and promotions
What to Share: Special discounts, limited-time offers, or promotions available only to your Instagram followers.
Why It’s Effective: Offering exclusive promotions to your Instagram followers creates a sense of urgency and incentivizes engagement. Whether it’s a flash sale, a limited-time discount, or a special offer for your most loyal followers, these promotions can drive sales and encourage more people to follow your account.
The “parents” of Symon the African Grey Parrot posted a sale on merchandise, which they refer to as Symagear. The promotion came in the form of a video, encouraging shoppers to buy now because they only have 4 days left.
5. Community involvement and partnerships
What to Share: Collaborations with other local businesses, sponsorships, or community events.
Why It’s Effective: Nothing says “we care” like getting involved with your community. Partnering with local businesses or sponsoring events shows your commitment to the area. It also strengthens relationships and creates a sense of belonging. Engage with Instagram audiences by sharing behind-the-scenes moments and tagging your partners to boost visibility.
In this example, Jacob’s Pillow shares an Instagram post about its Curriculum in Motion® program. It shows how dance connects and builds community. The post features co-director Celeste Miller leading a discussion on the program’s impact and inviting educators to join the immersive 10-month experience. Such content encourages meaningful engagement and strengthens your brand’s connection with the community.
6. Educational content
What to Share: Industry-related tips, how-to guides, and expert advice relevant to your audience.
Why It’s Effective: Providing educational content positions your brand as an authority in your field and offers value to your followers. By sharing tips, how-to guides, and expert advice, you can help your audience solve problems, improve their skills, and make informed decisions.
As a professional golf instructor, Dave Fink regularly posts educational content teaching his followers how to improve at the sport. In this example, he explains a commonly asked question in the golf community.
7. Interactive content
What to Share: Polls, quizzes, and questions to engage your audience and gather feedback.
Why It’s Effective: Interactive content gets your audience involved. It ignites a conversation where they actively share their thoughts and feel connected to your brand. You also gain insights that help you refine your strategy and meet their needs better. The outcome is a more engaged community that values your content.
Bespoke Tailor Sibilla Carini uses interactive content to engage her audience. The post below features a poll where she asks her followers to choose between a lady’s suit jacket with princess seams or front darts. It’s an effective way to engage followers while gathering valuable feedback on design preferences.
8. Seasonal and trendy content
What to Share: Content related to holidays, seasons, or current trends relevant to your industry.
Why It’s Effective: When you can align with what’s going on right now, you’re in a better position to keep your brand relevant and top-of-mind. By tying your content to what’s happening in the world or your industry, you show that your brand is in tune with your audience’s interests and the broader cultural context. This ultimately drives higher engagement and helps position your brand as timely and relevant.
In this example, Cookist Wow created a post on September 1 explaining seasonal produce in September. This can be seen as exceptionally valuable to audiences that are struggling with seasonal cooking, or looking for some inspiration in the kitchen.
9. Employee spotlight and stories
What to Share: Features on team members, their roles, and their personal stories.
Why It’s Effective: Employee spotlights and stories introduce the real people behind your brand. Your audience gets to see their quirks, their passions, and their personalities. This adds a layer of authenticity that makes your brand stick. After all, people connect better with people.
In this Instagram post, Haywood & Padgett highlights the human side of its bakery with a spotlight on two employees: Tony and Valentin. The post celebrates their contributions and personal stories, from Tony’s football background to Valentin’s rise through the ranks. It humanizes the brand while showcasing their dedication to excellence in their work.
10. User-generated content and customer spotlight
What to Share: Reposts of content created by your customers that feature your products or services.
Why It’s Effective: User-generated content shows potential customers real-life experiences with your brand. When they see others enjoying your products, it builds trust and makes your brand more approachable.
In the following Instagram post, Porsche Centre North Toronto spotlights Marty, a Toronto entrepreneur and Porsche collector. The caption shares his journey and deep connection with the brand, making the content relatable and inspiring for other car enthusiasts.
Besides directly publishing content on Instagram, you can embed UGC with hashtag feeds on your website.
A hashtag feed displays the most recent or popular posts using a specific hashtag. Spotlight makes it easy to create and filter hashtag feeds with UGC. Simply choose your hashtag, select between recent or top posts, and generate a sleek gallery.
The benefit of doing this is that it allows non-Instagram users to engage with your brand’s content. Plus, having a hashtag makes your content more accessible and encourages community participation.
Maximize your engagement with Spotlight
If you’re looking to connect with your audience and drive engagement through Instagram, the ideas we’ve discussed today are a great place to start. Create content that helps showcase the human side of your business, educate and entice your audience, and highlight your offerings through your own eyes and the eyes of your customers.
To make the most of your Instagram content, consider using an Instagram feed plugin like Spotlight for your website. It not only showcases your business’s human side and highlights your offerings but also seamlessly integrates your Instagram posts directly onto your site, boosting visibility and engagement with your audience.
Adding an Instagram feed plugin to your website offers several significant benefits for small businesses. First, it helps to integrate your social media presence with your website, making it easier for visitors to see your latest Instagram posts without leaving your site. This integration keeps your content dynamic and engaging, showcasing your brand’s latest updates, promotions, and behind-the-scenes moments in real-time.
Additionally, an Instagram feed plugin can enhance your website’s visual appeal and credibility. A well-curated feed adds a layer of social proof by highlighting customer testimonials, user-generated content, and visually appealing posts that reflect your brand’s personality. This not only enriches the user experience but also boosts your website’s aesthetic and credibility.
