Instagram is still one of the most used social media platforms. In fact, as of 2024, Instagram has over 2 billion active monthly users. That’s quite a number of active Instagram feeds all vying for engagement across Reels, Stories, and Posts. For creators and brands, standing out and fostering meaningful Instagram engagement remains a critical aspect of any marketing strategy.
Engagement rate is so crucial that Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram has come out to state that it is more important than follower count.
The best part? 2 in 3 Instagram users claim that the platform enables interaction with brands, so it’s clear that it’s worth the investment!
How can you boost your engagement rate on your Instagram account? While there’s no single answer to that question, there are several strategies that you can use.
What is Instagram engagement?
Instagram engagement is how much people interact with your content on Instagram. Think of the funny cat videos that make you laugh, or Christmas ad that is trends every season, the interactions on thes posts make up your Instagram engagement.
It includes actions like likes, comments, shares, saves, and even how many people watch your Stories, Reels, or videos. The more people interact with your posts, the higher your engagement, showing that your content is connecting with your audience.
What is a good Instagram engagement rate?
A good Instagram engagement rate typically falls between 1% and 5%, but what’s considered “good” can vary depending on your industry, audience size, and content type. Here’s a breakdown:
- 1% to 3%: This is a solid and healthy engagement rate for most accounts. It means your followers are somewhat engaged with your content. In 2024, higher education saw an average of 2.43 engagement rate.
- Under 1%: This is lower than average and might mean your content needs adjustments to better connect with your audience.
Smaller accounts (fewer than 10,000 followers) often see higher engagement rates, as much as 6% because their audiences tend to feel more personal and connected. Larger accounts with over 100,000 followers might have lower rates, as their audience becomes more diverse.
Types of content to boost Instagram engagement
Here are six types of posts that can boost Instagram engagement for your brand:
- Instagram reels
- Host a giveaway
- Create a carousel
- Start a hashtag campaign
- Go behind the scenes
- Share user-generated content
1. Instagram reels
Reels – everyone is doing them! But there’s a reason why. This type of content has been adopted by brands worldwide due to its incredible power to entertain. That’s because reels are fun to watch and can be highly engaging for your audience. In fact, brands from Figma to Gucci are using them in their marketing efforts.
And for good reason! Reels can be incredibly cheap to produce and will increase your reach significantly.
Reels are also the perfect platform to add a face to your brand. (Not to mention it’s a lot of fun!) Try creating reels for your Instagram page and see how it affects your Instagram engagement!
Here’s an example by Figma introducing their interns to their Instagram followers:
2. Host a giveaway
Giveaways are a win-win scenario for both you and your followers – who doesn’t love free stuff?
They’re a sure-fire way to get your followers to comment, like, and share your content – the perfect mix for maximum Instagram engagement. Plus, they also give you the possibility of displaying your product front and center to ensure that it is seen by a maximum number of Instagram users.
All you have to do to host a giveaway is simply post an image with a call to action asking your users to enter to win. Make sure to be clear about your entry requirements and add an end date.
Take a look at this post by Art of Tea to get inspired:
🚀 Top Tip: Showcase your giveaway and your Instagram feed on your brand’s website using Spotlight.
3. Create a carousel
Carousels are a series of images that are sequentially displayed one after another when a user scrolls through them. They are incredibly effective for brands that want to showcase a lot of information about their products or their work in a single post.
Carousels have one of the highest Instagram engagement rates and are a great way to get more likes and comments than a regular image would.
Here’s an example of a carousel post that UI Gradient shared on their Instagram page to promote an online course:
4. Start a hashtag campaign
Creating a social media hashtag campaign can dramatically increase the reach of your posts and encourage user interactions. Why? It gives your followers a chance to interact with your brand in a way that creates a sense of community.
You can, for instance, create a hashtag campaign similar to what Davines did on their Instagram account. With every post shared using their hashtag, they donated $1 to plasticbank.
This form of content is both fun and engaging. Plus, it will inspire your audience to get involved and support your brand and a great cause at the same time.
🚀 Top Tip: Create a hashtag campaign where followers who use your hashtag on their posts will get a chance to get featured on your website.
5. Go behind the scenes
Show your clients how a product is made, or how you create your services. This is a great way of giving your customers an insight into your business and what goes into it.
These types of posts can also help you connect with your existing and potential customers, who can then build a connection with your brand based on what they learn about who you are as a company.
You can also get creative with your behind-the-scenes content by creating addictive content in the same way Moglea does. Once you’ve watched one, you’d want to watch them all!
6. Share user-generated content
User-generated content is a great way to show that your company values and recognizes its followers. It gives your customers the recognition they deserve and encourages them to post their own photos using your products.
Content like this is therefore typically free and increases your engagement with your community significantly! Not only that, but you’ll also be able to make money thanks to your followers.
🚀 Top Tip: Create a page on your brand’s website and showcase user-generated content. We’ve created a guide to help you get started.
Put these Instagram post ideas into action and connect them to your website using Spotlight. You’ll be able to display your own feed, hashtag feeds, and user-generated content in just a few steps. Give it a go and let us know how it impacts your Instagram engagement in the comments section below!
FAQs
How to calculate engagement rate on Instagram?
Use this simple formula: Engagement Rate (%) = (Total Engagements / Total Followers) × 100
For example, if your post gets 245 engagements (likes, comments, shares, saves) and you have 5,000 followers: (245 ÷ 5,000) × 100 = 4.9% Engagement Rate.
What is engagement rate, and why is it important?
Engagement rate measures how actively your followers interact with your content (likes, comments, shares, saves). It’s an essential metric to gauge your content’s performance and audience connection.
