Mastering Instagram for your organisation – An ultimate guide

If you want to retain and attract members, Instagram is a powerful tool. With the use of this intuitive platform, organisations like yours can gain valuable insights into their audiences and connect with them in meaningful ways that help to drive long-term engagement. 

In this blog post, we’ll cover how your organisation can create an effective social media presence using Instagram to its fullest potential – so read on if you’re looking for ideas on how to supercharge your member retention and attraction strategy. 

Why should your organisation prioritise Instagram?

If you’re ready to take your organisation’s social media presence to the next level then we recommend getting on board with Instagram. Often overlooked as a social media platform to attract new members to an organisation, Instagram can be a powerful tool if used correctly. 

With over 2.35 billion monthly active Instagram users, it’s a free platform you want to make sure you are maximising. From attracting new members to keeping current ones engaged, there are multiple ways you can use Instagram to your organisation’s advantage and create an engaged community. 

Create engaging content to retain existing members

As organisations expand, it’s essential to keep existing members engaged to retain their loyalty. One of the best approaches is by creating interactive, enriching and informative content that adds value to your members’ daily lives. 

It could involve creating online articles, social media posts, newsletters, or even podcasts. Such materials should have a friendly, supportive tone and aim to establish a personal relationship with your audience. You can use Instagram as a way in which you share this content and get it on the radar of potential and existing members.

We recommend using Canva to create your Instagram graphics. This free-to-use online graphic design tool has thousands of templates and makes creating eye-catching imagery super easy.

Our top tips for creating engaging Instagram content: 

• Post interesting, relevant and timely content, as well as attractive visuals that stands out from the crowd
• Where possible use real imagery you’ve taken yourself, avoid stock photos 
• Utilise stories and campaigns to highlight important topics or events related to your mission or objectives

How to use Instagram for your organisation

Provide your audience with valuable content 

On Instagram, being visually appealing is crucial. Take the time to create thoughtful and high-quality content, as it will attract your desired audience. The key to Instagram success is creating valuable content that delights your customers while staying consistent with your brand. 

Don’t limit yourself to posting product images as a means of increasing sales and brand awareness, as this may not be the most effective route. It can take some experimentation to discover the right content for your business. 

Some companies rely on humour, while others utilise adventure images to engage their audience. The takeaway is that brands must contribute value to the Instagram community beyond simply pushing just advertisements. Your long-term success depends on it. 

Stick to a theme 

Think of each Instagram post as an individual page on your website. While it’s important that each post is compelling on its own, it’s even more crucial to establish a cohesive theme to maintain your audience’s loyalty. When we talk about “theme”, we’re referring to everything from hashtags and captions to the pictures and videos you post. 

To keep your audience engaged, you need to create a consistent tone of voice and maintain a unified aesthetic throughout your feed. The more specific and consistent you are with your posts, the more likely you are to attract a genuinely interested and engaged audience. While it may seem tempting to appeal to a wider range of people through various themes, staking your claim in a specific niche will ultimately help you form lasting and authentic connections. 

Engaging is key

When you engage with your audience, you make them feel valued and they become more connected to your business. 

There are many ways you can engage with your audience, such as responding to comments on your posts, participating in comment threads, running contests or giveaways, using Instagram Stories polls feature, or giving shout-outs to followers on your stories if they post something relevant to your brand. 

Why should you have a business Instagram profile? 

It’s important to make sure you have your Instagram profile set up as a business account. This allows you to access valuable features, such as Instagram Insights and the option to run ads.

By having a business profile, your account will look much more professional than a personal one and will include essential information like your business hours, location, and contact number. 

Here’s why you should consider switching over to an Instagram business account: 

• Access to important metrics such as how your posts and stories perform
• See stats on how your followers engage with your content
• Easily run ad campaigns 
• Link to your website via Instagram stories 

What are the different Instagram engagement metrics? 

Instagram engagement doesn’t solely depend on the number of followers but rather on the level of interaction your followers have with your content. Metrics used to analyse engagement consist of: 

• Comments
• Shares
• Likes
• Saves
• Stories views
• Interactions with stories stickers
• Brand mentions 
• Link click-throughs
• Direct messages

10 ways you can master Instagram for you organisation 

With so many millions of daily users, it’s important to know how to connect with them. Here are 10 ways you can do just that.

1. Understand your audience

By knowing your audience, you can tailor content that appeals to them.

2. Use calls-to-action

Encourage your audience to take action, such as commenting or visiting a website, by using effective CTA’s.

3. Utilise interactive stickers

Instagram stories offer interactive features like quizzes, polls, and music stickers to encourage engagement.

4. Incorporate stories and reels

Engage your audience with Instagram reels and stories, which can boost your online visibility. 

5. Use carousel images

According to Socialinsider, carousel images produce a higher engagement rate compared to standard posts.

6. Post relatable memes

Memes, if used appropriately, can be an enjoyable way to boost engagement.

7. Create valuable content regularly

Consistently share valuable content, from dance routines to football skills, that your audience will find helpful.

8. Request audience feedback

Encourage interactions by asking for feedback through polls and stories on new ideas or products.

9. Leverage hashtags

Take advantage of relevant hashtags to increase your discoverability to potential followers, customers, or members.

10. Keep timing in mind

Post content when your audience is most active online, and track engagement through insights on your business profile.

Would you like to learn more about mastering Instagram? Check out our recent webinar with Ask Emma Social.