As one of the most prominent social networks, Instagram is at the top of every digital marketer’s mind. If this rings true for you, we’ve listed a few of the top tools and hacks to start using. Check them out below:

Host An Event

If you’re going to gain prominence on Instagram, sometimes you have to step outside what you can do on the platform. A solid first step is hosting a public event. This doesn’t mean throwing a large-scale concert or parade; just using your office as a community space can go a long way on Instagram. As noted by SplashThat, 69 percent of b2b marketers consider in-person events an effective means of marketing, which makes sense. People not only feel included but can also put a face to a name. If you’ve been looking at what you can do outside Instagram, this is the perfect solution.

Come up with a few events you can do solo or partner with someone to get the ball rolling on community engagement. This could include a speaker series, happy hour, networking event, or a product showcase. When you do get the ball rolling, make sure to market this on Instagram by including tagging, creating pre-event materials, doing live event coverage, and recapping after the event.

Hashtags For Likes

A more predictable tool than an event, Hashtags for Likes is one of the most prominent Instagram tools for gaining engagement. According to Brand24, posts with hashtags receive 12.6 percent more engagement, so it’s easy to see why utilising the right strategy can pay off. However, a big part of this is utilising hashtags that are going to give you ROI–which is exactly what Hashtags for Likes can do.

With an intuitive and easy-to-use platform, Hashtags for Likes is one of the best aggregators of hashtag information. A platform used by brands big and small, this is definitely one to throw in the mix to give yourself the best chance of increasing visibility in the right market. No matter how long you’ve been managing your brand’s Instagram account, we can’t recommend Hashtags for Likes enough for that extra boost.

Bringing On An Influencer Campaign

We’ve all heard about the success of influencer campaigns on Instagram, but actually going through and running the numbers is an entirely different beast. On average, an influencer campaign brings $6.50 for every dollar spent; however, there are several factors involved. For example, some influencers charge solely based on their follower count (for example, every 10,000 followers is $100), while some are able to charge more because of their local influence. Looking into how you can strategise an influencer campaign can be quite advantageous.

In looking for an influencer, decide what type of market you’d like to tap. Some niche businesses have a limited scope with the type of influencer they can pursue (for example, there’s a limited number of fishing influencers versus contemporary fashion ones). Determine the quality of their followers and the average ROI. It’s also not a bad idea to ask the influencer what results they’ve seen in terms of response and average revenues from campaigns. Even if they don’t have this information off the top, the ultimate goal for any influencer campaign is finding someone you think represents your brand well and gives what you consider a satisfying return.

VSCO

A core component of Instagram is visual consistency. Not only will this help with keeping the identity of your brand, but it will also signal people to associate different colours with your aesthetic. As noted by Zimmer Communications, colour increases brand recognition by up to 80 percent, which means that if your brand maintains a colour scheme, it could help you to grow on Instagram. The best Instagram tools teach you visual tricks and cues to help you keep it consistent.

VSCO is a filter and photo editing app. Lauded for its simplicity and functionality, VSCO makes it easy to save preset filters as well as create and save your own adjustments. Considered one of the best photo editing apps, check out VSCO if you’re looking for a solution to keeping your visuals consistent.

Linkin.bio

Linkin.bio might be the most common call-to-action on Instagram, which is why the team over at Later created Linkin.bio–a solution that does exactly what it says. By utilising a tile format that mirrors an Instagram page, users have found it useful to link to outside content–a key part of any social media plan. The other half of the equation is knowing the best time to reach your base. SproutSocial recommends Tuesday between 9 am and 6 pm. Whatever you end up choosing, Linkin.bio is an excellent tool to gain more traction with your posts.

What are some tools and tricks you use to boost your Instagram presence? Comment with your insights below!