It finally happened, the moment many marketing companies, like ourselves, have been waiting for. Instagram announced Monday that it will start removing “inauthentic” likes, comments and followers from accounts. The accounts affected are those who have used third-party apps as a way to increase engagement and overall community members on the social media platform.

Here is how it is going to work according to Instagram’s blog post about the news. Accounts who use these third-party apps will receive an in-app message letting them know their artificial activity on Instagram has been removed. They were not explicit on which ones they were targeting. The company will then ask these users to change their passwords, which have been shared with these third-party apps, as a way to secure their accounts.

 

 

“Uh – oh! What does this mean?!”

We know this is tough, but hang on. We have some ideas on how YOU can start getting those numbers back up.

Here are three ways to increase AUTHENTIC engagement on Instagram:

 

1. It’s All About The Content

Yep, you read that right! It is all about producing good quality content.

“So, what is content exactly?” On Instagram, the quality of the pictures that go on your grid is very important. These are your brand photos that should tell us a story about your company.

Studies show that a user decides between the first 1-2 seconds after finding your profile whether or not they want to follow/ engage with you. This means they are not looking at your bio, website or captions. They are looking at your grid, the first nine photos of your profile.

Whether you are a thriving business, an influencer or a small startup, we recommend hiring a brand photographer or purchasing a stock photo service to utilize for your social media. 

Have a purpose, have a strategy and have high-quality pictures before you post to your grid.

2. Get Personal

We know how “unprofessional” it seems to get personal on your business platform. The good news is there is a way you can be professional AND personal. Posting in both voices will help in building a social media community.

Using more casual language and emojis are also great ways to incorporate your company culture into your posts. Remember, social media users are following you to be apart of your community. Treat them like the friends they are!

 

 

3. Use Relevant Hashtags 

So we have all heard of hashtags and keywords – right? I find that a lot of people wing it when it comes to filling in those blanks. We will let you in on a secret since we are friends and all: Establishing multiple sets of hashtags will increase your consistency and visibility, which will allow your engagement to go up.

Instagram is constantly in the business of making changes. Recently, they have cracked down on hashtags and how often you use them. For hashtags to work in your social media strategy, you will need to have three to four different sets that rotate.

For more information on hashtags, be sure to sign up for our FREE social media strategy workbook here.

 

Alright, so we knew this was going to happen one day. Turns out, it’s not the end of the world. (YAY!) Think of this as a clean slate. You will now know who your authentic followers are and therefore will be able to incorporate more social media strategies into your marketing plan.

If you need a little help when it comes to all things social media, we are always here for you! Go ahead and email us for more information about our services. Can’t wait to chat with you!