Instagram Important Tools and 30 Day Instagram Checklist
- Marketing
Zainab Abdul Rehman- 0
- 11 minutes read
Instagram is one of the most important tools for marketers and creators out there. But are you using it to its full potential? While there are a ton of things one can do to create content on Instagram, the right strategy is to try to test everything once while keeping up on engagement and insights. But how do you start, and which of Instagram’s own tools can you use to make sure that you’re not missing out on anything that could be important for your business?
Lucky for you, we’ve got a list of tools that can actually help you use your Instagram to the fullest. Of course, you’ll be posting something or the other, whether it’s a GIF or a video or a post. But are you using these tools to the best of your potential to get the right results? Let’s find out by exploring the tools one by one.
Save Button
If you are a content creator on Instagram, the save button should be your best friend! Use it to highlight competitor posts for future reference, save posts from customers who’ve tagged you, and create collection boards to stay organized.
Stories
The ultimate IG tool – stories are a great way to connect with your audience! Show exclusive behind the scene footage, make polls and use question stickers to engage people, add exclusive offers for loyal followers… There’s a whole world you can explore.
Guides
Instagram Guides can be a great tool for both brands and content creators. The tool allows you to create short content pieces with photographs and headlines that resemble blogs. So if you’re a micro-influencer who wants to blog or a brand that creates regular content, this feature is for you.
IGTV
Tell your customers about your business, create Instagram vlogs to engage people, show off your video portfolio or develop educational – or even funny – content, or simply save your live sessions for everyone to watch; IGTV lets you do all this and more!
Instagram Live
A live audience can do more for your business than any stagnant follower, and Instagram Live helps you engage them in the simplest of ways. Collaborate with other creators and go live to share your knowledge, expertise, and offers. Your audience will love it!
Instagram Content Creation for Beginners
So now you know the tools, but how do you start and especially, with what content? It’s simple – just follow the rules. Here’s a step-by-step guide on where to start, and how to analyze your progress so that you can streamline your efforts in the right way.
Download the full guide here and don’t forget to tell us how it helped you streamline your Instagram.
| Planning and Research | ||
| Identify your niche
Research based on your content, competitor followers, and explore similar accounts. |
Create a design theme
Identify your brand colors, research for grid ideas, and identify how you want your feed to look. |
Create KPIs for a measurable period
E.g. no. of followers, engagement rate, or content volume. |
| Follow the top10
Shortlist 10 creators from your niche so you can explore their feeds for content ideas and benchmarks. |
Save their posts
Now start saving posts from these top 10 influencers for future reference, and create collection folders to organize your saved data. |
Create a campaign plan
Now that you’ve done your research, start creating a weekly, biweekly, or monthly campaign plan to keep your feed organized. |
| Creating and Scheduling | ||
| Introduce your brand
The first step is to introduce your brand to your target audience. Tell them who you are and what your profile is all about. |
Tell your brand story Now continue your brand story by being as relatable and human as you can – that’s what people like best. |
Engage with your niche community
Build a community for your brand by engaging people who are part of the industry and running similar accounts. |
| Ask for follower outreach
Instagram focuses on saves and shares as a ranking factor for your posts. Make sure to create saveable and shareable posts so your audience can engage with them. |
Create a poll or ask questions
Once you have enough content and are ready to explore more features, encourage your audience to interact with you through using the poll and questions features available on your stories. |
Post something nostalgic
Everyone loves “On This Day” and throwback posts. Keep track of trends from the past, especially ones which are relevant to your brand, and let your audience take a trip down memory lane. |
| Post your first video
Videos easily stand out from the noise. They can be valuable and are also easy to engage with. |
Create your first guide
Share step-by-step guides and helpful recommendations through IG Guides’ easy-to-digest format. |
Post a behind-the-scenes story
Authenticity is just as important as the rest of the content. Show your audience what goes on throughout your work day. It’s easy and also relatable! |
| Structure your highlights
You don’t need to have many highlights. Only highlight what is necessary, such as promotions, giveaways, a trend which your audience previously loved. Let your audience speak for your brand. |
Post something funny
Generally, funny posts are easier to engage with, and are relatable to more than just one kind of audience. Something witty and lighthearted once a while can help your brand greatly. |
Post a testimonial or collab with someone
Collabs and testimonials speak for your brand’s authenticity. It shows that people trust your brand and what you can offer. |
| Evaluation of the Plan | ||
| Go through post insights
By analyzing your insights, you can easily compare your content, measure campaigns, and see how your posts perform with certain demographics. |
Recreate what worked best
If a certain format or kind of content lead to the most engagements, and recreate it after a certain time, it’s bound to get you the same, or even more engagements again. |
Identify weak areas and rework on them
You can identify weaknesses by analyzing your insights or even getting feedback from your audience. See which area gets the least attention or which goals you can’t seem to reach, and focus your attention on those areas. |
This checklist might seem a bit intensive at the first look, but if your goal is to do the most for your Instagram and the content that you share, these are just some of the things where you must keep your focus to ensure better results over time. Give these tips a try, and you’ll be able to build your brand up in such a way that your audience would feel compelled to follow your journey!
