How can you design Instagram content that encourages followers to share their experiences? (2024)

See, IG already has many features which you can use- Lives, stories stickers, polls, broadcast channels, etc.These all features let your audience engage with you and you also get a clear understanding of your audience.📌Here is the catch now because of AI Revolution people are just ignoring the importance of User-Generated-Content.Where the main bonus is but they are just begging for pennies. Still, UGS gets promoted by both- A's Audience and Algorithms.🔹Lastly, Consistency and continuous learning and experimentation make the difference, because the top creator and you🫵 both started with "0".

Building on the foundation of understanding your audience, it's essential to create content that not only resonates with them but also inspires engagement. One effective approach is to craft stories and posts that reflect the common experiences or aspirations of your followers. For instance, if your audience comprises young entrepreneurs, sharing success stories or challenges in entrepreneurship can prompt them to share their own journeys.

It's important to remember that your brand is unlikely going to be a high priority when Instagram users are scrolling through their feed. Keep in mind that whenever they do stop to 'consume' your content that it is going to be of value to them! Ensure that your content provides an experience, educates, entertains or engages them in conversation that they otherwise would not have had with your brand. Every touch-point between your audience and Instagram content should focus on being relatable and engaging to ensure that they continue to remain part of your community whilst also having a positive experience of your brand.

In addition to the above, highlighting key people who regularly engage with your content and contacting them to let them know how important they are, is another method. These super fans will feel valued and more inclined to comment, share and engage within the channel community.

Use engagement features and the platforms will reward you. Lives, stories stickers, polls, broadcast channels. Anything behind the scenes is great. Gymshark's CEO is fab at this!

Instagram is much more than a still-photo platform now! It's incredible to see how much it has changed over such a short period of time. Consider using different creative formats to drive engagements with your audience; Instagram Stories offers plenty of different opportunities for you to ask questions, survey and poll your community for example. Don't forget to consider implementing Reels and Instagram Live into your editorial strategy - finding innovative ways to 'surprise & delight' your community whilst always focusing on providing value to drive quality engagements.

Instagram offers an incredible opportunity to source UGC that can be used to better understand your audience and improve your entire marketing mix. Never take this for granted; consider working with your most active fans on Instagram long-term to create valuable content that encourages engagements. Feature UGC in your Instagram Stories, consider building Reels to highlight your fans or even simply quote some amazing feedback that you have had from your real customers! The options are simply endless!

Showcasing UGC is considered more authentic as it helps build an image of being trustworthy and a legit brand. When brands show BTS content, Live shows, content in action, live interviews etc in the content mix it builds for great engagement and makes shareability more easier on a platform like Instagram.Another way to design sharing on Instagram is by building content that the audience follows, connects and resonates with regularly.

As digital platforms continually evolve, staying abreast of the latest developments in their analytics systems is crucial for maximizing the performance of your Instagram campaigns. Be on the lookout for updates.

It's very valuable to keep track of the performance of different post formats in addition to the various content themes that you may cover. This will really help to optimise your editorial calendar moving forward and can help you to identify which formats/themes encourage increased engagement. From these learnings, make adjustments to your editorial strategy and continue to A/B test to see what works best for your audience!

Think about how crazy it is that Suzi doesn’t like store bought pesto (IYKYK). Stitching videos and trends that are designed to encourage people to share their stories isn’t just for TikTok!

Have a clear call to action on HOW to share content that you want shared. You can even add a campaign branded hashtag to help those sharing, share correctly. Educating those on how to share it key to get content shared.

Create shareable graphics that are so eye catching, they make Mona Lisa jealous. Your content should scream, "Share me, I'm irresistible!"Well, I couldn't help but disagree with the idea of using hashtags like you're a teenage detective.Let me tell you about a shareable post. A brand posted a picture of a cat wearing sunglasses with the caption, "Just chilling on a Caturday." It had nothing to do with their product, but the internet exploded with shares. Lesson learned: Cute animals trump everything! 🐾😎Remember, people love a good story. Turn your product into the hero, facing challenges and triumphs. Make followers feel like they're part of the narrative. And hey, if you can involve a cat wearing sunglasses, even better! 🌟🐱