7 Data Points Proving What Works on Instagram

Shiny new social media toys come and go, however Instagram has come into its own as a mainstay for the digitally savvy. As Instagram grew in popularity, marketers began circling the mobile app like sharks circling prey. Many marketers have dove into the app and tested out engagement strategies that largely depend on the use of hashtags and flooding feeds with as many images as possible. This approach works if you have the resources to pull it off, however a majority of marketers do not.  When resources are limited, it’s ALWAYS a good idea to summon the power of data to help maximize the impact of your efforts.  Luckily for us, Simply Measured shared a study that featured some great data points to help marketers make the most of their Instagram efforts.  Let’s take a look at the data and the insights of this illuminating study.
The Data

• 73% of the top brands on Instagram post photo or video content at least once per week.
• 50% of comments on top brands’ content came within the first 6 hours of the posting.
• The average caption on content was 138 characters long, however there was no overlying correlation between caption length and engagement.
• Posts that feature another user’s handle in the caption nab 56% more engagement, however only 36% of brands included these mentions.
• 88% of the top brands on Instagram used at least 1 hashtag in their posts.
• Photo and video posts that use at least a single hashtag see 12.6% more engagement.
• Only 5% of posts on Instagram tag a location, however posts that do tag a location get 79% higher engagement.

The Insights

• Instagram is not a set it and forget it type of social network. Marketers need to consistently post photos and videos to Instagram to see any impact. It would be ideal to try to set a loose content calendar to organize your efforts and keep a consistent frequency of posting.
• Content lasts a few days on Instagram. Keep tabs on how long your content continues to receive engagement to determine what your minimum posting frequency should be.
• Provide captions but don’t go crazy on the length of text. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words.
• If your post involves another user be sure to mention them in the caption and tag them in the image if necessary. Be sure to spread the love!
• Hashtags help your content get discovered. Be sure to use them!
• Make sure you use location tags when appropriate. This is especially important if you are a hotel, restaurant or any other brick and mortar business.
• Don’t forget that Instagram and Twitter make an incredible 1-2 punch for distributing your content!