- \n
- There are over 400 million users on Instagram every day.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
- \n
- No character limits!<\/li>\n
- It\u2019s all about the visual content.<\/li>\n
- Your posts don\u2019t get buried like on Facebook or Twitter.<\/li>\n
- Companies on Instagram receive the highest follower engagement rates (2.3%) out of all social media platforms.<\/li>\n
- It\u2019s 100% mobile-based.<\/li>\n
- It\u2019s a great opportunity to show off your personality.<\/li>\n
- It\u2019s fantastic for companies with e-commerce product offerings, creative portfolios, or those who have a strong corporate culture they want to flaunt through photos.<\/li>\n
- Over half of all Instagram users<\/a> follow companies, making it the most brand-friendly social media platform.<\/li>\n
- 44% of people use Instagram to research brands and their products or services.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Whether you plan to do anything with Instagram or not is up to you. For businesses that don\u2019t have a tangible product or service that can be documented through photos may find this a difficult platform to play around with. But as I mentioned above, you could always use this to highlight the human side of your business.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re excited about the prospect of using Instagram to generate more traffic for your WordPress site, let\u2019s get to work.<\/p>\n
15 Ways to Generate WordPress Site Traffic with Instagram<\/h2>\n
Let me start off by saying that Instagram is a bit of a tricky platform to work with.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Post](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Daniel-Mather.png\")
Daniel Mather’s Instagram account<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n See how Daniel Mather<\/a>\u2019s link is not clickable in the example above?<\/p>\n
\n![\"Post](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/St.-Martins-Press.png\")
St. Martin’s Press, a publishing company, use Instagram to promote its books.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Or how about how publishing company\u00a0St. Martin\u2019s Press<\/a> had to include that \u201clink in the bio\u201d note within their message?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because hyperlinks are not allowed in Instagram posts. Because of this, you have to get creative in what you post, when, and how you motivate people to engage with your brand and ultimately visit your site\u2014since it takes some extra work on their part.<\/p>\n
That being said, Instagram is a fun platform to get involved in. If you do it right, you may never want to stop. Here are 15 of my favorite ways to give your company and WordPress site a good presence on Instagram and motivate users to take those couple extra steps to get to your site.<\/p>\n
#1. Instagram Integration<\/h3>\n
Before we get carried away with what you can do on<\/em> your Instagram account, don\u2019t forget to weave Instagram\u2019s presence into your WordPress site. If you\u2019re planning to make a major impression on Instagram, don\u2019t just leave those photos to sit there. You can use any number of WordPress plugins to get an Instagram feed<\/a> up on your site in no time.<\/p>\n
#2. Give Your Bio Some Love<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Post](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Barkbox.png\")
Barkbox<\/a>\u00a0provides a monthly surprise of dog toys, treats and goodies to subscribers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Turning your attention back to your Instagram page, take a look first at your bio. You should use a similar approach to how you set up your other social media bios. Here are some tips:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Include a high-quality profile photo. If this page is for your brand, use your logo. If not, use a headshot or something else eye-catching that aligns with your company\u2019s style.<\/li>\n
- Write a concise and interesting bio.<\/li>\n
- Consider including hashtags and emojis within your bio. Hashtags will help people find your profile in search and emojis will give it some extra personality.<\/li>\n
- This is the only place on Instagram where links become clickable, so make it count. You can use your company\u2019s main URL to start or, if you\u2019re a designer, include your portfolio page. When you have something specific you want to promote\u2014like a sign-up landing page, a new product launched, etc.\u2014update your bio with the new link.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
#3. Get Creative with Photos<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Post](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Mike-Kus.png\")
<\/a>UK-based graphic\/web designer and photographer\u00a0Mike Kus’s<\/a> Instagram account<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n If you\u2019re using Instagram to promote your brand\u2019s presence, there are a number of ways you can go about using photos to do that. You could:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Post photos of your products. Ideally, these would be product shots that can\u2019t be found on your site.<\/li>\n
- Post photos of your services in action, with real people doing or using them.<\/li>\n
- Post photos from inside your company to show the human face behind it.<\/li>\n
- Post photos from your local area. Maybe you went for a walk at lunch and discovered a new gyro stand. If you\u2019re trying to drum up local business, these off-the-cuff personal moments may make you more relatable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In terms of the photos themselves, there are a number of rules you should follow as well. For starters, never publish a photo that you aren\u2019t proud of. They should be high-res and reflective of your company\u2019s values, work, and personality. Also, don\u2019t go crazy with filters, unless they enhance your photos and keep them in line with your overall brand style.<\/p>\n
#4. Be a Tease<\/h3>\n
Just because Instagram makes it tricky to promote content found on your site doesn\u2019t mean you have to avoid it altogether. You can still post teasers from an upcoming article you\u2019ve written about web design trends affecting the hospitality industry. Or you could show off a super slick photo of a new product that\u2019s yet to be announced, but wanted to give Instagram followers a taste of. This is your space to drum up interest however you see fit.<\/p>\n
#5. Use Video<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Tesla](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Tesla.png\")
Tesla takes advantages of Instagram’s video capabilities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Your WordPress site isn\u2019t the only place to put your videos<\/a> anymore. Instagram allows for videos\u2014as well as live video\u2014so take advantage of it.<\/p>\n
#6. Tell a Story<\/h3>\n
![\"Instagram](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Carvel.png\")
Instagram stories let you share videos and still photos.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n <\/div>\nIf you\u2019ve spent any time scrolling through Instagram on your phone and wondered what those bubbles up top were, those are Instagram stories. People and companies you follow (and sometimes paid ad placements) will show up there when they capture photos and videos throughout the day. Think of them kind of like short Facebook live videos, without the \u201clive\u201d aspect.<\/p>\n
If you decide to use these and put your content front and center, remember to add a compelling message or call-to-action directly onto it!<\/p>\n
#7. Watermark Your Photos<\/h3>\n
I\u2019ve written before about how to protect your photos from theft<\/a>, and I\u2019d make the same argument here. If photos you put up on Instagram are from your professional portfolio or they otherwise belong to your company, consider adding a brand watermark to them. That way, if people \u201csteal\u201d your photos or if others simply want to share them because they look so cool, anyone who sees them will know exactly where they came from.<\/p>\n
#8. Add a CTA<\/h3>\n
![\"Post](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Barnes-Noble.png\")
<\/div>\nFor some Instagram posts, you won\u2019t be able to add a call-to-action naturally, and that\u2019s fine. Having an Instagram profile in and of itself is your way to promote your brand. However, if you can weave in a call-to-action or redirect followers over to the URL in your bio, do it. And if you can place that CTA on top of your photos or videos, that\u2019s even better.<\/p>\n
#9. Make it Exclusive<\/h3>\n
![\"Anthony](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Anthony-Burrill.png\")
Anthony Burrill shares a behind the scenes shot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n <\/div>\nIf you have exclusive content worth sharing, post it on Instagram so users have to go there for special offers, behind the scenes video, upcoming announcements, and more.<\/p>\n
#10. Use Hashtags Wisely<\/h3>\n
![\"Hashtags,](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Brad-Albright.png\")
Hashtags, when used right, can help you reach a wider audience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n <\/div>\nHashtags, while optional on Instagram, really shouldn\u2019t be. They\u2019re a great way to get new people to notice your photos even if they\u2019ve never heard of you before. Here are some ways you can use hashtags to your advantage:<\/p>\n
- \n
- When you can, use focus keywords from your site on Instagram to give users and the search engines a consistent idea of who you are.<\/li>\n
- Use branded hashtags and community hashtags. Branded hashtags are ones specifically for your company (e.g. your company name, product names, company motto). Community hashtags are ones that really anyone could be using.<\/li>\n
- Use trending hashtags or ones that are enormously popular<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- Tag other people in your photos, especially if you worked with photographers, writers, or clients on the content within it.<\/li>\n
- Tag your location when it\u2019s relevant.<\/li>\n
- Don\u2019t be afraid to go overboard with hashtags. Up to 30 is generally acceptable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
#11. Encourage Interaction<\/h3>\n
- 44% of people use Instagram to research brands and their products or services.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
![\"Airbnb](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Airbnb.png\")
![\"Instagram](\"https:\/\/wpmudev.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/RD-Bosse.png\")