3 Skills a Marketer Should Have to Master Instagram

Mastering Instagram today is not such a hard thing. You have plenty of educational resources and other third party apps that can help you do whatever you want.

I believe that almost everyone can start an Instagram account for a business and do the job very well. More of that, even Instagram is giving resources and case studies from where marketers can get inspiration..

But what if I told you that mastering the Instagram game is more than just using some third party apps or reading a lot about what others do?

Every time I have the opportunity to talk with someone who uses Instagram for their business I’m very curious about the person and not about their business strategy, what hashtags they use or other technical parts.

I’m curious about how does that social marketer create the strategy, about the brand and also about the app. For example, I heard from a social media marketer that he’s taking his inspiration from David Carson, who is the father of Grunge art movement.

And also I love to talking to Instagrammers, who are not really into the Instagram marketing for business angle but use the platform constantly. I’m curious what they do to keep their head in the game and how they are doing it.

In fact, I’m more curious about the person behind the brand then the brand itself.

So after talking with a few of specialists and also a few power users, came to the point where I can say that you need to have minimum 5 skills to master the Instagram game.

1. Research

Research

The road to have success on Instagram is paved with a great strategy and plan!

So, if you want to be a master of the Instagram Game you should start thinking about doing some research.



I recommend you to research this 4 key points:

  • Competitors: Who are they? What are they posting? How are they posting on Instagram? How do they communicate with their community? When do they post?
  • Influencers: Who are the influencers in your industry? What are they posting? Do they use more photos or videos? What are the most common hashtags they use?
  • Community: Who can be your community? What are their hobbies? What others brands do they like?
  • Hashtags: What are the most used hashtags in your industry? Who uses them? How relevant can they be for your business?

If you want to master the Instagram Game, you should look at this platform differently than your friends or family. That’s because you want to gain some results, maybe some conversions, more than some likes and comments.

Research is not only a one time practice.

You should be in a constant research when you are about to embark into Instagram. Every time you open the app, start scrolling down your feed, this is when you do research. Not so hard, is it?

Research on Instagram is something you should do constantly.

2. Copywriting

Copywriting

Copywriting is an important skill for every marketer who wants to gain more on Instagram. Writing better captions enables you to convert more users into followers or even customers.

But that doesn’t mean that you need to invest more in copywriting and less in creating visual content, such as photo or video.

From time to time I find myself having the copywriting block. I have no idea what to write on a picture when I want to upload it on Instagram. So what am I doing? I start looking at the ones I’m following and observe their approach on writing captions, what language they use, if they ask questions or not. This helped me have a clear idea on what I want from the content I want to upload on my profile.

As Shirley Polykoff said:

Copy is a direct conversation with the consumer.

So make your caption count in every photo or video you are preparing on Instagram.

3. Communicator

Communicator

This is what Instagram is about. It’s not only a platform where you can post a photo, edit a photo, or post a video you shot with Boomerang.

Instagram it’s about how you communicate with the ones who are following you.

For example, if you are a photograph who loves traveling and exploring new places but you also want to connect more with your followers you should start talking with each of the ones commenting to your photo or video.

Even more, you should start embracing Instagram Stories. I wrote about the 6 ways on how brands can use Instagram Stories but I believe that personal accounts can also take leverage from this strategy.

So, if you want to master the Instagram Game I recommend you to start talking with your followers.. Let them know that you’ve seen their comments and just hit them a reply.

If their Direct Message you, send them a reply. It takes you a few seconds, but it means a lot to your followers!

Let them know that you are here for them.

Communication is the key!

Conclusion on How to Master Instagram

Research – Copywriting – Communication.

Instagram is not only about beautiful pictures with sunsets or cups of coffee next to Macbooks. Instagram is a place where people spend their time to get inspired and also to communicate with other users.

Now back to you, let me know which one of these 3 skills you want to start developing and how you will do it.

And if you’re looking to create an Instagram strategy, check out this video below!

Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash

How To Master Instagram FAQs

How do you get good at Instagram?

Here are the steps you can do on how to get good at Instagram especially for marketing:

1. Determine your goals and create a plan/strategy out of them.
2. Decide on your publishing schedule.
3. Grow your presence on Instagram by using hashtags
4. Be attentive to the pictures you are posting. Check if they are appropriate, if you are using the right hashtags, etc.
5. Follow people who are in the same industry or your target audience.

How do you get famous on Instagram instantly?

Realistically speaking, you cannot get famous on Instagram “instantly”. Growing your followers may take a while unless you get viral, you can definitely be famous in a snap of your fingers. However, here are some steps that may help you grow your Instagram followers quickly:

1. Consistently promote your Instagram account.
2. Post contents exclusively on Instagram only
3. Use hashtags relevant to your niche
4. Engage actively with your followers and other accounts within the same niche

How can I improve my Instagram 2021?

Here are the ways you can improve your Instagram and get more likes on your posts:

1. Know and understand your target audience.
2. Produce eye-catching graphics
3. Include call to actions on your captions
4. Interact with other users by mentioning relevant users on your posts
5. Utilize geotags and hashtags

Can Instagram pay you?

Yes, Instagram can pay you, and here are some ways on how to make money on the platform:

1. Growing Instagram account
2. Do Instagram marketing
3. Perform affiliate marketing
4. Sell your photos
5. Sell your account
6. Drive traffic from Instagram to your own site
7. Promote your business on Instagram

How do you get 1K followers on Instagram in 5 minutes?

In reality, it is impossible to get 1,000 followers on Instagram in 5 minutes unless you or your posts have gone viral. This may cause your followers to instantly increase but if that’s not the case, it won’t happen. Other people use applications that promise them to gain instant followers but it is not recommendable. Having fake followers especially as an influencer, will not help you.

Do you use Instagram for business? Here are 3 skills you need to understand how to master Instagram and the game of visual marketing.

Actionable advice for your digital / content / influencer / social media marketing.

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Robert Katai
Robert Katai

Robert Katai is an expert on Instagram. Robert is a Visual Marketer, Blogger and Brand Evangelist Bannersnack. Passionate about visual marketing, Instagram, content marketing and always up to date with the latest trends.

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