Social Media Marketing: Five Types of Instagram Posts for SMBs

Instagram reports that 90 percent of its users follow a business, and two-thirds of people surveyed said that the platform enables interaction with brands. The implication: Even SMBs need to be there. For marketers looking for ideas, a piece in Multichannel Merchant explores five types of Instagram posts businesses can use to boost engagement.

Ask Your Followers a Question

Posing open-ended questions to your followers, such as “What is your favorite ___” or asking them for a recommendation, is a simple tactic that sparks two-way conversation and provides followers a way to directly connect with your brand.

Feature Behind-the-Scenes Content

Showing BTS content on your social channels is a way to humanize your business. Posting videos on how a product is made or providing a day-in-the-life clip that showcases your company’s culture and values can boost brand engagement and trustworthiness. Nor does the content need to be polished: People appreciate a raw, uncut version if it’s providing backstage access.

Share Relatable Memes

Rather than merely pushing your product or service, consider sharing creative and relatable memes to drive comments and likes. Create your own or curate popular ones—but be careful with sharing memes that are not available in high resolution (important for a visual-first platform such as Instagram) or may be seen by your audience and already considered old.

For more ideas for Instagram posts, including user-generated content and contests, read more in Multichannel Merchant.