Optimize your Instagram with these 9 essential tips in 2023. Use Instagram like a pro, find the best hashtags, write amazing captions, & repurpose like a guru!

I started marketing on Instagram in 2019 and I’ve worked with new business owners who are scared of using Instagram because it’s time-consuming and requires a lot of effort to see results. But if you want to stand out on Instagram in 2023 you need to optimize your Instagram account.

Luckily for you, I’m constantly testing new trends and I have found that there are certain steps you should follow to make the most of it. From using the right hashtags to creating stories that engage your followers to promoting content strategically, these 10 simple tips will help you boost your profile and success on Instagram.

Bonus: How to do a 30 min-audit of your Instagram (Free checklist)

Tip #1: Avoid this common mistake

A common mistake most business owners do is this: Thinking that your Instagram profile needs to be perfect and have all the information about all your products as your website. This is not a good strategy because the people that use Instagram don’t visit your page to get technical info about your products. Instead, if you want to use Instagram for marketing you should understand it’s pros & cons and who are the people you can target on Instagram.

Tip #2: Understand the Pros & Cons of Instagram

Pros of Instagram

• Large audience (1 billion)
• You can reach people around the world
• Shopping & advertising features
• Great to get visibility
• Visual platform

Cons of Instagram

• Strict policy & content guidelines
• It’s hard to recover your Instagram account once it’s deactivated
• Lots of brands and competition
• Certain features are not available in all countries
• Keeping up with algorithm changes & manipulation of content

Tip #3: Set a goal for your Instagram

The top 3 Instagram goals marketers recommend:

1. Creating brand awareness – letting more people know about your brand and then they can click the URL in your bio to visit your website and learn more.
2. Building an engaged community – communities are a force on social media because loyal fans will act like brand ambassadors and promote your products for you.
3. Offering customer service – use Instagram DMs to chat with your unhappy customers so they don’t leave their negative reviews on your Google or Facebook page.

Tip #4: Know your audience and create content for them

Knowing your audience is essential for optimizing your Instagram account. To truly understand who you are connecting with, get to know the demographics of your followers. Research their likes, dislikes, age, location and interests and use these insights to refine the content you create and upload.

Tip: Consider asking questions and starting conversations with Instagram Stories polls in order to further engage with them and make them feel more connected to your brand. Take advantage of tools like Instagram Analytics and Competitor Analytics to really dig into the insights behind your followers’ actions on the platform.

Tip #5: Use storytelling techniques in your captions

Captions should serve as an extension of your post, allowing you to go into further detail and create a stronger connection with your audience. So don’t be afraid to write longer captions – people do read them!

Integrate storytelling elements in captions by describing experiences that are relatable to followers or even highlighting a unique perspective on a topic. Additionally, sharing specific stories from your own past can help you demonstrate authority in your field and build trust with potential customers.

A copywriting formula that I always recommend is the AIDA:

1. Attraction – hook people in by making a promise
2. Get people’s interest (with a shocking detail)
3. Build desire for your product by listing benefits
4. Direct people to take Action

Tip: Talk directly to your reader in the captions, using words like “you,” “yours” “me” etc. to build a personal connection.

Tip #6: Use AI Caption & Hashtags generators for ideas

Captions and hashtags can add an extra layer of engagement to your posts. But if you’re not a trained copywriter you may struggle to find the best words to write engaging captions or get ideas for hashtags. Don’t worry! I have a hack that most writers use: Tools like Pallyy’s AI Captions Generator to get recommendations for captions based on a keyword. Just remember not to overuse AI writing tools though, as they may discourage followers from engaging with your content.

Tip #7 Cross-promote your profile across social media

Social media is now an interconnected universe – that means it’s not enough to post content on Instagram and hopes people will find you. The most successful Instagram users create content that transcends the platform and is easily shareable/repurposed to other networks.

Try repurposing content for more reach:

• Instagram Reels -> TikTok -> YouTube shorts
• Instagram Carousels -> LinkedIn album, Facebook album
• Instagram Stories -> Facebook Stories

Tip #8: Learn how to use Analytics tools

Don’t be afraid of your analytics. I know people feel discouraged from tracking analytics because they don’t want to see their followers drop. But you shouldn’t be afraid of losing followers. It’s a very natural thing. People follow/unfollow accounts every day and you cannot control who follows you.

• Step 1: Decide which metrics are important for you (eg. engagement, no of views, no. of comments, taps to website)
• Step 2: Track those metrics month on month to see how the content you post is helping you reach your goals
• Step 3: Change your strategy and improve your performance!

Recommended: Here are the best analytics tools that I tried and compared for you!

Tip #9: Steal this secret growth tip from marketing gurus!

Analytics tools can help you identify which posts are getting the most views and engagement so you will learn what to post in the future. A good tactic is to repost your top-performing content and I assure you it will still get the views!

PS: Most big marketers also use this strategy and swear by recycling their content every 6 months!