{"id":2672,"date":"2016-10-03T10:35:34","date_gmt":"2016-10-03T07:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xtremefreelance.com\/?p=2672"},"modified":"2016-09-18T19:46:36","modified_gmt":"2016-09-18T16:46:36","slug":"7-instagram-mistakes-social-media-managers-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xtremefreelance.com\/7-instagram-mistakes-social-media-managers-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Instagram Mistakes Social Media Managers Should Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Instagram has quickly gone from new shoes and new friends to include new products and new businesses. With over 300 million users, it\u2019s not surprising that companies are flocking in droves to the visual platform. Although mostly welcome on Instagram, nobody wants a feed clogged with corporate images and obnoxious advertisements. To maintain and grow Instagram\u2019s value, brands have to make sure they\u2019re not ruining it for the rest of us by making careless blunders or missing the mark with their images and practices. There\u2019s nothing worse than coming off as clueless when your potential audience is heavily composed of 16\u201324 year olds.<\/p>\n

While we previously explored common Facebook mistakes, Instagram provides its own set of unique features to master. If you\u2019re feeling perplexed by the idea of filters, hashtags, captions, and followers, or are simply looking for ways to boost your current presence, the following list of common mistakes being made by social media managers can help your Insta-efforts reach their full potential, while keeping your credibility up amongst your followers.<\/p>\n

No link in account bio<\/h1>\n

Your profile\u2019s bio is the only place where you can add a clickable link to your website, making it extremely valuable real estate on Instagram. Unfortunately, many companies are still neglecting to do so, missing huge opportunities to build awareness and their customer base.<\/p>\n

When people are visiting your Instagram feed and admiring all of the valuable products or services you are showing off, one of the first questions they\u2019ll be asking is \u201cWhere can I get this?\u201d Adding a link in your bio is the easiest way to make sure your audience is able to quickly and effortlessly find your website. If you need any further tips on creating your Instagram bio, this guide can help you out.<\/p>\n

Doing it right: Still Life includes their website link and info clearly in their bio<\/b><\/p>\n

Not engaging with other users<\/h1>\n

As with most other social media platforms, Instagram is not a \u201cset it and forget it\u201d type of deal. In order to get the most out of the tool, you must follow other relevant users (find these through hashtag searches, the Discover page, or seeing who your followers are following\/liking) and engage with them. Don\u2019t go on liking sprees, but definitely comment on their photos when appropriate.<\/p>\n

Likewise, if somebody leaves a comment on one of your photos, take the time to respond. Marketing and branding are all about building relationships, so it makes sense to actually take part in conversations with your Instagram community.<\/p>\n

Misusing hashtags<\/h1>\n

With 91 percent of Instagram posts<\/a> containing between one and seven hashtags, it\u2019s obvious that they\u2019re powerful. However, like most things in life, this power can easily be used for evil. Hashtag misuse can come in many forms, including but not limited to, overusing hashtags, underusing hashtags, and using irrelevant hashtags. The main function of hashtags are enabling discovery\u2013allowing others to find topics and users of interest thanks to the use of relevant keywords. If you are spamming your posts with too many or irrelevant hashtags, you are devaluing your account and are at the risk of losing credibility. \u00a0#Just #Don\u2019t #Do #It.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, if you have quality content but are failing to include any hashtags at all, you are doing yourself a great disservice and missing out on a solid opportunity to be discovered and engaged. For more on hashtag use and abuse, see here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Doing it right: Oak and Fort use an appropriate amount of easily discoverable hashtags<\/b><\/p>\n

Being overly promotional<\/h1>\n

Just as with any other kind of promotional tool, constantly shoving your business in people\u2019s faces on Instagram is off-putting and a surefire way to quickly alienate your audience. If all that you are posting are images of your own product or logo, your followers are surely going to lose interest. Instead, take a softer approach and try to visually portray the values that your brand or product represent as a whole.<\/p>\n

For example, Vancouver consignment shop Hunter and Hare have a beautifully curated Instagram account that features images of local nature shots, the shop owners themselves, and other lifestyle images alongside posts featuring outfits or the products they are selling. With this, they are building a visual representation of their brand\u2019s tone and are able to show how their products happen to fit into and enhance a particular kind of (appealing) lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Doing it right: Hunter and Hare\u2019s professionally balanced feed<\/b><\/p>\n

Over posting or under posting<\/h1>\n

There is an acquired skill in knowing just the right amount of photos to post to Instagram on a daily or weekly basis. While finding this number will depend on your audience, it\u2019s safe to say that either over-posting or under-posting is something to be aware of. As with being overly promotional, posting too often will make your followers feel like they are being spammed and constantly sold to, which isn\u2019t a great way to make friends.<\/p>\n

However, when you aren\u2019t posting enough, followers will either think you are lazy and neglecting your account, or, more likely, forget about you. Some tips to make this easier:<\/p>\n