In a perfect world, we learn the basics of Instagram growth, we uncover the possibilities of a few handy tools, we become masters at creating interesting posts, and then we grow, grow, GROW our on-line presence. There’s nothing else to worry about. The social media algorithms don’t ever change, our reach is getting higher with each post, and our target audience discovers us every day. That sounds like an ultimate dream, huh? 

Well, unfortunately it’s much nearer the world of dreams than reality, because that’s just not how the social media landscape works: Instagram’s algorithms change ALL THE TIME, and the platform won’t stop for anyone. We must adapt. That’s the ugly truth I have to tell you right here, at the very beginning of today’s guide. But I’m not here to be brutally honest and scare you: quite the opposite, I’m coming with huge news. Good news. I will explain and show you everything that has changed when it comes to the Instagram landscape lately and I will teach you how to adapt so you can benefit from these changes. Trust me – we live in a world of constant change, but the possibilities are quite exciting. Let’s go, let’s uncover them together!

Instagram SEO Has Changed – Now Instagram Keywords Matter More than Ever

Luckily you have us – IQ Hashtags Social Media Experts who will guide you through the Instagram keyword research. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to:

• Optimize your content for better Instagram search rankings and increased traffic
• Add relevant keywords for improved search engine visibility
• Develop a successful Instagram SEO strategy

Are you ready? To begin, begin!  

Why Does Instagram SEO Matter So Much and What Exactly is it?

Let me start by explaining what Instagram SEO actually is and whether it’s much different from traditional SEO. Creating original content that’s useful, inspiring, readable and sufficiently entertaining is only half the battle now. To get new followers and traffic to your profile, you need new people discovering your existence and new people willing to visit your Instagram profile. To get them to visit your profile, you need to know what they are looking for, what exactly are they interested in, which words they use and what type of content would fit their intent best.

You need to become more DISCOVERABLE. 

This year I’ve been testing out different Instagram approaches as in my day job we work with content creators, influencers and entrepreneurs and all the signs are very clear: Instagram SEO is now a fundamental need for ranking your content in Instagram searches.  If you are trying to grow your Instagram account for a long time now and still haven’t seen a rise in your organic reach and your follower count then you definitely need to give Instagram SEO a chance to make your profile more searchable.

SEO stands for Search engine optimization and Instagram SEO is the process of improving and optimizing your account, caption and content  to increase visibility on Instagram search. Instagram SEO is the practice of adding text-based features like captions with targeted keywords, alt-text, and searchable keywords in your display name to help people browsing Instagram find your content more easily. To understand Instagram SEO, you need to understand the basics of traditional SEO, and that’s what we’re going to discuss today as well.

We’ll discuss where to put keywords to make the most out of your Instagram presence, how to use hashtags to make them work for you even if you’ve already given up on them, how to optimize your content to make it more Instagram-algorithms friendly, and how to maximize your chances of appearing high in the search results and on the Explore Pages.

You need to know that Instagram SEO has changed massively over the last year: now hashtags aren’t the only way to get discovered.  Some people even claim that hashtags don’t work anymore, which fortunately isn’t true,  because they do work, but you definitely need more ways to boost your Instagram visibility and you can’t rely only on hashtags anymore.

Mastering the More Technical Side of Instagram SEO is Absolutely Crucial

Well, at least f you want to get to the top of the search results and stay there. If your content is not well optimized and accessible to Instagram search engine, it won’t rank high —no matter how valuable your posts are. So we’ll walk you through all the juicy details about Instagram SEO, specifically how you can optimize your content to get the most out of it and how to make every element of your Instagram presence work in your favor.

People often ask me about “shortcuts” or “tips and tricks” around Instagram SEO. There are a few. Spoiler alert: I will share some of my favorite ones in this guide, so stay with us!

Use Instagram Keywords to Boost your Visibility on the Platform

Just like giants like Google, Instagram keywords match users with the most relevant content – the posts they’re most likely to enjoy. Thanks to Instagram keywords, your target audience can find your content more easily. The keywords you use in your posts explain to the Instagram algorithm who you are and what you do. These keywords help you reach your new followers.

Instagram landscape is constantly changing. The Instagram’s algorithms constantly evolves, and the platform add new functionalities all the time. Instagram SEO will help you stay ahead of the curve and keep your content and all your posts relevant and engaging – and more discoverable!

Instagram SEO explained – is Instagram SEO a thing now?

Instagram Keyword Research Made Easy

A major part of a smart SEO strategy is strategic keyword research. Finding and including strong keywords into your content helps it rank better in search results on search engines like Bing or Google. Good news: the same is also true for Instagram search results!

For traditional keyword research, we use tools like Ahrefs or Ubersuggest to find relevant words and phrases to target in our writing. But what about Instagram keyword research? The tools like Ahrefs or Neil Patel’s tool were only developed and designed with Google in mind. While they are great for blogs and websites, they’re using data from Google, not Instagram, to inform your research – so they won’t be so helpful when it comes to growing your INSTAGRAM profile. 

Luckily you have us – IQ Hashtags! And we’re coming with HUGE news!

With that in mind, we have launched a new feature in our IQ Hashtags tool –  Instagram Keyword Research. Use it to discover relevant and effective keywords for your Instagram content and uncover the keywords that will boost your posts’ visibility and make them more searchable.

Look how easy the research process can get with our carefully developed Instagram keyword tool that’s a total market pioneer.

Want to learn more about our Instagram Keyword Feature? Read how to find the instagram keywords that will bring the highest visibility to your posts right here – and don’t hesitate to start your 7-day free trial to test out the most advanced Instagram keyword research tool on the market. We’re more than excited!

The post Instagram SEO Explained: Instagram Has Changed Because of Instagram Keywords appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

The most surprising thing about the “black list of hashtags” is that some of them look entirely nondepective, and you’ll never say there could be something wrong with them, and they can be on a list of banned ones. The second baffling factor? The list is ever-evolving and is updated daily, which means it’s tough to keep up with it and check it manually every time you post something.

That’s why we invented our tool: IQ Hashtags’ Banned Hashtags feature. It makes detecting banned hashtags easier and quicker than ever – one smart click, and you know everything about the hashtags you want to use, right before your publication or anytime you want to check if your hashtags are safe to use. 

Instagram Search Engine Optimization  What Exactly Are Banned Hashtags?

Banned hashtags are the hashtags that have been put out of action because they’re suspected of violating the Instagram’s guidelines and policy. Instagram tries to minimize the spread of spam content and minimize the visibility of posts that may include inappropriate elements. Some of the banned hashtags are entirely understandable, such as the ones promoting self-harm, eating disorders, domestic violence, or animal abuse. Nonetheless, the big part of them doesn’t contain any apparent elements that can suggest to the user that there is something wrong with them – they can be quite sneaky. 

What happens if you use a banned hashtag?

When you use one of the banned hashtags, you’re actually wasting the chance to get discovered by new people – potential followers or clients – because this hashtag isn’t working at all. It’s not going to give you a chance to be featured on the Explore Page, and if you use banned hashtags quite often, your account may be considered by an algorithm as a spam-sharing one. 

How do you know if the hashtag is banned?

On the blacklist, there are many hashtags you wouldn’t ever expect to be there: for example, for a very long time, hashtag #valentinesday has been banned.

Since the banned hashtags change on a daily basis and the list is updated a few times a day, it is your responsibility to check the hashtags you want to use and do your safety-research before including them in a post. You can do it manually, but there are two obstacles: it’s time-consuming, and you may choose the wrong, untrustworthy source and use the outdated list.

That’s why it’s much better to choose a faster and more effective way: our IQ Hashtags’ feature.

Instagram search engine optimization

We have access to the most official and updated data, so our list of banned hashtags is always current and relevant. If you see that some of the hashtags of your choice are banned, you can throw them away and choose other ones instead – and scan your new choices right away. 

Our Banned Hashtags Feature is as easy and intuitive as it can be. All you have to do is enter the hashtags and separate them with spaces or commas, or paste the choice of hashtags you’ve already prepared (for example, from your phone notes or from an Instagram editor). We can perform a real-time scan of your hashtags – which means we’ll load the information from the most current, official sources, and if a new hashtag was banned one minute ago, we’d already had it detected. 

Banned hashtags can drastically decrease your post’s visibility, so if you’re trying to accelerate your online growth and level up your reach, it’s more than necessary to pay attention to them and avoid using them at all costs. Thanks to our tool, you can find out which hashtags are banned within seconds – use it, and you’ll never have to worry about banned hashtags again!

The post Instagram Search Engine Optimization: Identify Best Hashtags and Avoid Banned Hashtags appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

We know this struggle: that is definitely why we developed IQ Hashtags. We created the solutions to make Instagram growth more effortless. We wanted to provide it to business owners and individual users because we realized it would definitely be a game-changer for growing your account on a limited budget. Using this tool will give you hundreds of hours of time back in return. 

Instagram account analysis

Let’s talk about one of the most essential IQ Hashtags features: profile analysis. It will help you understand the numbers behind your profile and take a closer look at detailed insights. 

Here are a few things you need to know in order to fully understand the stats and track the growth of your account:

• how many active followers you currently have
• how many users have liked or commented on your posts so far
• how many unique hashtags have you used so far
• how many banned hashtags have you used in the past in general
• how your popularity increases or decreases on different days (so you can analyze the data and draw conclusions)
• when exactly your activity is the highest
• what hashtags you use most frequently
• how is your engagement rate shaping up in time

As you plan your Instagram strategy, it’s indispensable to know those metrics. To make sure you’re aware of your profile’s current situation, it’s essential to analyze the right information – the information that will be provided to you by the IQ Hashtags feature we’re talking about: Profile Analysis. Let’s dive deeper into the benefits of such knowledge. 

Instagram Account Analysis: Check your engagement rate – and track it in time!

If you have 10 000 followers but are only getting 50 likes/comments on your photos, something is wrong, and it demands your attention. The key to running a successful, converting Instagram profile is having an engaged, allegiant audience that is willing to answer your questions, be inspired by your content, and engage with you on a daily basis. 

The truth is: engagement rate beats the number of your followers; it’s a hundred times more important. You can have a small, engaged community and get results much higher and more satisfying than accounts with a large base of followers.

With the IQ Hashtags Profile Analysis feature, you can track your engagement rate increasing or decreasing and examine time dependence – when exactly it happens, so you can analyze the reasons behind it. Check how your engagement rate increases the days you post new content and look into data to determine which type of posts generates the highest engagement from your audience.  

The next essential metric you should be aware of is: how many users have liked or added a comment on your profile so far? It gives you an outlook on how many users you have attracted to engage with your content so far. Those interactions are valuable, so it’s beneficial to track them. 

Check hours of profile activity

Since Instagram feed is not chronological (and probably won’t be ever again), your content publishing time really matters. To increase your posts’ visibility and engagement rate, and, of course, to keep consistent frequency in posting, it’s good to have comprehensive information about the hours and days you used to be the most active on your profile. Thanks to this option, you have access to information about how many posts you have published at a specific hour (for example, our favorite influencer has published 31 posts at 21 so far). The same applies to days: let’s find out which day of the week was the most productive in content publishing one for you.

How many hashtags have you used?

Hashtags are one of the most crucial factors of your Instagram marketing strategy. Get to know how many hashtags have you used in general – and how many unique hashtags as well.

What will these insights tell you? The number of unique hashtags will tell you how diverse your hashtag strategy is: when you have a deficient number of unique hashtags, it means you haven’t tested many options, and you’re using the same ones over and over again. Our other features: hashtag research, hashtag performance, and hashtag lists will be a game-changer for you, and they will take a fresh turn with attracting new audiences. 

Did you use banned hashtags?

Hashtags play a crucial role in attracting people to your account. But it would be best if you kept in mind that not all of them will be beneficial for you – some of them can be seriously harmful. There are a large number of Instagram hashtags that have been banned, and using them can lead to decreasing the visibility of your posts as a form of automatic punishment from the Instagram Algorithm. Some hashtags have been banned permanently, and some of them only temporary, so it’s a great practice to check if you haven’t unknowingly used them. And here we’ve got your back: with our Profile Analysis Feature you’ll have access not only to the exact number of banned hashtags that are currently in your content captions, but you’ll see the detailed list of them with links to those particular posts – so deleting banned hashtags will be easier and quicker than ever. 

Identify the most popular hashtags used on your account

Which hashtags are your favorites to such an extent that you use them repeatedly? We’ll provide you an outlook on the hashtags you have used the most – along with the percentage of their general usage. Are there several hashtags you have used in more than 40% of your posts? It’s a valuable piece of information to implement more conscious hashtag-selection.

Who or what brands have you tagged in your content most often?

Whenever you tag an account: whether it’s a personal profile or a business one, they get a notification. What does it mean for your engagement? They will be much more willing to interact: like or comment on your content.

Why is the information about the accounts you have tagged most frequently is precious? You’ll have an insight into the creators or brands you have developed the most intense tagging-relationships in the past, and you’ll see in how many posts have you actually tagged them. 

Profile Analysis Feature provides you the most important statistics: not only the broad, overall data but also many details, arming you with the professional knowledge about your account “behind the scenes.” It will unquestionably help you grow faster than ever and broaden your Instagram presence more consciously and – what is essential – more strategic. It will help you understand empirically what statistics are revealing about your account and its condition, and it will provide you sterling insights to reach your goals much faster. 

The post Boost Your Instagram Presence: Uncover Insights with IQ Hashtags Instagram Profile Analysis appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

Researching new hashtags and establishing your own hashtag strategy can be complicated at times, especially when you’re just starting up. Have you ever googled “how to find the best hashtags for my niche”? We bet you have, at least once.

As our clients and our community admit, the process of hashtag search is time-consuming, and no wonder many people dream of simplifying it and finding the cloak-and-dagger knowledge: how to find 30 effective well-targeted hashtags to use for your captions. 

That’s why we have developed our advanced hashtag search engine, making the process of hashtag research quick and easy. We love coming up with comfortable solutions for you: just use our hashtags search engine to find the wide range of best hashtags for your posts. 

Popular Hashtags on Instagram. Is it Good to Use Popular Hashtags on Instagram? What Hashtag Size Will Work for Your Profile?

Hashtags organically expand your reach – without having to spend a dime on it. To use their full potential, you have to choose them consciously. Otherwise, they won’t deliver you extraordinary results, so we need to focus on good research.

You have to think of hashtags as clickable, descriptive keywords that have the power to make your content searchable!

Focus on your hashtags’ relevance. Your goal is to get your content in front of people who genuinely care about the topics your posts are about—the more engaged and intrigued your audience, the better your targeting.

What’s the protip for making the hashtags you choose work for you? Choose hashtags that not only reflect your photos or graphics contents but also have size and volume that favor your visibility. What does it exactly mean? It would be best if you didn’t choose too popular hashtags that are overcrowded – for example, hashtag #marketing has been used more than 50 million times. It means your post will immediately disappear in the ocean of other posts that are being uploaded continuously with this hashtag. Instead, focus on smaller ones, giving you a bigger chance to discover you!

Hashtag #marketingtips has been used 3 million times, which means it’s multiple times smaller, and this choice could be much more beneficial for you and your brand. How do we know how many times a particular hashtag has been used without checking it manually for each one? Our Hashtag Search Tool shows you the exact number of how many all hashtags similar to your keyword have been used so far. It’s a game-changer, you’ll see – you can also put all the hashtags from the research in the order from the most popular to least popular, or the other way round. You can also filter them by different criteria: average number of likes, the average number of comments on photos with them, or the number of how many times you have already used it on your profile. 

Find All the Most Effective Hashtags Based on Your Niche Keywords

When you want to discover hashtags related to your topic, Hashtag Search gives you the most intuitive solution: all you have to do is enter one hashtag you already know  or just a general keyword from your niche. To see how it works in practice, let’s say you enter the hashtag #marketing:

You have access to a wide range of marketing-related hashtags of different sizes. You can sort them in an order based on the criteria of your choice. You can also check what hashtags are trending right now: this gives you valuable knowledge about which hashtags currently gain more attention. You can deliver higher exposure to your content – so it’s a great idea to use these hints, the results will surprise you. 

Define Search Criteria

Our search engine lets you decide on a few crucial factors you may want to define in your hashtags research. By specifying your search criteria, you narrow down the results to those matching your specific expectations. You can determine:

– the size of hashtags you want to receive (how many times they have been used so far)

– average number of likes on posts with them

– average number of comments

– the number of your personal usages of those hashtags. You may look for the ones you haven’t used yet or the ones you have used no more than 10 times or 1000 times – it’s up to you. 

The result? You’ll be armed with a massive library of hashtags-suggestions tailored just for you. Hashtag search fatigue? Actually you won’t have to worry about it ever again – furthermore, you can save the results of each research and keep it in your Hashtag Collections. It will save you more time than you can possibly imagine!

With IQ Hashtags’ Hashtag Search, you’ll discover optimal hashtags for your content – you’ll gain access to relevant and trending ones which will provide you, more traffic to your posts and will help you attract engaged, interested in your niche audiences. Consciously selected hashtags boost your posts’ discoverability – that’s why using our research tool will lead you to brand recognition. Conducting hashtag research doesn’t have to be time-consuming – don’t miss an opportunity to optimize it!

The post Should You Use Popular Hashtags for Optimal Results on Instagram? appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

Hashtags – the essential factor of long term Instagram-marketing strategy. You definitely should pay attention to them right now! In fact, hashtags still pull a lot (probably way more than you think) of weight on the playground when it comes to helping you attract new audiences. 

Hashtag research is essential if you do any kind of content marketing, or if you want to attract and reach your ideal audience (aka your target audience). A good hashtag strategy starts with hashtag research – I’m sure you already know it (or at least have heard about it). At the end of the day, if you’re not doing hashtag research and picking hashtags that make sense for your content, you’re probably wasting your time. Harsh truth, I know. It’s no wonder most creators use hashtags as a MAJOR way to broaden the content visibility and reach new potential followers. 

How to Track Your Instagram Hashtag Performance? Are the Hashtags You Choose Working For You? Check it with Hashtag Tracker

To dive into your choices’ efficiency, you need to know the results your hashtags bring you.

Are you choosing the right ones? Are they relevant?

To answer these questions, we need to focus on hashtag performance. IQ Hashtags (the all-in-one Instagram tool) provides you a feature thanks to which you can check which hashtags have performed best and have provided the most significant reach for your posts (so you can have many “eureka moments”). 

A hashtag giving you extensive reach means more likes and new followers – that’s why you need to know which ones have the potential to become such traffic providers for your posts!

With easy-to-use Hashtag Performance Tracker, you can analyze the connection between the time of your post, engagement, and hashtag reach. These detailed data will bring you beneficial insights into your content visibility. Just like this:

Your Post’s Position in the Top 9 Section

To grow your Instagram account, you need to attract new eyes and new engaged followers. The Hashtag Performance feature gives you access to information on whether the hashtags you used helped you win a position in the top 9 for each particular hashtag. It keeps you informed about the top position reached for a given hashtag (when you have already reached the top 9 section). What is beneficial as well – you can view your current position in recent posts for the specific, given hashtag (you can check each one of them).

This option gives you a lot of feedback on your hashtags selection, and you can draw valuable, strategic conclusions from the analysis. It will help you develop and implement an arsenal of the most effective, best-performing hashtag strategies.

Time Will Tell – How Your Post’s Visibility Changes in Time? 

Actually, the diagrams will tell you best. We provide you with a scrutiny of the way your posts’ visibility (in the top 9 sections) and your posts’ engagement is forming within the first 3 hours, one day from the publication, 3 and 7 days. It means you’re armed with an extensive analysis of the performance of your hashtags.

The result? You can fully understand your post’s effectiveness and uncover key findings about your results in the top9 section for each used hashtag. 

From my perspective: Hashtag Performance is such a powerful feature for business owners and individual creators. If you do any kind of content marketing on Instagram, you’ll immensely benefit from the Hashtag Performance Analysis – it will take your content marketing strategy to the next level. Take my word for it.

The post Instagram Hashtag Tracker: How To Track & Measure Instagram Hashtag Performance appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

Surprisingly, 85% of users follow at least one brand on the platform, and a whopping 77% of users take action when they come across products or services that pique their interest. So, if you’re not already leveraging Instagram’s power, let me tell you: now’s the time to start. Read on for some actionable tips on optimizing your content marketing strategy.

Content Marketing #Rule: It’s not smart to mimic your social media strategies from other platforms when devising your Instagram strategy

When it comes to social media, each platform is a totally different beast. Engagement styles, content formats, and creative features all vary from platform to platform. So don’t even think about copying your Twitter content strategy and pasting it onto Instagram – that’s a recipe for disappointment!

To make the most of your Instagram presence, start by getting to know your target audience. Take the time to analyze your ideal client/follower and get to know their demographics, interests, and lifestyle inside out. Armed with this intel, you can then explore all of Instagram’s cool features to create the content your audience craves. If you’re hoping to drive leads (and who isn’t?), keep in mind that clickable links in your post captions aren’t possible. Instead, make use of that one link in your bio (and stay tuned for a hot tip on link trees in our next lesson).

Use the right hashtags to get discovered by your target audience

If you’re not using them, you’re missing out on a whole lot of potential visibility – no excuses! Hashtags are like the salt and pepper of your content strategy, and you can’t go without them. They’re still REALLY important.

Actionable tips to spice up your hashtag game?

Don’t limit yourself and your hashtags to just one language. If your brand speaks Danish, Polish, or German, don’t be afraid to mix in some English hashtags. It can help you reach a broader audience and give your profile a little extra oomph. Save yourself some time and use a tool like IQ Hashtags to do the hashtag research for you. It’s like having a personal sous-chef to help you find the best hashtags for your niche. 

Avoid the mistake of producing generic, unoriginal content – the outcome won’t be worth the effort

Why settle for dull, generic posts when you can show off the human side of your business on Instagram? Engage your audience with a mix of spontaneous, entertaining content that tells a story – YOUR story. Don’t be afraid to showcase behind-the-scenes footage or use Instagram’s live stream feature to conduct customer interviews, share event highlights, or give followers a glimpse into your daily routine. And don’t forget to show your audience some love by using the poll feature to gather feedback and address their needs. Bring on the personality!

Focus on your current audience

Don’t be caught napping and neglecting your existing followers – they’re the real VIPs! It’s easy to get swept up in the chase for new followers, but don’t forget to pamper those who have already given you their virtual seal of approval. Remember, their loyalty isn’t guaranteed, and they could leave at any moment. To keep them hooked, you need to cater to their needs and wants – stoke their imagination and creativity. You can do this by running contests and giveaways, showcasing how your products can make their lives easier, and creating content that’s uniquely you (not just a shabby imitation of your competitors). The key is to remind them why they chose to follow you in the first place, and why you’re the best choice out of all the profiles out there.

Establish relationships with smaller-scale influencers within your industry

If you want to stay ahead of the game, you need to jump on the micro-influencer bandwagon. These aspiring creators with fewer but more engaged followers can be a goldmine for your brand, especially if you’re in the e-commerce biz. Micro-influencers have between 5,000 to 30,000 followers, which means they won’t break the bank. Just make sure you pick one who’s authentic, has a loyal following, and caters to a similar audience as yours. And don’t worry about finding them – there are online tools like InfluTool to help you out.

If your content is falling flat and you’re not gaining new followers, it’s time to shake things up. Follow the tips I’ve given you today, and first of all: don’t be afraid to try new things. After all, the only way to succeed on Instagram is to keep learning and experimenting with what works.

Post Scriptum!

Get ready for the upcoming Instagram Lesson, where we’ll teach you the skill of boosting sales and enhancing your brand’s exposure on the platform. No need to wait until you hit 10,000 followers to see noticeable progress and receive positive feedback! A well-crafted business profile is a vital aspect of your digital marketing strategy that you should never underestimate. We TOTALY understand that Instagram might appear challenging or daunting at first, but trust us – with the right instruction, you’ll grasp everything sooner than you think. 

The post Content Marketing Guide: 5 Ways to Boost Your Content Marketing on Instagram appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

You had the perfect username in mind, but then reality hits you like a ton of bricks – the worst case scenario –  it’s already taken! Don’t panic just yet. Instead of going through the painful process of brainstorming new handles, why not put a spin on your original idea? Modifying it slightly can still give you the same desired effect – and today, I’m sharing 4 effective ways to do that. Checking for available usernames can be as nerve-wracking as trying to keep your plants alive (I know it myself with my monstera!), especially with Instagram’s massive user base. But don’t worry, there’s definitely a way to add your own flavor to that perfect handle without starting from scratch.

There are still ways to make your dream handle a reality. After all, why settle for a mediocre username when you can add some pizzazz and make it uniquely yours? Let’s go!

Instagram Username Not Available?How to Get Your Dream Handle Even When It’s Taken

Your Instagram handle is like a virtual passport, and you want it to be as sleek and engaging as possible. First of all – you want to make it YOURS. It’s crucial to get it right from the start, or else you’ll be stuck with a less-than-stellar username that could seriously drain your motivation, and we don’t want that, obviously. But what happens when your initial pick is already taken? First rule for today: don’t panic. In this guide, I’ll guide you through the process of tweaking your handle, so you can still claim it as your own. That’s right, no need to settle for a subpar handle – let’s get editing!

1. Underscore or a dash can save your initial idea

Let’s imagine you’re dead set on calling yourself @immortaldesigns, but wouldn’t you know it, someone’s already beaten you to the punch. My advice? Stick a little dash or underscore in between those words. You can simply go for immortal-designs instead. It’s a bit more legible in plenty of situations, if you ask me.

2. Add a short, neutral word at the end of your username

Keep an eye out for words that won’t alter the essence of your username, but rather, enhance your niche. Let’s take an example – you’re a hotshot graphic designer and you’ve decided to go by the name busybeedraws. But hey, it seems like this username is already taken. What’s the solution, you ask?

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, as they say, just pop in an underscore or a dash, and add a simple, nonchalant word that fits like a glove: voila, you can now go by, for example, busybeedraws-designs. Sure, it may be a tad longer, but trust me, it packs a powerful punch when it comes to your marketing strategy.

3 . End it with a word “official” 

If you’re confident that your account is going to draw in a ton of people, and possibly even some copycats, it might be worth your while to tack on the word “official” at the tail end of your username. This way, your followers and potential followers can be certain they’re following the right account that belongs to you.

It’s a trick that’s often employed by celebs, big influencers, and gurus of various niches – but there’s no reason why beginners can’t give it a shot too. To put it simply, I don’t spot any major contradictions here!

4 . Add initials or your location

If you’ve got your sights set on a snappy Instagram handle that’s just awesome: short and sweet, consider sprucing it up with some initials or even your location. It’s a savvy move from a strategic perspective – it could increase the likelihood of your profile popping up in local search results and draw in a broader target audience.

Instagram Username Not Available. Instagram Username Taken – Final Words

Choosing the perfect username is the cornerstone of setting up a killer Instagram account – we don’t have any doubts.

If you’ve had a particular handle in mind for ages, it’s often a better idea to tweak it a bit than to start from scratch – because let’s face it, coming up with something just as fabulous as your initial idea can be a daunting task. Experiment with dashes, underscores, and neutral words that won’t alter the meaning of your username. The end result? A happy-go-lucky profile creator (i.e., you) and even happier potential followers who can sense the passion and thought you’ve poured into crafting a profile that speaks to your heart (because let’s be real, if you’re not feeling the love for your username, how can anyone else?).

The post How To Choose an Instagram Username When Yours Is Taken – 4 Smart Solutions appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

One area that I’ve been exploring lately is Reels, Instagram’s latest addition to the platform. And today I’ve got some smart and easy strategies to share with you to boost your Reels views.

Whether you’re a business owner or a super creative content creator, you need to use the Reel format to help the right people find your profile. Reels are BRILLIANT. Let me tell you, when you run a business, Reels can demonstrate your expertise, give you a tool to grow your community and an engaged audience, and has the potential to open up some priceless PR opportunities too.

Are you ready to create a new Reels strategy that your potential followers will fall head over heels for? Here are 6 things to include in your Reels strategy, let’s dive in!

Reels Views: What exactly are you going to learn today?

Increase your Reels Views: Use The Hook

The introduction of a Reel is one of its most crucial components. This part of a video content grabs the viewer’s attention, makes or breaks an emotional connection, and causes them to continue watching. Yes, for an engaging Reel, the most significant element for the entire video is the introductory part!

Without a compelling and exciting beginning, you can’t make a good engaging Reel, even if the video is ultra creative and top quality.

The first 1-2 seconds of your Reel is called a lead part which is the main idea about the Reel. Without an excellent hook, it’s really challenging to create an interesting start.

A compelling and attention-grabbing first second multiplies the way ‘Gram users engage with your Reels.

The hook element has to be brief, creative,  specific, and intriguing. Tell them what the Reel will be about. The hook can also be closed or open-ended questions – it’s up to you! 

Keep Their Attention

Essentially, when someone starts watching your Reel, they either consciously or subconsciously ask themselves these 3 questions:

• Does this Reel intrigue me, do I feel like keep on watching?
• Is this Reel entertaining?
• Is this Reel teaching me something?

Your Reels and their captions are super important for your potential followers and future customers – hey, they won’t know what your amazing biz is all about if you don’t communicate it efficiently in your content. 

Don’t just sell, document your story along the way – make it relatable, and don’t be afraid to show the human side of your business.

My advice? Create a personal brand around yourself, nourish an emotional connection with your audience, document your daily life (and show it in your Reels!), and create a business that simply can’t be compared to others.That way, you will give your followers a reason to keep coming back over and over again to your profile.

What Is The Perfect Length of The Reel?

People have short attention spans, so shouldn’t we create shorter Reels?

Yup. People do have short attention spans – they really struggle to keep 100% focus throughout the video. 

It’s no secret that Instagram prioritizes Reels, especially the ones with high engagement and high watch time. Ya know what the ‘Gram really  loves? Original content. Reels that are being watched to the very end.

My advice? Turn your expertise, your creative concepts and opinions into juicy, Reel-rich content for your profile, but try to keep it short and sweet. Research shows that the optimal length for most Reels is 7-10 seconds.

Know Your Audience – Analyze Their Behaviors and Tendencies

A well-researched, data-informed strategy is the key to any business’ success on Instagram– which also makes it the key to your potential followers’ hearts.

That’s why I believe it’s really worth it to invest in a GOOD Instagram analytics and research tool.

•  If you’re tired of spending hours researching new hashtags and creating content, only to find out someone else’s Reels are performing way better than yours in the same niche.
• You’re overwhelmed because you’ve used many, many hashtags but none seemed to work 
• -You don’t have a clue about hashtags, you feel a bit skeptical about them

My advice? If at least one of the above describes your situation, you must invest in the best Instagram research tool. I’m serious. With IQ Hashtags (that’s the one I’m using and the one we’ll be talking about) you can finally keep all your Instagram analytics in the same place, giving you fewer places to check and – that’s really important – meaning you’re more likely to pick up every important insight.

Hashtags – Are They Really So Powerful?

Let me tell you – they are. As you probably know, Instagram is a highly visual platform, and it’s all about discovery. People come to Instagram to find new, exciting content, and inspiration, and hashtags are one of the easiest ways to help them do that! By using hashtags, you can categorize your content and make it easily discoverable to a new audience.

Now, here’s where things get really interesting: using the right hashtags can actually increase your chances of appearing in the coveted “Explore” section on the ‘Gram. That’s right, the Explore section is where all the magic happens, and it’s where users go to discover fresh content!

And, guess what? Hashtags play a big role in determining what Reels appear in the Explore section.

So, if you want to increase your chances of appearing there, you need to use the right hashtags.

But, wait, there’s more! Hashtags are also great for building community on Instagram. An engaged community. By using hashtags, you can connect with like-minded individuals who share your interests, and that’s the coolest part.

Quality over quantity, but don’t let them forget about you!

Update your followers on your life and BTS (behind the scenes) of your business and daily life.  Make them feel involved and invested in your content and your brand.

Create Reels for your future clients, your perfect followers – not only for you!

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see in Reels. So often, creators will talk about what matters to them, which in many cases is not what matters to their current audience.

My advice? Don’t take yourself too seriously, and share different parts of your daily routines – to make your content more relatable and entartaining. That way everybody will find something for themselves.

To Wrap-Up!

Mastering your Reels takes time and effort, that’s true. I always tell the creators and business owners I work with to work within their budgets, and to spend the time, energy and budget they have on the activity that will get them the highest return (the famous ROI). Creating Reels is a slow win in many cases, which can take months to have a truly significant impact.  But… I’m sure your business needs Reels.

My pro tip for you to level up to MAXIMUM REELS EFFICIENCY would be to take a morning or a day where you have great lighting, or maybe even book out a small studio, to take a whole gallery of amazing videos you can use for your Reels throughout the rest of the month or year. Taking a burst of videos in one go will mean your lighting, color scheme, video quality and composition are pretty consistent, and it can be a really smart move.

But… I’ll elaborate on that in the upcoming guide!

The post 6 Easy and Smart Ways to Boost Your Reels Views (Proven Strategies) appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

It’s essential to engage with users on a level that speaks to your brand’s identity – but hey, it’s just as important to have a little fun, too. If you feel it’s not your cup of tea, you don’t have to dance, do lip-sync, or act goofy – absolutely no. Instead, take trends as a creative inspiration and interpret them your way to add your very own spark. I share my observations and ideas to help kick-start you into something that works best for your niche and your business identity so it lands with your target audience!

Every month, I’ll round up a couple of supercool, trending sounds that I think you should pay attention to, and explain in detail how you can use them in your posts.

Voila, this time I’ve put together a special beginning-of-the-year trend list for you. The amount of impact trending audios can have on an Instagram profile is insane, and I truly believe everyone deserves this kind of organic boost, so I’d love to share with you five ideas you can use this month. Below are some of my favorite opportunities to tap into trending Reels audios. Let’s go!

Trending Reels Audio: “Kill Bill (Party Version) Remix, by Bella DJ

What this sound is: DJ Bella, a music genius, has put a fresh spin on this tune to make it feel brand new again. 

Ideas & how your brand can use it: It’s mostly used for sharing the 2022 memories and lessons, and it also brings an opportunity to share what you’re leaving behind in 2022, so you can grow and go forward in 2023. Are you late to a party if you post your 2022 recap just now? Absolutely no. It may be an unpopular opinion, but I’m sure you can share your 2022 recap anytime you want, and there’s no such time as “too late.” That’s my theory, at least, and I’m going to post my personal 2022 recap next month – there are just too many videos and memories to choose from!

Trending Sound: FEAR OF LOOKING STUPID – SZA, by archivesofus__

What this sound is: “Your fear of looking stupid is holding you back.”

Ideas & how your brand can use it: Lip sync to this audio and use text to offer context about why you’re happy that you’ve overcome “the fear of looking stupid”. Show the success you wouldn’t have achieved otherwise and why you believe caring too much about what other people think can waste time. Of course, it’s a normal human response to care about what others think of us, but we shouldn’t give it the power to limit our opportunities.

Trending Sound: It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me. 

What this sound is: The most catchy lines from Taylor Swift‘s “Anti-hero” – who isn’t humming it right now?

Ideas & how your brand can use it: Take your chance to show your goofy mood, pair this audio with clips of you being funny, or having fun at work. Show your charm, personality, and a bit less formal side of you, which I’m sure your potential future clients also want to see when they’re researching you online via Instagram. Show them you’re friendly, easygoing, and up for fun or a casual conversation.

Trending Sound: Don’t do it! (dont do it, by louishanson)

What this sound is: “Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it” repeated many times in a row – but apparently not enough, haha!

Ideas & how your brand can use it: Bust common or recent myths or misconceptions about your niche.

Trending Sound: GIVE IT TO ME X PROMISCUOUS by altego_music

What this sound is: Why does this sound have the potential to go viral? Because it’s so addictive! This audio is pop but a little edgy and off the beaten track! Give it a try.

Ideas & how your brand can use it: Many users are timing their process videos with this song. That’s a brilliant idea!

I hope you feel inspired and ready to create your Reels! Now that you know some current trending audios, create and post your Reels while they’re still relevant! Feel free to tag @iqhashtags in the comments of any Reels you make thanks to this post so that we can hype you up.

P.S. Did you know we have a tool that will take your Instagram growth to the next level? We do! IQ Hashtags is the most advanced Instagram analytics and hashtag research tool on the market – arming you with Profile Analysis, Reels Metrics, Advanced Hashtag Research, Hashtag Performance, and other innovative features to skyrocket your Instagram. You can track your growth in time and analyze all the key factors to spot trends and patterns that make your profile grow much faster and stress-free!

If you care about your Instagram strategy – this is a MUST-HAVE. If you want to build an engaged Instagram community with optimized hashtags and smart insights – this is the tool for you.

In case you haven’t heard about it before (which I doubt!), here’s what fellow users have said:

Want to learn more about the IQ Hashtags tool? Just head over here!

The post 5 Trending Reels Audio to Try This Month on Instagram appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.

You won’t guess (or maybe you will): that has got me thinking about what we can expect to see this new year in terms of Instagram marketing trends for aspiring creators and business owners. So here it is – Instagram marketing predictions for 2024.

Let’s take a look into the future!

Maybe I don’t have a crystal ball, but I did talk to other marketing experts: leading marketers from across the Instagram marketing industry. With their help, I’ve analyzed what’s happening in Instagram innovations and forecast some of the biggest trends you can expect in 2024!

Here’s what they have to say. What will happen on Instagram in 2024?

What will we discuss today?

Marketing Trends: Short-Form Video Content Will Remain the Queen.

We know for sure Reels aren’t going anywhere. They will keep on dominating Instagram as the best content format.

I know it has upset a lot of creators, but let’s say it out loud: if you’re growing your video-making skills, it has a lot of advantages. I know many of you will be thinking “woah, I can barely handle creating static content for my profile, never mind creating time-consuming videos”! I totally get that feeling, we’ve all been there, but look… Did you realize social media videos generate 1200% more shares than text and images combined?! Yes. 1200%, according to Brightcove.

The average conversion rate for a business Instagram profile using Reels is 4.8%, which is more than the average conversion rate of 2.9% for those who don’t have videos on their profiles. Is it magic or something? Let me explain! The reason for the higher rate is closely connected with the like and trust factors. Having Reels on your profile shows people who are standing behind the brand. And showing yourself through videos increases your conversion rate. Reels allow your ideal followers to form an emotional connection with you. Every Reel increases their trust in your expertise AND humanizes your brand because they get to see the face and hear your voice.

In 2023, it’s official: if you’re not using Reels as a part of your Instagram marketing, your profile could be left behind. That’s because your ideal followers are so used to seeing creators use video now that when they see a profile that doesn’t, it may be a big turn-off.

Marketing Trends in 2024: It’s Getting All About Creativity and Authenticity

AND PERSONALITY! Aligning on goals, values, and personality quirks is more of a draw than you realize. With so much content overload, the need for creativity and innovation will play a critical role in how creators think about earning the attention of their target audience and potential followers. You need to differentiate yourself from the competition.

If your biggest fear is “I feel like no one is going to notice me and appreciate me cause this market is too crowded, probably ten times oversaturated!” – hear me out: you can carve out your own space in the market and start being KNOWN for what you’re an expert at.

Here’s how you can start standing out and getting noticed in 2023:

• Get clear about your passion and your mission and communicate it loudly in your content so people never forget your WHY
• No one is YOU, and that is your ultimate superpower. If you feel awkward, shy, clumsy, or super weird when putting yourself out there, stop worrying people would think you aren’t extraverted, brave, or cool enough. Ultimately, your perfect followers (= people from your target audience) want to see the real you. They’ll appreciate your authenticity. You don’t have to be someone you’re not – trust me, for every little thing you’re afraid people wouldn’t like about you, thousands of people need to see it, people who will empathize with that exact little thing. Be unapologetically you (that’s not Dior’s new fragrance slogan, although it sounds like it, I know!), and the right people will appreciate your content. They’ll see your spark; they’ll notice what you have to offer. All you need to do is put yourself out there – the real you.
• Connect with your audience through stories. If you can tell a story about your own experience or struggles that your followers can relate to, then they empathize with your voice. And that’s the most powerful way to show your community that following you is super valuable. And speaking of stories…

Storytelling Is the Skill That Trumps All Other Skills.

The best content creators might call themselves content creators… But they are secretly really, really strong in other things, too.

And storytelling is definitely one of these skills. 

And here comes the good news: yes, storytelling isn’t a talent, it’s a skill. You can master it if you’re willing to put in some work! The more vulnerable you can get, the more confident you’ll come across, and the more people will see you as an actual creator with a lot to share.

Too many stories on brands’ profiles bore people because they’re too generic. They have nothing to do with powerful storytelling – outstanding storytelling has the power to touch people on an emotional level. That’s what this power is all about. In the Instagram world, we often see the same topics covered 1000 times –they’re not necessarily the same, but they’re so similar that you only need to read one such post on the subject, and you think to yourself, “okay, that’s enough!”.

The extra smart way to stand out with your content? Share a personal story, or at least include engaging anecdotes.

Here are some major (and smart) uses of storytelling:

• To attract new followers
• To engage with your current followers
• To build a relationship with your audience
• To convey a message in a lighter, funnier narrative
• To convince your followers they need your product/services

Even if your experiences and your stories are not “one of a kind” and “one in a million”, it’s a psychological law: it’s more fun to hear about what someone else went through than what can happen just ‘in theory’. So make it your 2024 goal – take advantage of it!

Instagram Will Become the New Shopping Mall.

Instagram is no longer social, it’s commercial. In 2023, we foresee Instagram taking e-commerce a step further. So how can you take advantage of this push toward Instagram commerce? First, optimize your in-app shop to ensure the most efficient shopping experience for both you and your potential customers.

Consistency Will Be More Critical Than Ever.

To reap any satisfying results from growing your Instagram presence in 2023, consistency has to be the name of the game.

Content creators often tend to post in an irregular manner, and the Reels are really far apart. That way, it’s tough to keep up with an unpredictable publication pattern, where one carousel or Reel is followed by another WEEKS OR MONTHS later. People, in general, like consistency and will look forward to your Reels, carousels or regular posts if they know you are publishing content based on a schedule they can easily follow and understand. 

The smart way to ensure you are posting new content consistently is to create a content calendar and… Stick to it, of course. Analyze how many high-quality Reels, carousels, and regular posts you can deliver per week/month and then pencil them into your beautiful schedule.

To Wrap-up!

It’s bold, exciting future. As ambitious creators and business owners using Instagram to grow our impact, we need to be at the forefront of these 2023 trends and predictions to learn and leverage all the changes the new year has in store for us. 

And that’s a wrap for IQ Hashtags’s Instagram trend predictions for 2023! Your turn! Have you seen the role of Instagram marketers, content creators and business owners growing their online presence on the platform changing or evolving? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for making my words part of your day and have a wonderful week. For more hot Instagram trends, keep up with our upcoming articles and don’t forget to stop by and say hi on our Instagram!

P.S. Did you know we have a tool that will take your Instagram growth to the next level? We do! IQ Hashtags is the most advanced Instagram analytics and hashtag research tool on the market – arming you with Profile Analysis, Reels Metrics, Advanced Hashtag Research, Hashtag Performance, and other innovative features to skyrocket your Instagram. You can track your growth in time and analyze all the key factors to spot trends and patterns that make your profile grow much faster and stress-free!

If you care about your Instagram strategy – this is a MUST-HAVE. If you want to build an engaged Instagram community with optimized hashtags and smart insights – this is the tool for you.

In case you haven’t heard about it before (which I doubt!), here’s what fellow users have said:

Want to learn more about the IQ Hashtags tool? Just head over here!

The post 5 Instagram Marketing Trends for 2024 (+ Experts’ Insights) appeared first on IQhashtags - Instagram hashtag search tool.