5 Tips for Maximising your Instagram Reach

If you’re like me, you probably want to curl into a ball at the thought of having to use social media to promote your music or brand. So I'm the last person to preach about how you should be using it effectively. But I’m sure most of us can accept it’s a necessary evil that, with the right approach, can be used to our advantage. 

So I wanted to share with you some current strategies I’ve observed various artists using on Instagram (including some I've worked with directly) that appear to be working well.

1: Posting reels (and what they should contain):

You probably don’t need me to tell you what a reel is (but just in case, it’s a short video, ideally no longer than 1 minute duration!). And you've probably figured out it's distinct from a YouTube link (which, by the way, should be posted either attached to the reel or in your bio!).

Since reels were introduced, Instagram has been prioritising sharing reels over static posts. Therefore, posting a reel is a more effective way of getting engagement than a static image. And according to Instagram Business, the most engaging reels contain the following elements:

• Human connection;

• Integrated brand and product;

• Visual dynamics;

• Distinctive atmosphere.

These are clearly open to interpretation, but here are some suggestions on what this could mean for you and your music:

• Human connection: can you introduce your music personally? Or make a performance video of it? Either way, make it clear that there is at least one real life human behind the music! 

• Integrated brand and product: do you have a vibe or look you’re trying to promote? And is your band logo featured in the reel? 

• Visual dynamics: So lots of motion. If you have the video skills, try to make the reel contain more visual interest than a static picture of your album cover! Again, a performance would cover this, or if you’re relying on artwork, some animation. 

• Distinctive atmosphere: again, do you have a unique vibe that you can convey in your reel? A particular colour scheme, for example?

Besides incorporating these concepts into your creative approach to making reels, there are some technical considerations as well:

• Film in the highest resolution possible, ideally vertically (1080 x 1920) to take up the most space on the screen (more attention grabbing, right? :)). 

• DON'T start with a black screen or fade-in. It should start immediately - no-one has the patience to wait for a fade-in (I learned this the hard way :)).

• DO use any relevant hashtags. They do help place your content in front of the right eyes (apparently!)

And here’s one more bonus tip: allegedly, when first posting a new reel, if you turn off ‘post to grid’ (the grid is the collection of images people first see on viewing your profile), Instagram will prioritise showing your reel to non followers over existing followers. And that’s a good thing when starting out, right? You can always add it to your grid later. 

2: Collaborate, don't tag!

You probably made your music and promotional materials with the help of others. Whether that’s other members of your band, or the production team (maybe even me!), or visual/ graphic artists etc., chances are at least one person helped you make your music and get it out there. Rather than simply ‘tagging’ them in a post (which has zero benefit other than letting the other person know you’ve posted), try ‘collaborating’ with them instead. This means the post or reel will be shared on each collaborator's profile to each of their respective groups of followers. Thus exposing your music to a greater audience! 

To do this, you have to INVITE them to collaborate on your reel. Select this option before posting. You may wish to give them a heads up and discuss this with them before posting, to avoid disappointment/ offence :)

3: Boosting

I know, no-one wants to give Meta any more money than they already have! But, let’s face it, the chances of more than 10% of your followers seeing your post at any given time are slim, let alone people who don’t already know you exist. For as little as the cost of an espresso macchiato per day, you could potentially get your post viewed by thousands of Instagram users. Some may even end up engaging with it and subsequently following your profile (aka potential fans!). [Incidentally, I’ve just started pursuing this strategy myself and within 24 hours have already picked up some new leads for my business - too soon to know if it's a coincidence but my guess is it's helped]. 

4: Engagement

If people leave comments, respond! Show that you’re interested in your new fans. The days of being an aloof and enigmatic artiste are gone (boo!). Instagram allegedly promotes the content of artists that create ‘communities’ over those that simply broadcast.

5: Timing

Of course, there’s a lot of information out there on when is best to post. But this kind of depends on whether you are aiming for a local fanbase (in which case, first thing, lunch time or evenings apparently tend to garner the most attention) or an international one (in which case, does it really matter?). However, one thing is for sure - with everyone apparently embracing NEW MUSIC FRIDAY, independent artists are getting squashed by the overwhelming number of releases that are coming out simultaneously. So how about this for a concept - maybe try posting about your music on a day that isn’t a Friday? You could accompany a single release with multiple posts - say one or two in the lead up to the release, one on the day, and one or two AFTER the fact (to remind those who missed out).

Essentially, spread out your content (a thorough campaign will involve weeks of pre- AND post- release posting), and don’t always post at the same time on a Friday!

On the subject of multiple posts, apparently Instagram also loves carousels! These are multiple images posted simultaneously that users can swipe through.

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I’m sure there’s plenty more information out there going into the exact logic behind ‘the algorithm’, and these strategies only scratch the surface of what a well-thought-out promotional campaign should include, but these seem to me to be some strong starting points that everyone should be using to maximise the impact of their Instagram campaigns.  

If you have any other strategies or tips you think I've missed, drop me a line or leave a comment - I’d love to hear them. And of course, if I can help you either with promo (via a collaboration, for example) or even some production work (it’s what I do after all!), just let me know!