Visual Media Content Techniques to Improve Instagram Engagement

By: Rebecca Tyner

Easy fixes you can make now to enhance your Instagram account.

Over the last decade, the ways in which audiences experience and wish to consume content has transformed drastically. A Venngage Marketing Survey concluded that 91 percent of audiences prefer visual content over traditional formats. Visual content and educational videos are becoming increasingly fundamental to having a successful presence on Instagram because they are attractive, engaging, scannable, and easy to retain while still being highly informative.
 
Here are five visual media content techniques to improve Instagram engagement and keep your audience wanting more.

Carousels: A study of over 22 million Instagram posts finds carousels are the most engaging type of post. Carousels have an average engagement rate per post of 1.92%, compared to 1.74% for images and 1.45% for videos. For more data on Instagram carousels, see the full study here.
 Tip: Even though it can seem redundant, telling your audience to “swipe left” on Instagram carousels can actually cause them to perform better and increase engagement.

Video: Audiences now have shorter attention spans; therefore, more and more marketers are moving away from text-heavy long-form content and investing in high quality video content. Instagram video formats are an increasingly important tool for targeting a selected audience. According to Small Business Trends, 93% of companies claim they got a new customer because of their video content. Instagram recognizes this and offers a variety of video options for its users including stories, IGTV, and reels. 

Images: Images increase the likelihood that your written content will be shared. Images not only increase engagement, but they also build trust and authenticity between a customer and the company. There are many different types of images you may consider posting on Instagram such as user-generated content, product images, pictures of employees and owners, or behind-the-scenes images. A couple great resources for free content are Pexels, Unsplash, and Stocksy.

Infographics: Infographics are much easier to digest than traditional long-form articles. Well-designed infographics increase engagement due to the fact that they are linkable and easy to share. Share data your audience will love! Easelly offers great templates and video tutorials on how to make infographics for Instagram.

Interactive Experiences: Interactive experiences add a personal and tailored appeal, which allows audiences to feel involved, increase curiosity, and possibly learn something about themselves or others. Quizzes and polls on Instagram stories are some of the most engaging content formats, according to the Content Marketing Institute. Along with increasing engagement, polls double as being great data collection tools and allow you to receive direct feedback from your followers and customers.
 
Have fun, and good luck creating content!