BY JAMIE SILVER, CORVUS CREATIVE

While social platforms continue to change how they’re used and algorithms to be seen, there are a few things you can do to optimize organic social without breaking the bank.

It’s difficult to get people to see what you do without a big viral moment or paying through influencers, partnerships, and of course, ads. To put up the best fight and  try to expand your reach, there are certain tools you can try. There’s no magic formula or rules to follow, but there are best practices we can implement when posting. It’s important to experiment and try new things – what works for someone else might not work for you, and vice versa. 

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1: Make your Content High Quality & High Value

First and foremost, your content has to be high quality and high value. No matter how many tips or tricks you try to get into someone’s feed, if the content isn’t good, it won’t serve you or the viewer. Before posting, ask yourself: “Would I stop scrolling for this?”
 

HIGH QUALITY

Not every business is the same but just because you don’t have a fancy agency doesn’t mean you can’t  make great content! Our phones have better cameras than my first digital camera. And there are tons of free or affordable tools for photo editing and design right on our phones. Some of my favorites include Canva, VSCO, Unfold, A Color Story, and Filmm. When in doubt, keep it simple. (Just because these apps have the ability to add lots of elements doesn’t mean you need to.) Determine a visual look that fits your brand, and try a few small touches to make it shine.

When thinking about high quality, don’t forget about the text! A great caption can stop a scroller in their tracks, and the longer someone spends reading your caption and engaging with your post, the better. Experiment with copy styles and lengths to see what’s resonating and driving interaction. Believe it or not, longer captions are on the rise, but don’t ramble on for the sake of it. Use long captions when truly applicable. At the end of the day, create captions with thought and intention, and think about what you’re really trying to tell your followers.  
 

HIGH VALUE

What’s purpose of your post? Does it add value to the viewer or is it easy for them to scroll right by? With so much content available, how do you stand out of the crowd? By adding value and making content with a purpose. Consider: What would you stop for if a brand similar to yours posted?

Adding value could mean a few things:

• YOU’RE PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT

  What can your company do or say to entertain the viewer? That could mean food porn, a funny joke or quote, or maybe someone on your staff can do a quick video!

• YOU’RE PROVIDING EDUCATION

  What does your company do that can help someone else? Is there a quick tip you can provide for how to make the perfect cocktail, a secret tip for home bakers, how to layer necklaces for a new look, or how to keep a better track of expenses for tax time? No need to give away all your secrets, but small tips specific to your business can go a long way and gain followers attention.

• YOU’RE DEVELOPING AWARENESS

  It might sound simple, but it’s important that within your content mix you are spreading awareness of what you do and offer.

• YOU’RE CONVERTING A CUSTOMER

  Don’t forget to push the customer down the funnel to a sale. Do you have a special offer or sale going on? How can you get someone to act now to make a purchase, book an appointment, or contact you for more information?

2: Use Hashtags, Account Tags & Location Tags

The easiest way to reach people outside of your followers is to use the tools native to the platform that encourage discovery. On Instagram, users discover new content by following hashtags, viewing locations, and through other profiles.
 

HASHTAGS

What are some words or phrases that are related to your business? Type them into Instagram and see if people are using them in content already. Compile those terms into lists on your phone for easy access, and just copy and paste when you need them! I like to keep a list separated by category or content type, so you can easily access them when you need them for any of your future posts.

Use comments to post hashtags:

I recommend implementing a “first comment” hashtag strategy. This means after posting to your Instagram feed, comment on your own post with a hashtag block. Using this method makes your posts appear less cluttered and allows users to focus on the objective of the original caption copy. 

Hashtags in Stories:

Hashtags in Stories get many eyes quickly. You can include up to 10, including 1 clickable hashtag sticker. If you’re sharing your grid post to Stories, it’s easy to hide a hashtag block by using the type tool to add the hashtags then simply placing the image on top of the text.

Follow trends

Watch for timely content and monitor what other brands are using by following relevant hashtags in the Explore section and check out competition. For Instagram Grid Posts, you can use up to 30 hashtags. Try a mix of types! Here’s a quick mix to try:

• Three to five popular tags (300,000 to 1 million posts)

• Three to five moderately popular tags (80,000 to 300,000 posts)

• Three to five niche-specific tags (Specific to industry and what your customer is looking for)

• One or two of branded hashtags (Specific to your company, can build a following)
   

PROFILE TAGS

Tag relevant users in posts to expand reach. Tagging 1-3 users returns the best engagement. Tagging accounts with large social followings is a great way to expand your organic reach and promote increased engagement and awareness. Don’t be spammy! Tag only brands or people that make sense for the post.
 

USE LOCATION TAGGING, ALWAYS

Locations tags are also a great way to get more eyes on your content. It only takes one click! On Instagram stories, use a location sticker. 

3: Be Consistent

Decide your content mix by developing a few content buckets. Let’s say you’re a restaurant: Your bucket could be delicious food, new items, staff highlights, discounts, and events. From there, decide how many of each you feel you can support per week or month. 

Consistency is key – don’t overstretch! Remember, high quality content that drives value is more important than high quantity. If you are able to post 5-7 times a week, great, but that’s not always reasonable! Set a goal and stick to it. 3x a week is recommended at minimum, and when possible, post to stories more frequently.

Sprout social offers free social insights. I turn to them to learn how and when to post. In general, the best times to post are Monday - Friday from 9am - 4pm, with Wednesday and Friday at 11am leading as best times. Depending on your specific business, this may vary! You can see their recommendation for each platform and specific business type here.

Remember, there’s no magic formula. If you have a business with promotions on Saturday, post on Saturday! Instagram Stories are a great option for short lived and more casual content. Play with native capabilities, like interactive polls and stickers to make it feel more like other content viewers see in their Story feed.

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In Summary

While it may seem like a lot, once you get the swing it, it becomes second nature!

Here are a few quick takeaways:

• QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

  Creating content that is not purposeful and valuable for the sake of meeting a quota is not recommended. Create content that makes sense for your brand and objectives.

   

• AIM FOR CONSISTENCY, NOT FREQUENCY

  Some people will say to post daily but for most this is an unattainable goal. Choose to post a certain amount a week and at a minimum, stick to it.

   

• USE CAPABILITIES WITHIN THE PLATFORMS

  Social platforms have built in capabilities that extend reach, like hashtags. Make sure you use the tools available to you!

   

• TEST AND SEE

  The first thing you try may not work. Different types of content, posting times, hashtags – the list goes on – should be tested out. View results and pivot based on learnings. But, be sure not to overanalyze everything. There’s a fine line.

   

• AND DON’T FORGET: SET GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

  You won’t be able to tell if organic social media is a successful avenue without having goals to work towards.
   

  Good luck! You’ve got this.