How to Get Tremendous Blog Traffic with Instagram

By: | October 20, 2015 | Tags: , , , , |

Instagram helps bloggers get trafficHave you heard the expression, Where there is smoke there is fire?

When you hear about social media, you hear about Instagram. Everybody is using it.

Instagram is essentially a platform that allows you to share photos and short videos that look like a professional photographer took them.

According to expert social media manager Amanda Brazel, it is very easy to get noticed as well as make new connections by using Instagram.

According to recent statistics, Instagram boasted 300 million monthly users. Why not use it to get traffic to your website?

According to KISSmetrics,

No other platform provides an experience as incredibly… engaging as Instagram. With just a bit of creativity and thought… you can make some … magic for your brand. Learn how you can catapult your [website] to new heights.

KISSmetrics goes on to explain that if you are trying to increase your organic traffic, using Instagram is preferable to using Facebook.

In my first of a two-part Instagram series, I have invited guest author Lori White to explain how to use Instagram to get traffic to your blog. Lori has received blog traffic from Instagram, and she is here to tell you how you can use the popularity of Instagram to get traffic to your blog too.

Lori, take it away.

8 Ways to Strike Instagram Gold

Lori White, Stuckinmiddle.net

Have you harnessed the power of Instagram for your blog yet?

According to Forbes, Instagram “is shaping up to be the world’s most powerful selling tool.” With its ability to communicate an instant message with the power of a single image, it possesses mass potential.

Instagram has marketing appeal—when, that is, you use it strategically and to its full advantage.

Here are a few things you can do to maximize this marketing beast.

1. Create an Instagram account exclusively for your blog.

This holds true for all social media platforms, but particularly IG (Instagram), in my opinion. You want to keep your photos of your kids being cute and your cat napping adorably separate from your foodie or travel blog, you know? Your blog IG is the place for photos that reflect your blog’s purpose, your theme, and your professional identity as a blogger. Embrace that.

2. Post strong photos.

Instagram is unique among other social media platforms in that it is purely photo-based. This can be a challenge if you’re not a photographer or even a little bit visually-inclined. IG users, you see, reward powerful photos that hit a nerve or make them feel something. I’ve seen many IG posts that look like text ads…do you even bother to read them?

Memes, on the other hand, that are accompanied by striking graphics or a funny image, instantly capture my attention.

3. Hashtag wisely.

One thing that baffled me initially with Instagram was that it does not offer direct web links; instead, it groups and links photos together via a hashtagging system. By locating and tapping into popular hashtags, you can more quickly gain followers.

Our blog, for example, is oriented to an audience of parents of preteens and teens in the middle school years, and those adolescents as well. It offers them a forum to read and discuss pertinent topics, sometimes together, sometimes separately.

We used a site called Websta.me to isolate the ten or so most popular hashtags for our subject matter, and we generally use some variation of those ten in order to reach the widest audience. We used these tags to find and connect with other users that were similar to us, as well—another useful application for this tool.

4. Connect with others!

Along this same line, don’t just throw stuff out there into the Instagram void and expect it to work all on its lonesome. This was part of my frustration with Twitter when it first amped up. Everyone was sending out these massive quantities of tweets, and “following” you…but they really weren’t interested in you. They just wanted you to follow them back so they’d have one more number. So they’d look and feel really important.

Instagram doesn’t really work that way. It is perhaps the most connected to a brand most of us will ever get. I have personally “spoken” to, and been replied to, several of my personal favorite American Ninja Warriors via Instagram…extended, back and forth conversations. So use IG to truly connect with your followers, and perhaps refer them to blog posts you feel they might be interested in from time to time. You will see your numbers grow.

5. Take advantage of the fact that people will steal your photos.

This was a new one for me, but a great idea. People are always using photos that are copyrighted online, so make sure you protect them with a watermark of your blog contact details. If you acquire your own photos, like we do at Stuck in the Middle, from a stock photography service, make sure you watermark the copyright info on the photo, as well.

This extra step may take an extra minute or two, but it’s almost guaranteed to lead a potential reader in your direction.

6. Craft a solid bio.

In a few succinct sentences, tell your followers who you are, what your blog is about, and why they should read it. Include a link in this area to your blog.

7. Connect your Instagram account to other social media networks, including Twitter,

Facebook, and Pinterest.

When you post to IG, you can have it set to post automatically to the other accounts, as well, saving yourself a step.

8. And finally, conceive of some sort of Instagram competition.

What is it, exactly, about competitions that are so enticing? It doesn’t have to be huge, but offering some sort of reward or prize can draw people in and have them respond to a call of action. Make sure that call of action is clear, by the way. Do you want them to click like and share? Like your Facebook page? Follow your blog? Leave a comment? Scratch their heads and rub their bellies?

I can’t wait to hear about your success with using Instagram to propel your blog to greater heights. You can give me a shout out in the comments, and of course seek me out @Stuck_In_Middle on Instagram.

Me again: Lori did a great job! She makes using Instagram to get traffic to your blog sound easy, quick, and even fun.

Before you go make your Instagram accounts, let’s show Lori some blog love and go visit her at StuckInMiddle.net.

Readers, please share Lori’s article, so other bloggers get to discover the power of Instagram for increasing blog traffic.

What are your experiences with Instagram? Have you tried using it? Has it resulted in blog traffic? Do you think you might give it a try after reading Lori’s article? I look forward to your views.

Sources:

http://www.aprildidlake.com/aprils-blog/three-reasons-you-should-be-on-instagram

www.amandabrazel.com/grow-fast-on-instagram-with-these-6tips

    • Lori

      I really liked that one, too, John. Will definitely be amping up my IG game by adding this component!
      –Lori

  1. Rebecca

    Thanks for the great tips. I just started using instagram recently (for my blog), so I will definitely be using these. I really like ig more than other social media because it’s fun just to scroll through all the beautiful pictures.

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Rebecca,
      Thank you so much for your interest in my guest author’s post. This was my first Instagram post. I will also be implementing Lori’s ideas. I also just started using IG. Drop by MostlyBlogging next Tuesday for Part II of my Instagram series!
      Janice

  2. CocoCana from MyTalesFromTheCrib

    This is very interesting. I got rid of my Facebook a couple of years ago and only use Twitter and Pinterest. However, my husband is in the motorcycle industry and uses IG and likes it so maybe I’ll set up my account too. Thanks for the helpful tips!

    • Lori

      Thanks, CocoCana! I think you’ll find it very useful and a great tool to launch you even further.

      Lori

    • Richard Schulte

      My own personal experience is that there is hardly any engagement on Twitter. Attention spans there seem to be for about half a second. People click favorite or retweet without even following the link to visit your blog. It seems to be sadly superficial behavior from bored or fame-seeking users. Facebook, however, can be amazing–if you get lucky and something goes viral. Last weekend I was super fortunate. In a four day period, one of my posts was shared on an influential Facebook page and things went absolutely crazy. After about 80 Facebook shares, the spurt of traffic finally fizzled out, but during that time I received about 1000 visits and many new FB likes. The key is in creating something that people really, really like, then crossing your fingers and hoping for the best!

      • Janice Wald

        Hi Richard,
        I have heard that about Twitter. However, while it does have that reputation, it is my second biggest referrer of traffic after Facebook (other than search engines). I use hashtags whenever I post on Twitter. Congratulations on your FB experience. Out of curiosity, did you put your link on the FB page, or did someone else? I don’t think my articles would lend themselves to that. Even if it did, wouldn’t it be considered spammy to post my link on someone else’s FB page? What do you think?
        Janice

  3. CocoCana from MyTalesFromTheCrib

    This is very interesting. I got rid of my Facebook a couple of years ago and only use Twitter and Pinterest. However, my husband is in the motorcycle industry and uses IG and likes it so maybe I’ll set up my account too. Thanks for the helpful tips!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi CocoCana,
      Nice to meet you. This was my first article about Instagram, so I wasn’t sure if there’d be interest. I am so glad there is, especially since I have Part 2, another Instagram for Bloggers article next week. Thanks for letting me know there is interest and the kind words about my guest author’s post.
      Janice

    • Janice Wald

      I wanted you to know I went to your site to visit you, but I couldn’t figure out where to comment.
      Janice

    • Janice Wald

      Hi CocoCana,
      I like your blog name–Tales From the Crypt pun, funny. I tried to visit your blog too but couldn’t figure out where to comment. Thanks again for the kind words about, and the interest in, my Instagram article.
      Janice

  4. Elizabeth Hudson

    Thank you Lori (and Janice)! While my teenagers seem to have been born hard-wired to understand this, I certainly was not. Your info has been really helpful info for an “older newbie”. Could you possibly elaborate or point me in a direction regarding your point #5 (protecting your photos with a watermark of your blog contact details? This make great sense; I’m not sure how it’s done.
    My blog is not public yet but will be soon.
    Thanks again!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      I am writing Lori to let her know you have a question for her.
      Janice

    • Lori

      Hi, Elizabeth! Thank you so much for your kind words. I know exactly what you mean about our kids being hardwired to this sort of thing.

      I am happy to help with watermarking. Directions for it, though, are very specific to whichever kind of photo editing program you use. If you use Lightroom, the ability to watermark is called “identity plate” and is under “Print.” If you use picmonkey.com, you can design a watermark using “Design” and the text feature. It varies from application to application, but once you have it, you have it. If you would like to be able to directly watermark IG photos, there is an application you can use to do so, called iWaterfree. Here’s a great slideshow that shows how to do this:

      http://www.slideshare.net/SueBZimmermanBoston/how-to-watermark-your-instagram-photos

      Hope this helps!

      Lori

      • Janice Wald

        Lori,
        That is definitely helpful! Thank you so much for elaborating on all this information.
        Janice

      • Wendy

        Thanks for elaborating on this and giving these resources, Lori! I try to put my blog name on my photos, but having a template would make this easier.

        • Janice Wald

          Hi Wendy,
          I try to put my name on my graphics too, but I never tried watermarks though I see them on other people’s graphics. It just seemed like something else to do when other blogging tasks keep me so busy as is. Thanks for your comments.
          Janice

      • Janice Wald

        Lori,
        This is extremely helpful. Thank you for bringing your knowledge to us this week.
        Janice

  5. Melinda

    Lots of good info here, Janice. Thanks for hosting Lori. I will definitely go by and say hi to her directly.
    I still can’t even think about adding another thing yet. And my photos are that great to start with!!
    You BBFF, Melinda

    • Melinda

      my photos are NOT that great! lol proofreading was not my friend just then! 😉
      Lori has some really fresh ideas for costumes.

      • Lori

        Thank you, Melinda!! Appreciate the visit and the sweet words. (And the giggle.) 😉

        Lori

  6. Aimee

    Instagram is my favorite social media platform because it’s so engaging! I have made so many connections on instagram that have ended up carrying over into followers on my blog & other social networks. Hashtags stumped me at first too, but now they are a key part of my Instagram strategy. 🙂 Thanks for the awesome tips!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Aimee,
      Thank you for writing. Your comments are inspirational when it comes to using Instagram for blog traffic. I have another post next Tuesday about Instagram scheduled. I would love to use your comments as a hook. Thanks for writing.
      Janice

  7. Healing Mama

    I’m still trying to figure out how to use instagram for my blog. I only have a phone camera so I feel like my pictures aren’t strong enough. Thanks for this post!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Healing Mama!
      Nice to meet you.
      I also use my camera for my blog. Both the Iphone and the Droid have strong cameras. No problem there. Thank you for your comments.
      Janice

  8. Wendy

    I seriously need to use Instagram more! I have a personal account and started one for my blog, but I never use the one for my blog. I just didn’t see the advantage of of switching back and forth. However, since making my personal account public and using meaningful hashtags, I am getting a lot more interaction from people I don’t know, so it is starting to make sense. Think I’ll go back to a private personal account, and start really ramping the use on my blog account. Thanks for this helpful article!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Wendy,
      I had two Instagram accounts, one for school and one for my blog. It got two confusing. Although my students are disappointed, I just have one now for my blog. Thanks for writing. I need to step up my game too. That’s why I had Lori come to motivate us all, which she did admirably. Thanks for writing.
      Janice

  9. Amanda

    Just tried websta.me, and it’s amazing! I love Instagram, but I’ve been looking for ways to use it more efficiently. Thanks for this post!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Amanda,
      Just wanted to let you know I have another Instagram post coming out in about 3 hours. I’m glad you appreciated the last one.
      Janice

  10. Audrey

    I have dropped off of Instagram lately with everything else on my plate. I miss it. Thanks for sharing on the #HomeMattersParty this week. I hope you join us next week.

  11. Kathleen

    Janice thanks for bringing this informative post to Fridays Blog Booster Party. It sounds like it is being very helpful to everyone. I am afraid I don’t use Instagram. Thanks to Lori too.
    Kathleen

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Kathleen,
      Great to hear from you. Thanks for writing me. You know I love coming to your party.
      Janice

  12. Pingback: How to Get Tremendous Blog Traffic with Instagram Part II
  13. Pingback: New to Instagram? So am I. Here’s help.

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