It’s probably one of the biggest struggles as a business owner on Instagram. How in the world do you write content that will get people to stop scrolling, read, and then engage! Look, you can get all the content calendars you can handle, but you’re not going to get people’s attention unless you write in a way that will make people want to engage with you. It’s not rocket science but there is a formula. And no, it’s not all about polls or hashtags, though they can help! You need a combination of these things to get people to stop scrolling and start engaging.

GET TO THE POINT.

IT’S NOT 1950. PEOPLE DON’T READ THE NEWSPAPER COVER TO COVER ANYMORE. PEOPLE THESE DAYS ARE IMPATIENT. IF YOU DON’T CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION IN THE FIRST LINE OR TWO, YOU CAN FORGET IT. THEY WON’T EVEN PRESS “READ MORE” AND WILL KEEP MOVING ALONG.

If you’re asking a question… lead with it. If you’re telling a story, start it off with something that will for sure make people look.

For ex. 
– do you sit there and wonder what in the world you’re going to post?
– you will not believe this!

Bold statements and questions hold your audience and make them want to find out what the point is, then they’ll want to put in a reaction or an opinion!

KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO.

Before you start creating a bunch of posts, you need to know who your target audience is. You need to write as if you are talking directly to that person and no one else. So, think about who it is you are trying to reach.

Are they a mom? Are they in college? Do they like dogs? Do they hate cooking? Do they have a full-time job? I know some of these questions seem silly, but depending on what you are selling, they can be very important.

Create your content around what your target audience would be interested in and what they would be most willing to engage with. 

BE LIKE ELSA AND SHOW YOURSELF.

Don’t just write a stiff post that reads exactly like an advertisement. If you want people to follow and engage with you, you need to show them your personality.

Tell jokes if you like to be funny; use curse words if that’s your thing. Showing people who you are helps you connect with them on a personal level, making it more likely that they will engage with you and even do business with you.

USING (THE RIGHT)  HASHTAGS.

Look. You can’t just throw in a bunch of hashtags like #lifestyle and expect a bunch of likes and comments. You need to do some research and use hashtags specific to your niche that will attract your target audience.

Big hashtags like #lifestyle has been used more than 2 million times. Your post will get so lost not even a map can help it be found. A good rule of thumb is no less than 5,000 uses and no more than 500,00 uses.

ASK A QUESTION OR USE A CALL TO ACTION.

If you want people to engage, one of the best ways is to ask a question! Questions start conversations and people like to interject their opinion. Plus it’s always fun to see what people have to say. A call to action is another great way to boost engagement. Tell people what to do now that they’ve read your post. Drop an emoji, send a dm for a special promotion, click the link in the bio for a freebie, etc.

HAVE FUN.

There is no point to Instagram if you aren’t going to have fun with it. If you don’t, you won’t get any engagement and the whole point is mute.

Share fun polls, ask questions that have had you wondering all your life like. How much wood can a woodchuck actually chuck? Be creative!

Writing content may not be your thing, but I promise if you put in the effort, you will see results!