Instagram has cemented itself as one of the prime social media channels, with over one billion users spending an average of 53 minutes per day on the platform. Its reach provides a huge opportunity for travel brands to find new audiences and increase revenue streams, thanks to its image-centric appeal. And there’s no better way to get people excited about travel than by showing them enticing pictures of holiday destinations.
The higher the reach, however, the harder it becomes to build a following. With so many people having their attention turned by content from a wealth of travel accounts, getting them to stay engaged is no easy feat.
But if you can make your posts pop, Instagram is a fantastic tool for gaining traction and building an audience. After all, 90 per cent of accounts follow at least one business. So let’s see what it takes to make sure that you’re the travel brand everyone wants to follow.
Here are some top tips for getting more traction on Instagram.
Tip 1) Focus on your bio 🗣️
First impressions count and having a strong Instagram bio can help attract more followers. It might seem like a minor detail, but the bio provides an opportunity to share your core brand ethos and let people know what they can expect from your page (lots of great travel pics).
Don’t merely jot something down on the bio page with little thought. Instead, research your target audience and use similar messaging to that found on your website. Think of your bio as your business card on Instagram: the aim is to get people to click that follow button after reading it.
Tip 2) Cross-promote your brand 📣
Starting from scratch, or trying to gain an organic following, can be tricky. So it’s worth teaming up with other brands to share each other’s audiences. Find companies that operate in the travel industry, where customers can benefit from both business activities. Then cross-promote each other on Instagram.
Cross promotions may include benefits for customers who use both brands, e.g. buying a flight with one and booking a tour guide with another. Or it might see you implementing a social media competition for a cross-promotion. No matter which route you go down, teaming up with other brands in the travel sphere can grow your reach and expose you to new audiences.
Tip 3) Be authentic 💁
You’re probably used to reading guides that tell you authenticity always wins, but it’s essential to keep drumming the point home. Being genuine is the only way to build a real connection and following on Instagram. Audiences will quickly realise if you’re trying to be something you’re not.
Be true to your brand’s ethos and share those messages with your audience. It’s absolutely fine to be a little quirky and funny, but only if it fits with the message you’re trying to portray. Trying to be something you’re not will only end up in disappointment.
Tip 4) Post frequently ⌨️
Ninety per cent of businesses have a social media account, but too many of them give up quickly because they don’t see fast results. You need to keep at it if you want traction on platforms like Instagram, and that starts with regular posting.
Being a travel brand gives you an advantage. Yes, it’s a super competitive area, but if you can capture people’s attention with travel imagery that strikes the right chord, you can get people feeling excited about travelling and therefore interacting with you on Instagram.
In the meantime, make sure that you’re interacting and following other people while starting conversations. You will only get engagement in the beginning if you’re willing to engage yourself. Recent studies show that of 100,000 Instagram accounts, the ones who post at least once a day see more engagement than those who don’t.
Tip 5) Create a schedule 📅
How do you ensure that you post regularly on Instagram? You create a schedule; that’s how. Creating a social media posting schedule means that you’re always on top of your posting and can maximise opportunities to engage with audiences.
Use a tool that lets you create a posting schedule and measure the results of the traction that you gain. A posting schedule also gives you an oversight into what is working and what you could potentially improve on to gain even more traction.
Tip 6) Paid advertising 💷
There’s no harm in giving your Instagram account a little kick start with paid advertising. A PPC campaign can give you a much-needed boost in impressions, and you get to implement some of Instagram’s biggest features, such as Stories, to a wider audience.
Your ads will appear in front of a wider pool of users, giving you the chance to create more engagement around your brand on social media. You can control the cost, too, so you never go outside your allocated market budget for PPC.
Winning at Instagram
If you’re serious about gaining traction on Instagram, you need to commit for the long haul and build up an audience over time. But even if you’re looking for a few quick wins, these tips can speed up the process to gain more traction and enjoy greater success on one of social media’s most important channels.
