Instagram watch time is CRITICAL when it comes to account growth and engaging your audience organically. Whether you’re running a new profile, or a seasoned one, the amount of time your viewers are sticking around DOES EXTREMELY MATTER.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to improve your Reels to boost audience retention and maximize your  organic views. This can even eventually lead to reaching 2,000 hours of viewed Reel! In this guide, I’ll be focusing on 6 easy tips that can increase your Instagram Reels watch time. So if you’re ready to boost your growth through improved viewer retention and more Reels views, let’s get to it!

Why is Reel watch time so important on Instagram?

Watch time is the key on Instagram as it is a metric that measures the amount of time viewers spend watching your content. It is considered one of the most important factors in Instagram’s algorithm for recommending content to new users. Reels with higher watch time are more likely to be suggested to new potential followers, leading to organic growth, increased views, higher engagement, and changes in your follower count.

How is watch time calculated on Instagram?

Watch time for your Instagram Reels is calculated for each Reel individually. It’s the total amount of time that viewers spend watching your particular piece of content. It is measured in minutes (and seconds), and it of course includes all views, including those from multiple devices (phones, tablets, computers) and repeated views from the same viewers as well.

How long should my Reels be to increase watch time?

The ideal length of your Reels to increase watch time depends on your content and audience. However, shorter Reels (7-10 seconds) tend to have higher watch times than longer ones, as they can keep viewers more engaged and there’s lower risk of boredom.

Proven Strategies to Increase Your Reels Watch Time

Use B-Rolls – You most probably already know this term from Youtube, huh? B-roll is basically just extra content that you overlay on the original video to add this extra spark, character and value to your Reel.

Why is it worth this extra effort? That way, you can break up mundane video so that your viewers aren’t just watching a long talking head. You can also help your potential follower better understand your talking points by adding examples relating to the topic. Show additional shots of a specific thing/product/place to give them more insight on what it looks like/how exactly it works

When editing your Reels, you can also use the power of jumpcuts. A jumpcut is an easy method to break up your video by slightly changing the look of each shot (each clip). This makes the overall result much more engaging and appealing. How to achieve it? Editing your Reel with jumpcuts is actually really simple. It’s just a matter of using a Reel editor like Cupcut or VN and zooming in and out between clips, so even though the background of each video is technically the same, and the same location, one clip can look differently from the next.

Use the power of trending audios – Using music in your Reels is the smartest way to add some emotional value to your Instagram videos. Invoking emotions, and creating the intrigue is – you guessed it! – another great way to increase your Reels watch time. Of course, you can’t just choose a random audio to input into your Reels. The audios or music you choose should go with the feelings, the mood you’re trying to invoke with your content.

Our protip? Try to avoid background audios that are too sad, too depressing if it doesn’t go with the vibe of your specific Reel.

Use Custom Reels Thumbnails – A custom thumbnail is a picture that shows alongside the title of your Reel. As a viewer scrolls through Instagram Reels Explore Section, it is the first item they see! Utilizing intriguing, high-quality, aesthetically pleasing custom thumbnails will boost your Reels click-through rate.

Collaborate with Other  Creators from your niche– Partnering with other Instagrammers in your field/your niche will absolutely help you raise the exposure and view time of your Reels. You can even collaborate on Reels to cross-promote your accounts with other content creators who have similar interests and similar target audiences. 

Optimize your reels for SEO on Instagram – Better Instagram SEO methods may help your Reels rank higher in the platform’s search engine results, resulting in many more views and organic interaction. I know it may sound like a black magic, but in practice – it’s really not. Just identify the major hashtags and keywords (you can research them with IQ Hashtags to save time, and effectively find the most promising ones) and use them in your Reels captions. This is one of the smartest ways to increase your watch time in a short time. 

how to increase Instagram Reels watch time

Double down on what works best – Data is your best friend, I can’t stress this enough! Analyze your Reels statistics (I use IQ Hashtags’ Reels Metrics to have in-depth data and all the comparable details in one dashboard – if you want, you can also try it out with a free 7-day trial right here), to know what the audience loves the most, and what kind of Reels performs the best.

Now You’re Ready to Increase Your Reels Watch Time on Instagram & Boost Your Organic Growth!

For more info on how to improve your organic growth, check out our other free guides. And hey, there are so many new on the way, so keep coming back to stay on the right Instagram track.

The post Your 6 Strategies to Increase Reels Watch Time on Instagram – 6 Easy Ways appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Is it time for you to upgrade your Instagram account? Now hold on to your hats, because I’m about to drop some serious knowledge on you!

Let’s start at the beginning and talk about how crucial it is to be consistent

Sure, you’ve heard this a thousand times before, but give me a chance to explain. Stick to your principles, because they’re crucial. When it comes to Instagram, consistency is like being the boss. In order to keep your followers interested, you should provide them with a regular schedule of when you plan to publish new content. You shouldn’t necessarily aim to post every day at the same time (though if that works for you, go for it), but you should aim to post regularly. 

Making sure your followers know when to expect a new post from you is as important as making sure they know when to expect a new episode of their favorite TV show.

However, unlike in television shows, you should not leave your readers hanging for too long. Choose a regular posting time that works for you, and then adhere to it religiously.

Let’s move on to the posts themselves, the “meat and potatoes” of your content

If you want to keep your Instagram feed interesting, you need to post a wide range of content. Include a wide range of content in your updates, such as selfies, sneak peeks behind the scenes, and inspirational quotes. The same way that you wouldn’t want to eat the same thing every day, your followers wouldn’t want to see the same thing on your feed every day, either. Post a wide range of content, from selfies and behind-the-scenes photos to inspirational quotes and rants. Don’t stray too far from the established tone, though. Unless knitting is your company’s specialty, it’s probably best not to post about it on your tech company’s social media accounts. 

It doesn’t matter how many examples of “instagrammable moments” there are out there; at the end of the day it all comes down to what YOU create that sets you apart from everyone else. 

Authenticity – that’s what matters, too

In a world where everyone is trying to present the best version of themselves, it’s important to remember that Instagram is not real life. At least, not 100%. It’s a curated highlight reel. So, don’t be afraid to show your followers THE REAL you. Share behind-the-scenes content, show your personality, and be relatable. People will appreciate the authenticity and it will make them more likely to stick around.

Keep in mind the value of a great caption

Your caption completes your Instagram picture perfectly. That’s the cherry on top, the whipped cream on your coffee, you get the idea! Never underestimate the power of a well-crafted caption; it can make or break a post. And don’t be reluctant to experiment and have some fun with it. Some lightheartedness can help smooth over any rough spots.

Let’s discuss hashtags in more detail

Hashtags, oh boy. You can reach more people and have your content seen by more people by using them. Instagram hashtags function much like a coded handshake. They’re fantastic for reaching a wider audience and spreading the word about your work. Don’t just slap any old hashtags on your post and call it a day, though. Be certain that they fit the theme of your post and are used by people who share your values. Be sure they fit the theme of your post and are popular among your target audience.

Key takeaway? Make sure you’re using relevant and specific hashtags and not just #like4like or #follow4follow (those are so last decade). I know hashtag research feels complicated. Most Instagram research tools are quite expensive and throw data at you – expecting you to know what to do with it and analyse it all on your own.  My advice? Try out IQ Hashtags – it will arm you with the most advanced hashtag research tool, which is at the same time totally easy to use. Have a look:

The importance of a quality filter is our next topic of discussion

You can do amazing things with your photos with the help of filters. They have the ability to transform even a subpar photo into something truly remarkable. Try out a few different filters to see which one best represents your company. But keep in mind that less is more! If you overdo it, your photo will look like something out of a psychedelic nightmare.

Also, we mustn’t overlook the significance of tagging

Tags function similarly to shoutouts on Instagram. It’s a fantastic medium for expanding your reach and establishing links with related profiles. It’s important to collaborate with brands and other influencers, so don’t be shy about tagging them in your posts. 

Finally, let’s address the most pressing issue at hand: the algorithm

To some, Instagram’s algorithm may as well be a Rubik’s cube to solve in the dark. But there are some things you can do to improve your position on the “Explore” page.

First off, make the most of Reels, Lives, and Stories, the three main types of content you can create.  Finally, interact with your target market.On Instagram, interaction is essential, much like breathing. It’s essential to your posts, and without it, they’ll die!  Engage with your community by replying to comments and direct messages from followers. On the Gramyou must strike a balance between receiving and giving to avoid being labeled as such. Don’t be shy about engaging with your followers and asking them questions. Keep in mind that the term “social” media wasn’t chosen at random!

Key takeaway: The more you engage with others, the more likely they are to engage with you. It’s like a virtual friendship, but without the awkward small talk.

To wrap-up!

Growing your Instagram in 2023 is all about consistency, hashtags, engagement, and authenticity. And maybe a latte or two. But let’s not forget about the most important element of all – the real you, your charm, your authenticity. 

Growing your profile is not an overnight success. It takes time, patience, and maybe a little bit of luck. But if you stay true to yourself, post quality content, and engage with your followers, you’ll be well on your way to Instagram stardom in no time. So, grab your camera, your latte, and your cute puppy (or just a picture of one), and let’s make 2023 the year of the gram!

Get your phones out, put on your thinking caps, and start sharing some awesome content with the world. Lastly, if all else fails, upload an image of a bowtied llama and declare victory. If you take my word for it, it will always be effective!

The post 8 Proven Ways How To Grow Your Instagram Account in 2023 appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

What is the good and bad news? 

Hm. There is only one thing standing in your way—the one thing you need. 

A thought-out strategy to help you achieve your goals.

I’ve broken down the best Instagram tips for art accounts, from finding a niche to hashtag research and, of course, using video content to your advantage. So what should you do to bring your higher engagement back to life and boost your profile so it starts growing again? That’s what we’re going to talk about!

What exactly are we going to discuss today?

Audit Your Instagram BIO

Is your BIO stating who your ideal follower is?

Is it attracting new potential followers and making them click that “follow” button?

Does it include your mission and the purpose of your profile?

Does it say who you are?

When you decide on your art niche, a polished bio description will help you stand out from the crowd. You’re not another “artist” trying to make it big. You’re “that oil color painter” or “that Etsy talented girl selling handmade shirts”.

Use Instagram SEO

I’m completely serious – it’s time to flex your search engine optimization muscles to make growth possible.

With Instagram’s recent algorithm upgrades, now is the perfect time for those wanting to update their ‘Gram Hashtag strategy. Using the right, niche combination of hashtags in your posts (and Reels) will definitely expose your content to a large and targeted audience. Your chances of attracting new people interested in what you have to offer, and increasing engagement are vastly increased by the use of the RIGHT hashtags.

Protip: When you use hashtags that have nothing to do with your content, IT’S THE WORST. Someone is searching that hashtag to look up specific inspiration, and it’s a massive letdown when they tap on something and it’s about speeding up your metabolism instead of traveling to Italy. Don’t do that.

How to find the most relevant niche hashtags for your posts?

There are two smart options (actually, the second one is smarter and will save your time, but hey, NO SPOILERS).

1. Investigate the Instagram explore page. Search for a hashtag related to your niche and tap on “top” results. Investigate the results and make notes of the hashtags each post is using.
2. The option above is “a basic one”. It’s good, but it includes some guesswork because you don’t really know what hashtag volume is right for you, and which of the hashtags you look at are trending, and have the highest potential to boost your growth. That’s why the second option is much smarter – doing it with a hashtag research tool.

Actually, I won’t recommend a tool that’s dedicated to hashtag research, because I know investing in 5 tools can seem overwhelming. Or, let’s be real: it is overwhelming.

Fortunately, you can find all-in-one tools on the market, that have all the features included, and you don’t need a separate tool for hashtag research, a different tool for in-depth analytics (more complex and detailed than the one you have in the Instagram-in-app analytics), Reels Metrics, and your audience analysis.

The tool I’m using is IQ Hashtags – I love it, as I get access to a variety of helpful insights and resources, so that I can create compelling Instagram content that increases my engagement, and my organic reach.

Collaborate With Other Creators With the Similar Target Audience.

It’s cliche Instagram advice in a nutshell, huh, amirite? But as eye-roll-inducing as it is, there is – believe me! – a kernel of bigger truth to it.

A really great strategy for attracting your niche-specific followers is to approach another art biz and offer them a barter/an exchange. The rule is simple: you’ll post something of theirs, and – woohoo – they’ll post something of yours

If each of you includes in the caption the reasons why your followers should follow the other, you are effectively sharing (and swapping!) the most valuable audiences.

This is a hugely beneficial networking opportunity and a great way to learn from others in your chosen niche.

Protip? Make sure the accounts you approach have a similar amount of followers.

To Wrap-Up!

That’s a wrap! If you’re an aspiring creator or biz owner looking to take Instagram seriously in 2023, do check out our other articles             

P.S. What Instagram improvement will you make to your profile this month? 

The post Small Art Account – Why Your Instagram Profile Isn’t Growing appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Is there?

In my personal opinion, the only shortcut that works is to take part in some kind of reality show/entertaining show to gain extremely big exposure in a short time. Or make friends with Kim Kardashian.

And that’s where the most effective possibilities end.

Just kidding! The topic is much more complex, so today, we’ll discuss one of the most popular shortcuts people think there is – buying fake followers. Of course, every Instagram creator and biz owner wants to be the next Gary Vee — but hey, would you buy your way to get there? Is it worth it? Let’s investigate!

Is it illegal to buy Instagram followers?

Will buying Instagram followers get you into legal trouble?

Most probably – no.

Can you pay for Instagram followers legally? Yup. It’s completely legal to buy Instagram followers; there are no laws in any country I know that say you can’t buy Instagram followers.

However – and that’s the first red flag we’ll discuss – buying followers is against Instagram’s community guidelines.

Can Instagram ban you for buying fake followers? 

Yes and no. Instagram won’t ban you for buying fake followers, but you may face really serious penalties. If Instagram detects a lot of questionable activity on your account, your account could be suspended or removed, so the risk is really high.

How can you spot Instagram influencers and businesses that buy fake followers?

“It’s depressing, and you feel like you don’t want to live on this planet anymore. You think these beautiful influencers are famous and trending because they work for it until you realize that it’s all bought and fake”

That’s one of the confessions I’ve read on the quite popular marketing forum.

A lot of content creators buy followers to try and game the Instagram journey and the collabs they might be getting at the expense of the community’s trust. But is there any justification for the loathed but widespread practice? Is it even beneficial for Instagram entrepreneurs?

I think it’s a question we need to answer individually.

Dale Janee, an LA-based blogger, confessed that she and her friends felt enormous pressure to have followings as large as those of the huge influencers and Instagram coaches who earn millions of dollars each year from their profiles and all the sponsorships and collabs they run. 

“I think I can understand the urge to purchase followers, particularly for new, aspiring creators. Everyone has considered it at some time during their lives “Janee stated. “There’s a lot of pressure to obtain as many followers as possible and make your posts seem flawless. To get that engagement. I went back and forth until I looked at the original creators who have been growing their ‘Gram profiles for years, such as Cupcakes and Cashmere or the famous Atlantic Pacific, and you instantly know they are honest and authentic. There’s a certain kind of admiration that comes with letting your Instagram profile grow organically. Plus, if others find out, you would lose all credibility, which is not worth it.“

How to spot influencers or businesses that are guilty of buying fake followers?

There is a wide range of websites that will analyze your profile (some of them are free) for fake followers and fake engagement. This is especially useful for brand deals, and actually, we constantly double-check influencer metrics to ensure that they aren’t overestimated.

How do you gain real Instagram followers organically?

I know the temptation grows stronger when you consider how simple it is to buy followers (with just a few clicks!) and how little it costs.

Putting ethics aside, buying Instagram followers raises the question that every Instagram user seems to have: Do numbers really matter? Should we care about vanity metrics?

The follower count itself isn’t what matters the most—your engagement matters.

Trust me, you can achieve success on Instagram more fairly.

Here’s what you can do to speed the process up (but organically, of course!)

1. Instead of wasting money and buying fake followers, invest in a good Instagram analytics and hashtag research tool. If you’re looking for a way to improve your Instagram strategy and take your ‘Gram to new heights by analyzing your audience and tracking your growth, I’d say tools like IQ Hashtags are the way to go. With IQ, you’ll get access to various helpful resources and in-depth metrics so that you can level up your Instagram strategy and increase your engagement – ORGANICALLY. I can’t stress this enough, haha.

2. Attract your target audience with targeted hashtags. By using relevant hashtags that are niched-down, you can reach people who are genuinely interested in your content and willing to engage with it – and that’s the goal, right? Hashtag research tool (IQ Hashtags also included this feature, so you don’t have to invest in 10 tools, you can actually invest in all in one), displays analytics and insights into the hashtags you’ve picked to complement your posts. It also provides a list of trending hashtags to help you gain more traction.

3. Cross-promote and attract traffic from other profiles similar to yours. Collabs with other creators are a good thing, and shh, I will elaborate on that in the upcoming guide!

The bottom line  

Buying Instagram followers is never a wise practice. Instagram has tools to detect fake follower growth and can even restrict your account if you are caught! I’ve heard many real-life stories like this. It’s just not worth it – let’s focus on organic growth!

The post Does Buying Instagram Followers Really Work? appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Even a tiny delay could cause the entire transition to loop!

That’s where Instagram Reels templates come in handy. You will save a lot of time and effort because you will no longer have to manually alter clip lengths to make them match with the audio you wish to use. Instead, you can simply select the photos or videos you wish to include, and the template will display them for the period you specify. It also eliminates the need to switch to another program to create a new Reel because you can do it completely within Instagram! Let’s dive in!

What will we discuss today?

What Exactly Are Instagram Reel Templates?   

Spoiler alert: With them, you don’t have to settle for generic templates and time-consuming content creation.

Instagram Reel templates are elements, premade assets, that have already been created by other Instagrammers. You can use them to add your own content to pre-existing templates. Because the templates include predefined frames, timestamps, and sounds, this makes it much easier to generate content for Instagram. In other words, all you have to do is enter your own material, and it will be automatically sized to fit the template.  They make it simple and quick to create Instagram Reels!

How do I create a reel using a template on Instagram?

How to Use Instagram Reel Templates to Maximize Benefits

It is quite simple to use these templates. Click on the Plus icon in the upper right-hand corner of your app to access them.

Then, click Reel and swipe to the right to access the Template menu.

The following step is to select the template you want to utilize. After that, you must replace the parts that make up the template’s content with your own photographs or videos.

When you’re finished, click Next.

Before you post your Reel, you may alter or adjust any element, as well as add filters, effects, or text to make it more unique and personal! Then, simply click Next to enter a title and select a photo or cover image.

Your Reel is now complete and ready to be shared!

How to Create Reels with Instagram Reels Templates in 2023

Can You Create Your Own Reels Templates for Others?

Sure thing, and needless to say – it’s a really smart idea.

It is also quite simple to create your own  templates for Reels. However, it is critical that the template be made within the Instagram program itself so that it may be shared with other users. Here’s how to go about it: 

1. Click on Reel after clicking on the Plus in the upper right corner. 
2. Choose the photos, videos, and music that best suit your needs. 
3. Make as many changes as you need to till you get the desired result. 
4. “Next” should be clicked. 
5. Select a title and a cover for your Reel. 
6. Voila! Publish and distribute it. 

Other users will be able to take the Reel as a template and recreate it as soon as it is uploaded. This means that the more unique and appealing it is, the more people will use it in their video marketing approach.

How to Find the Best Instagram Reels Templates

When viewing a Reel, check for the “use template” button in the bottom left, above their username. Select that button if that is the template you wish to use! If you don’t see the template choice, consider skimming over the audio to see if someone has already made it a template.

You’ll be able to replace clips for your own Reel on the next screen.

You can choose films from your camera roll (or photos if you wish!). When you’ve finished adding all of your footage, click the white arrow in the upper right corner. The Reel will then be generated using your material.

After that, you’ll be able to see a preview of your Reel!

If you wish to change the timing of your image or video, pick it and drag the white box around. This is more necessary for videos to pick which small clip will appear in the Reel, but it’s still useful to know! When you’re finished, click “next,” and your Reel will be ready to go.

How to Find and Use Instagram Reels Templates

Make Friends With Reels Analytics

That’s really important: If you use Instagram and create Reels for business, you should be familiar with analytics. Whether you intend to make money directly from your Instagram content or merely use it as a marketing platform, you must understand what works and what does not. 

Which Reels does your community enjoy the most?

What do I suggest? Personally, I always advise my social media clients to invest in Instagram analytics tools (or if you prefer to have only one tool that will do everything for you – there are options too, like legendary IQ Hashtags for example).

All of this can help you refine your content strategy over time so that you can generate Reels that keep your Instagram community watching. 

Analyse your Reels performance

To Wrap-Up!

So, what are you holding out for? Smart Instagram Reels Templates can let you create Instagram Reels faster and better than ever before. Remember that with great power comes great responsibility, so don’t go crazy and make all of your reels look the same; instead, be creative and put your unique touch on them. Have fun REELING!

The post How to Create Instagram Reels Quicker with Smart Instagram Reels Templates appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

One of the best features of Instagram is the ability to establish a virtual portfolio that anyone, anywhere in the globe, can access. It allows you to display and share your work in an easy-to-view and share format. Not only that, but it also allows you to create a community of others who share your interests and can provide essential feedback and support.

But it’s not simply about uploading photos and hoping for likes. You must be strategic in your approach. Use relevant hashtags, interact with your fans, and post at the appropriate moment, and… Many other best practices which we’re going to discuss in today’s guide! Are you ready to dive in?

I know you enjoy shooting photos, but let’s be honest: advertising ourselves on social media can be a real pain in the lens! But don’t worry, I’m here to assist you. Here are seven practical strategies to help you get the most out of Instagram in 2023.

What will we talk about?

Make a theme for yourself and stick to it.

Your Instagram account should reflect your photographic aesthetic and style. Consistency is essential, so pick a color scheme and adhere to it. And if you’re feeling a bit lazy, there are numerous apps that can assist you (I’ll discuss them in one of the upcoming guides).

Grow Your Photography Instagram to 20K

Use hashtags, but do so with caution.

Hashtags are a terrific method to get your photos seen by a wider audience, but they need to be picked consciously. Stick to relevant hashtags and strive to include niche-specific hashtags. Please don’t use the same hashtags for every picture, for the love of everything that is holy. You can always research new ones for your niche with hashtag research tool – IQ Hashtags has this feature included as well. 

How to Increase Instagram Followers for Photographers

Engage with your audience.

Because Instagram is a social media medium, don’t be scared to engage with your followers. Respond to comments, answer questions, and hold discussions. This can help you connect with your community more deeply and keep them coming back for more!

Join forces with other photographers.

Instagram is a fantastic platform for connecting with other photographers and working on projects together. This will not only help you expand your network, but it will also give you some fantastic opportunities.

Post at the appropriate moment.

On Instagram, timing is everything. Posting at the proper moment can have a significant impact on the engagement of your content. Find out when your followers are most active on Instagram and schedule your posts accordingly.

Is there a best time to post on Instagram for photography accounts?

Purchase a high-quality camera and editing software.

Instagram is all about aesthetics, so make sure your photos are of great quality. An excellent camera and editing software will assist you in creating professional-looking photographs that will make followers salivate.

Have some fun with it!

Remember, Instagram is a place to share your work, but it’s also a place to have fun. Take things lightly and don’t be afraid to be inventive. Post behind-the-scenes photos, create amusing Instagram stories, and have fun with it.

Make analytics your best friend

You may be asking why you should bother tracking your Instagram post metrics. I mean, isn’t it sufficient to simply publish a picture and hope for the best? So, my buddy, checking your analytics is like having a crystal ball into the minds of your followers. It can provide you with useful information about what type of content they want to see and when they want to see it. Furthermore, it’s an excellent tool to assess the efficiency of your marketing plan, particularly if you’re a small business or influencer.

There are other apps and tools available to assist you with tracking your Instagram stats, but the one I’ve found to be the most user-friendly is IQ Hashtags. It’s quite simple to use and has a fantastic feature thanks to which you can see how your content performs over time.

But here’s the thing: analytics tracking doesn’t have to be all about statistics and data. Instead, use it to increase your engagement and connect with your audience more deeply. After all, Instagram is a social medium where relationships are formed. So go ahead, track your stats, and use that knowledge to develop material that your following will appreciate.
This way you can make adjustments to your strategy and continue to grow your presence.

How to Grow Your Photography Brand on Instagram

To Wrap-Up!

You already know it, but I can’t stress this enough: Instagram may be a great way for photographers to market themselves and their work. You may enhance your visibility and interact with potential clients by following these recommendations and being strategic in your approach. So go ahead and photograph and Instagram away!

The post 7 Actionable Instagram Hacks for Photographers (2023 Guide) appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Instagram has changed a lot in the past couple of months, and it’s getting more and more challenging to grow on the platform. Gone are the days when you could pop in twice a week, share your fancy selfie, and effortlessly attract new, engaged followers. Now we have to work MUCH HARDER for our ‘Gram traffic! If you want to learn more about how to grow your account this year, good news – head over to this comprehensive guide I’ve prepared lately. 

Alright, now that you have a thousand and one tabs open, let’s discuss researching trending sounds for your reels, so you can see REAL benefits from creating them much quicker. So if you want to grow, whether you’re just starting, have a massive community, or you stopped posting regularly, and you’re trying to bring your profile back to life, yup, YOU CAN DO IT WITH REELS.  

One of the most fun parts of using Instagram Reels is creating creative videos using trending music and sounds. But hey, how do people find them? Let’s solve this mystery. Today, we will discuss how to find which sounds are trending on Instagram Reels, so you can use them right away in your posts! So let’s jump right in, shall we?!

Is It Really Worth It to Use Trendings Sounds? 

I will probably repeat myself, I know, I know, but it’s so important – as an aspiring creator, every post that you create needs to be well thought out. And yes, reels need to be treated the same. Creating them can be fun, but you don’t want to post them just for the sake of posting, right? Our goal is to make people stay.

Make your potential followers stay, and be interested in what you have to say and offer.

When you’re analyzing what kind of Reels you should create, pop over to Instagram and see what other creators from your niche are doing. Doing so will help you find the sweet spot – concepts for Reels that are fun and beneficial at the same time.

If you’ve been following the DP blog for a long time, you can actually tell that sometimes I’m against trends. Why? I believe we don’t need empty views, and a vast reach that doesn’t convert. What about trendings Reels sounds, you may want to ask?! Here I go with the answer. I’ve been testing out using trending sounds on Reels, and so far, I’ve noticed more than a few benefits, so I decided to share them with you. There’s a method in this madness! 

• They can help your Reels go viral. Using trending music and trending sounds is one of the most effective ways to gain traction on your new Reels on the ‘Gram. According to my friends’ and my clients’ experiences, content that is eye-catching and has a good hook will likely gain popularity in the given sound’ Explore Tab. 
• They reduce the risk of your reels going unnoticed. The worst feeling ever: spend 3-4 hours polishing your Reel, and then have like 3 views. When we use trending sounds, we’re less likely to end up like this! Why? People browsing through the posts with the sounds you’ve used will watch your Reel, resulting in a higher number of views.

Is It Better to Use Trending Music or Your Original Sounds?

One of my duties as someone who teaches other people Instagram growth and practical marketing tactics is to test out different ways of doing everything and try different strategies to analyze what works best. Yup, that’s what I do off-duty as well, haha. 

I used my new account for the experiment. When I posted a new Reel twice a week, every time with the trending sound as a background, or the central theme of my Reel, the engagement went up. Woah! Using regular sounds, I get about 30-40 likes. When I use trending sounds, my posts get between 50-200 likes and way, WAY more reach. So I would say – the trending sound research clearly pays off.

Nevertheless, some time ago, Adam Mosseri admitted that the tendencies for Reels are changing, and he encourages us to use our original sounds, as they may become the next big thing more easily. It was a loud update.

So should we all stop creating Reels with existing trending music and try to come up with our original sounds? Definitely not. Trending sounds are still an excellent method to grow. I think the best solution is to use both options – use some trending sounds and then create your own audio, to make people more familiar with your voice.

Actually, the key to successful Reels is that you need to remember who you’re trying to attract – and keep your target audience in mind all the time! If you’re a fitness coach trying to sell new diet plans, you shouldn’t make a Reel about “how to become a fitness coach” with a trending sound, because only other aspiring fitness coaches would get that. What to do instead? Get into the mind of your ideal client, and try to come up with something that most likely resonates with them. With trending sounds, or with your own audio  from time to time – it’s up to you.

What Are Trending Sounds? How Do You Know if a Sound Is Trending? 

Back to the trending sounds! Before we get to the nitty-gritty: a quick explainer what a trending sound really is. Instagram music and sounds section rely on sounds uploaded by all the users and artists. These are often remixes, samples, mash-ups of popular songs, or lines from famous TV series and reality shows.

Trending sound leads to many people re-creating the first Reel with this given sound. It’s like the snowball effect. People hear the song or voiceover and feel the urge to use it too. I couldn’t find the official insight on how many reusing an audio should have to be considered “trending”, but I believe it’s more about the speed, than the actual number.

Can You Search Reel Trending Sounds on Instagram? How to Find Current Trends?

If you are like me, finding a way to do something more quickly and efficiently is always welcome! So let’s go, here’s the list of my methods to find the best trending sounds for your Reels. 

Browse through hashtags like #reelstrending or #trendingsounds. The first good way to find trending sounds you can use on YOUR Instagram Reels is to actually look for them using these two hashtags. Many creators share their discoveries, so it’s a great source of inspiration. 

Observe what’s happening on Tiktok. In my experience using and analyzing Tiktok’s tendencies helps you a lot. Why? Many sounds that are showing up and trending on Tiktok, become popular on Instagram within a few days. Tiktok leads the way – whether Adam Mosseri wants it or not! To be ahead of the research game, analyze “trending sounds” on Tiktok (there’s a discovery page!), or follow Instagram creators who break new trends and share their TikTok discoveries. 

Follow your competitors. Scroll your feed! Checking out competitors’ profiles is very often the most practical way to find trending music that is a good fit for your niche. If you find a concept you like, save it without hesitation!

Visit Trending-Sounds website – we totally love this platform as it allows us to keep up with all the new trending audios. Plus, it’s the most trust-worthy source we’ve found – it’s updated regularly and it’s such a huge help to save time during the Reels songs research. 

Bonus tip: if you’re scrolling through your Explore Page and the same sound comes up four times – it’s a clear sign, it’s probably trending! 

Instagram weekly insights. Take advice from Instagram itself. They release a report with trending sounds EVERY WEEK! Every report includes a roundup of the trending content from the past week: sounds, music, effects, hashtags, and challenges. These reports sometimes also highlight a creator’s account.

Search trending sounds manually. Look at your ‘Explore Page‘. It can become your gold mine. Instagram shows you content based on your previous activity on the app – the Reels that pop up here are very often created by the leading creators, who have already done trending music research for this week!

I hope these tips help you research new trending audios! Let me know how they work on your own Instagram profile  

The post How to Find Trending Sounds for Your Reels? appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Driving traffic to your website or any other URL you want people to go to from your Instagram profile, could not get any easier. As you all know, the swipe up option is long gone and has been replaced with Stories link stickers some time ago. Instagram stickers became available for all Instagram users, not just those with 10k followers or verified accounts. Do you know how to make the most out of the feature we’ve all been longing for in the past? 

Read today’s Instagram lesson to learn how to use link stickers to your advantage and successfully guide your audience to any destination you want them to reach. Ready to go? Let’s dive in!

Does Everyone Have the Link Sticker on Instagram?

Yes. The introduction of Instagram link stickers allowed everyone on the platform to share links with their audience in Stories. It’s no surprise that many businesses and creators who didn’t have access to a swipe up feature before the update, thought that they are missing out big time. A clickable link in bio was always the option and still can be effectively used to drive traffic to a chosen URL, but right now things got way more convenient and can hugely improve your click-through rates.

Instagram stories have alway been a fun and easy way to engage with your audience, and it is no different with link stickers. The process is simple, when people tap on the sticker in your story they get redirected to the linked website. Things couldn’t get any better, right? 

Well… actually they can. You also get access to analytics that show you how many people clicked on the link in your story so you can easily track your performance.

How Can You Make Good Use of Link Stickers?

As a business owner or aspiring content creator, you know how important it is to get your brand, service or a product out there and make it shine in front of people who might be interested in your offer. Keep reading to see my list of effective ways to use them in your stories  

Promote Your Brand, Service or a Product With Link Stickers

Now you get more than your link in bio to drive more traffic to your product website, without overselling it in your feed posts. Use your stories to showcase your product in the most visually appealing way, share some interesting facts about it and help your audience to quickly find it through the provided link.

Influence Like Never Before

According to Digital Marketing Institute 49 % of consumers depend on Influencer Recommendations. Your audience wants to know what cosmetics you use, where’s your new cosy jumper from or what’s your favourite vegan restaurant in New York City. If they are confident about your recommendation, they are more likely to make a purchase or visit a place. With link stickers you can easily lead your audience to the websites of your favourite brands or products.

Get Your Audience to Join an Event

Here’s another effective way to use a link sticker in your stories. Do you want more people to join your online course or any kind of event you’re hosting? Recording a video story where you invite people to your event, or a fun graphic with a link sticker that allows your audience to join in, will be a fantastic way to get more people on board. You can use the link to guide your followers to the event page or a sign up form they need to fill out to get involved.

Share Your New Blog Posts

Link stickers are also a great way to get as many eyes as you can on your fresh piece of content. Just like in this example, create a preview for your audience with appealing graphics and text that will ignite their curiosity and encourage them to click on the link and read your new blog post or an article you want them to see.

Promote Your New Youtube Video, Podcast, New Song

Have you just released a new YouTube video, a podcast or your new song just hit Spotify? There’s no easier way to increase views and listeners count by sharing a link on your Instagram Story. Instagram link stickers are a great way to cross-promote your content from other platforms. 

Get People to Sign Up to Your Newsletter

Are you growing a mailing list? A link sticker can help with that too. Leverage Stories to get more people to subscribe to your newsletter. Share a sneak peak of the valuable content your community receives from you every week or every fortnight, and add a link to a sign up form to make it super easy for everyone to sign up.

Raise Awareness About Your Latest Promotions

Instagram Stories are a fantastic place to share seasonal promotions or any discounts you’re currently offering to your customers. A huge 50% off graphic might not look amazing in your feed, but Stories are a way more forgiving format that disappears after 24 hours. Try to grab your customers’ attention with a time-limited offer and drive more sales with the use of link stickers.

I’ve given you at least 7 effective ways to use a link sticker in your Stories and if I’ve missed out on any other great idea, make sure you share it with me in the comments below.  Now let’s talk about more technical stuff and see how you can maximize the potential of your Stories to get your viewers to actually tap on your link.

Link Stickers Best Practices

Let’s cover the most important elements of your story that should help you drive more clicks. 

Don’t Overlook The Power Of a Good CTA

Drive people to your link with a strong CTA.

The first one in line is of course your Call to Action known as CTA. You might be tired of hearing about it, but it is what it is. CTA is a real engagement booster. The same goes to your Stories. If you really want people to click on the link you share in your Story make sure to let them know that this is the action you want them to take. Instagram users get flooded with content every single day so you shouldn’t be surprised that  sometimes they might need a few directions from you.

Make it short, clear and as visually appealing as it can be. Here’s a great example from the Skinnytaste profile. Great quality photo that makes you drool over the screen with a simple „tap for the recipe” CTA, and an arrow pointing at it can be all you need to encourage people to click on the link.

Make Your Link Sticker Visible

The point number 1 leads us to another important generator of link clicks which is a bit more visual. Make sure to place your link sticker in a focal point of your story that grabs all the attention. Combined with a short and straight to the point message with a good call to action, your link will be way more discoverable for your audience.

Show Your Face 

There’s no better way to sell your service, product, invite people to sign up to your newsletter or join your online event, than showing up in your Stories. You, talking to your audience is an immediate trust builder. It is a more personal and effective way to engage with your followers, so the next time you want to share a link with them, be the one who gives them the reason to click on it.

Draw Extra Attention

Here comes a fun part of optimising your link stickers – use graphic elements to draw extra attention to your link. Play around with the available stickers, use animated arrows or text to make it pop and impossible to miss. 

Create an Integrated Visual Experience For Your Audience

Make sure that your Stories match the aesthetic of your brand. While Instagram doesn’t allow you to personalise your link stickers yet, create custom covers that go with your brand colours. They’ll look more appealing for the viewers.

With all the tips I’ve shared with you today, using link stickers to drive more traffic to your website or any other URL you want people to go to from your Instagram profile, should be a much easier goal to achieve. Make sure to track your click-through rate to see what works best for your account and let us know in the comments below how do you take advantage of link stickers – I’d love to know! 

The post How to Use Instagram Link Sticker For Your Business, and Get More Website Clicks appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

Has music stickers become available in your country just now, you’re really excited about it but not sure how to start? That’s what I’m here for! Music is a powerful tool to build community so let’s learn how to use it in your stories together. Allright! Let’s learn how to add music to instagram stories today!

Instagram Music Isn’t Available in Your Region

„Instagram music isn’t available in your region” can be the most annoying message you can come across while watching your favourite creator’s content. 

Some of you have never had this problem before, but you can imagine how bad the experience was or is for everyone who only sees moving images with no sound on them. 

Let me make this very clear – it’s just not great and I’m sure many of you can share your experience in the comments below. Unfortunately, a lot of you will still need to wait for this exciting feature to roll out in your region, but this month the list of the countries with access to music stickers has expanded, and that’s incredibly exciting news for so many Instagram users!

Some of the countries where the music sticker has been available for quite a while now are: US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Sweden or Canada.

That’s millions of Instagram users that can now enjoy this amazing feature, fully appreciate content from their favourite creators and show off their personalities! 

This is also a sign that hopefully soon Instagram will be able to get the music license for other regions that can’t use this feature right now so… let’s keep our fingers crossed.  But right now, you’re here to create your first Instagram story with music so let’s get into it…

How to Put Music on Instagram Story 

First things first, go to your stories and decide if you’d like to add music to an image or a video from your camera roll, or create a brand new one from scratch like a boomerang, some text graphic or record something that you want to share right now. 

Once that’s done, tap the stickers button at the top of the screen and select the music sticker.

You’ll be taken to the Instagram music library, where you’ll find a lot of great songs. You can scroll through the „For you” tab with suggested songs or browse through the different genres and themes to find your perfect tune. If you have a specific song in your mind, use the search bar at the top of the screen to find an artist or a song you like. 

Once the song appears in your search results you can also tap the play icon to hear a short clip and make sure this is what you’re looking for. 

Got it?! That’s great. Now tap on the song you want to include.

How to Add Music to Instagram Story With Lyrics?

Select a specific part of the song you want to appear in your story and adjust the length of your clip if necessary.  Clips can be up to 15s long so decide how long you want your story to be.

You can also tap and hold the screen to find the part of the lyrics you want to use.

Short, single taps on the screen or the small round text icons allow you to change the style of the lyrics. If you’re feeling a bit creative, you can also change the colour of the text to make it stand out more.

If you don’t fancy having lyrics on the screen you can completely replace them with the name of the song and an album cover which also looks quite neat. 

When you’re happy with all the adjustments done in the top right corner and there you go. Your song goes live! You can move the lyrics around, rotate or resize them like you would with any other sticker. And all you’ve got to do now is to play with the final look of your story. Make it pop with some special effects and voila – your first music story is done.

Remember to be creative with music stickers. Test different ideas, use it as part of storytelling and remember it is a fun way to engage with your community so take advantage of it.

I hope this step-by-step guide made it easy for you to add an Instagram music sticker to your Stories. Also don’t forget to stay tuned for more Instagram tutorials, news and & trends!

The post How Do You Add Music to Instagram Stories? appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.

How to hide likes on Instagram? Are likes just a vanity metric you shouldn’t pay attention to or maybe one of the factors brands and agencies use before they decide to collaborate with any creator? Should you hide Instagram likes or allow them to scream at anyone who visits your profile? Stick around to find out  how to quickly hide likes for yourself or for others and check out our list of pros and cons of hiding likes that should answer all of these questions.

If You Hide Likes on Instagram, Can Others See It?

The first thing to say here, is that there are two options when it comes to hiding likes and views count.

You can hide them on  Instagram posts, and that works for regular feed posts – you can only scroll through the accounts that liked the video but numbers are invisible. 

However, you’ll still be able to see likes and views for Reels.

What can I say… We’re a bit inconsistent, Instagram, aren’t we?

Can You Hide Like Count On Reels?

With Reels, the preview for the likes count looks the same as for feed posts, but when you actually click on it, you’ll still see how many times the video has been played and how many likes it has. 

So whoever can explain why Reels are an exception from this rule, you’re welcome to share this info with us in the comments below. We can’t come up with anything better than just, Reels are a popular format on Instagram atm, and they want to create some kind of FOMO in people by tempting them with numbers, or…The numbers are supposed to be an indicator of what’s trending on the platform… But these arguments still don’t seem like a good enough reason for me.  Personally, I just think that if some people don’t need or want to see likes, just give them that option on everything. That’s all.

On the other hand, you can hide likes on your own posts from other people, and of course you can also use both solutions at the same time.  In this case, people won’t see likes or views count for your regular feed posts (so any images including carousels, videos up to 60s, of course with the exception of Reels).

Should I Hide Likes?

Initially, the reason why Instagram decided to roll out this feature is as they said themselves, to give people more control over their experience on the platform. They wanted to depressurize Instagram, make it less of a competition, give people more space to focus on connecting with people that they love and things that inspire them, which was a very noble thing to do. However, after a while of testing the feature they’ve decided to make it optional since it ended up being polarizing for the community, as said by the Big Instagram Boss Adam Mosseri.

This doesn’t change the fact that you might still want to hide likes for your posts and find it beneficial, so let me show you how to do it right now!

How to Hide Instagram Likes – Guide

1. Let’s go with the option numero uno: turn off likes on others Instagram posts, so you won’t see them yourself.

First, go onto your Instagram profile. From there, select the hamburger menu in the top right corner of the screen.

Go to ‚‘Settings’. click on privacy and then the posts icon.  Right at the top of the screen you’ll see the  ‘Hide like and view counts‘ option. Switch it on and you’re done. Now you can’t see likes or views on other people’s posts.

2. If you’d like to hide likes and views on your own posts from the people who visit your profile you have two ways to do it:

You can do it at the stage of creating a post:

Upload a photo or video, add a caption and hashtags, all the usual stuff. Once you’re done with your post tap Advanced Settings at the bottom of the screen

and toggle on Hide Like and View Counts.

And that’s it, return to your post and publish it. Everything that people can see in your post from now on,  are profiles that liked it without any numbers attached.

3. If you’d like to hide likes on the existing posts. The process is really straightforward as well.

Go to the post you want to hide likes for. Click on the three dots menu in the top right corner and hit „Hide like Count”. Also, if you don’t fancy people commenting on your post. You can switch that option off here as well.

The only thing you need to remember about, is that you will have to repeat this process for every post you publish as there is no way to make this the default option.

Another step checked off the list, so now’s a good time to decide if it’s a good idea for you to hide the number of likes and views in your posts.

Is It Better to Hide Your Likes on Instagram?

Here’s when we think you could consider ditching likes count from your posts:

1. First, let’s follow up on the origin of the idea for hiding likes.

The feature was supposed to empower people, and shape a more positive experience on Instagram, so If you feel anxious about these numbers. You’re nervously checking your phone for notifications after you post anything, or even worse start judging your own worth based on how you measure up against other people who appear to be doing better or worse than you do on Instagram – in these scenarios hiding likes look like a good first step to building a healthier relationship with the platform.

We’re not psychologists or therapists, so this is of course not professional advice but we do believe that small steps always lead to bigger ones and we hope this can be one of them for you. 

2.  If the only thing holding you back from hiding likes is a concern that this will affect your stats, you should also not be worried. The algorithm won’t get upset with you about it. You’ll still be able to access your posts’ insights. Which is even better if you think about it, because you’ll be looking at the overall performance of your post. Not focusing only on how many likes it got.

3.  Another reason why you could try hiding your like count is when it becomes a vanity metric. What we mean by that is when the number of followers, likes or shares  on your posts become more important than your objectives as a creator or a business owner. Your Instagram objectives should go hand in hand with your business goals. Whether it is building a mailing list, raising your brand awareness or finding brands to collaborate with, your likes count isn’t the only metric you should be relying on to achieve these goals.

Cons of Hiding Likes on Instagram

1. Instagram has been testing the feature since 2019, which translates to a lot of feedback from Instagram users. The big Instagram Boss, Adam Mosseri, brought to light that ‘For those who liked it, the feature worked just the way they wanted it to work. It  depressurised the experience. But for those who didn’t, they used likes to get a sense of what was trending, what was relevant on Instagram, and they weren’t so happy about not seeing likes in other creators‘ feeds. So before you hide likes on your business or creator account, the thing to remember is that very often people’s first instinct is that large numbers of likes mean quality content and eventually can attract more people to follow your profile.

2. Thankfully, these days brands looking for collaborators pay attention to other performance indicators than just likes.  They use professional tools like socialauditor to audit influencers and determine if they’re the right fit to promote their service or a product. But if they don’t use advanced tools like this one, they will most likely still pay attention to your likes count, the number of followers, your engagement in the comments and generally how your posts resonate with your audience. In which case, keeping your likes count visible can be a good idea.

Do Likes Matter on Social Media?

We feel that the more people decide to hide likes on their posts the healthier Instagram ecosystem can become by reducing the negative effects of the social comparison on the platform, and creating a safe space for our more authentic selves. Which would be a fantastic thing.

I hope that this article helped you to make a decision about hiding likes in your posts, and if you decided to go for it, we made it easier to get it done with our short tutorial 

If you enjoyed reading this post, let me know in the comments below what’s your opinion about hiding likes on Instagram? Have you already done it or maybe you’re completely against it. I’m very curious to see what you guys think about it!

The post How to Hide Instagram Likes – Short Guide + Should You Do It? appeared first on Display Purposes Blog.