Instagram serves as a hub for a diverse range of topics and interests. Some of the most popular categories on the platform include fashion, travel, fitness, food, and lifestyle. By aligning content with users' interests, brands can make meaningful connections with the platform's vast audience.
For brands in the hospitality industry, Instagram is one of the most effective social media channels. According to Instagram Insights, hotels and restaurants see the highest engagement on Instagram compared to other industries.
Posts related to food and travel gain an average of 4.21% engagement, which is higher than other industries. Instagram Stories related to food and travel see an average of 8.5% engagement.
This guide will teach you to navigate, engage, and manage your Instagram community effectively. Discover how to become a brand champion and deal with the inevitable challenges of a large online community. Get set up, master messaging, and make sense of engagement analytics.
Here’s what’s included 👇
Contents
Understanding the Instagram Community
Brand Communication
Getting Set Up
Engaging Your Community
Managing Your Community
Managing Messages
How to Handle the Bad Bits
Community Engagement Strategy
Due to the length of this guide, please read in your browser or the Substack app for the best experience.
ICYMI
Understanding the Instagram Audience
Instagram has undergone a remarkable evolution since its inception. Launched in 2010 as a simple photo-sharing app, it quickly gained traction among users for its user-friendly interface and filters that enhanced the visual appeal of photos.
Over the years, Instagram has introduced several significant updates, including the ability to post videos, stories, and live broadcasts.
The platform's algorithm has also been refined to personalise content for users, making it a powerful tool for influencers, businesses, and individuals alike. With the recent addition of features like Reels and Shopping, Instagram continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing social media landscape.
As a community manager, your goal is to create a channel that inspires and provides value to customers, encouraging their participation and fostering a loyal community.
There are over 200 million business profiles on Instagram, and 90% of Instagram users follow a business profile. Of its user base, Instagram has a reasonably balanced gender distribution. Approximately 50% of users are female, while the other 50% are male. However, it's important to note that the gender distribution may vary across different countries and regions.
When it comes to age demographics, Instagram attracts a wide range of users. The largest age group on the platform consists of users between 18 and 24 years old, accounting for a significant portion of the user base. Following closely behind are users between 25 and 34 years old, forming another substantial segment. Instagram's global audience is heavily influenced by these two age groups.
Instagram's addictive nature and engaging content have made it a go-to platform for users worldwide.
Approximately 62% of users log into their accounts at least once daily, and 42% check them multiple times daily.
On average, users spend around 30 minutes per day on the channel.
The Instagram community has developed a distinct tone characterised by positivity, creativity, and inspiration. Users often seek out content that uplifts and motivates them. Brands that can tap into this tone and provide content that resonates with their audience's aspirations and desires have the potential to foster strong connections and loyalty.
Content Consumption
To connect with your audience in a meaningful way, you need to understand who they are, what they care about, and what features of Instagram they use.
Before you get started, conduct thorough research to identify your target audience's demographics, interests, pain points, why they use Instagram, how often, and when.
Use this information to customise your content and messaging according to their needs and preferences and update your insights weekly or monthly.
Brand Communication
While customer service is essential to brand reputation, being a social media community builder and brand guardian goes beyond providing excellent customer service. It’s about proactively engaging with the audience, building relationships, and creating a positive brand experience for all stakeholders.
Your Instagram manager needs to take on the role of a Brand Guardian if they want to make an impact.
Brand Guardianship
Brand Guardians are the gatekeepers of a brand's identity. They ensure that all brand communications are consistent, aligned with its values, and connect meaningfully with the target audience.
The role of a brand guardian extends beyond just monitoring social media channels. They contribute to and implement the brand's tone of voice, visual identity, and overall brand strategy. They work closely across departments, including marketing, communications, and customer service, to ensure that every touchpoint with the audience reflects the brand's essence, and stay up-to-date with the latest customer insights.
To be an effective brand guardian, one must adopt a specific mindset. This mindset is rooted in a deep understanding and connection to the brand, its values, and its audience. A brand guardian sees themselves as a true advocate for the brand. They believe in the brand's mission, values, and unique selling proposition. They are passionate about promoting the brand and ensuring it is represented accurately and positively in all social media interactions.
Strong communication skills are vital for a brand guardian. They must articulate the brand's message clearly and effectively. They should have excellent writing skills. Managing a crisis and negative feedback on social media is essential. They should be calm under pressure and able to think strategically to mitigate potential damage to the brand's reputation. They should implement and contribute to the Brand Communication Guidelines.
Brand guardians adapt their strategies and tactics to the ever-changing nature of social media. They stay up-to-date with the latest trends, platform updates, and changes in consumer behaviour. They are agile in their approach and are quick to respond to any shifts in the social media landscape.
Brand Voice
When your teams converse with customers through phone, email or social media, they should do so using a defined brand voice.
Your brand voice should align with your brand's mission, values, and overall identity.
For example, if you are a luxury lifestyle brand, your brand voice might be sophisticated, aspirational, and knowledgeable. On the other hand, if you are a tech startup targeting millennials, your brand voice might be casual, innovative, and energetic.
It's important to establish your brand voice to create content that connects with your audience.
Authentic Communication
Being authentic means staying true to your brand's values, voice, and purpose. It means being transparent, genuine, and relatable in your interactions with your audience.
An Accenture survey in 2022 found that 63% of consumers worldwide will buy from companies whose beliefs match theirs and eschew others.
Take the time to engage in genuine conversations with your audience. Reply to comments, answer questions, and participate in discussions about your industry or niche.
Show genuine interest in your audience's opinions and feedback.
Be open and honest about your brand's practices, policies, and values. If you make a mistake, acknowledge it and take steps to rectify the situation. By demonstrating transparency and accountability, you strengthen your brand's credibility.
How to Avoid Being Inauthentic
Misleading advertising includes making false or exaggerated claims about a product or service or using images or videos that do not represent the product.
Greenwashing is when a brand claims to be environmentally friendly or sustainable, but its products or practices harm the environment. For instance, a company could falsely advertise its products as being made from recycled materials when they are made from new plastics.
Cultural Appropriation occurs when a brand uses cultural elements without understanding their significance or respecting their origin.
One example of a restaurant that faced social media backlash for cultural appropriation is Lucky Lee's in New York City. Owned by white chef Arielle Haspel, the restaurant received criticism for its descriptions of its "clean" Chinese food, which many felt demeaned Chinese cuisine and perpetuated negative stereotypes. The backlash was so intense that the restaurant's online pages on Instagram, Twitter, and Yelp were flooded with harsh comments accusing Haspel of cultural appropriation and profiting off someone else's culture.Clickbait: This is when a brand creates headlines or promotional materials designed to mislead people into clicking on them, even though the headline or promotion content is irrelevant to the product or service advertised. For example, a brand might create a headline that says, "You won't believe what happened next!" when the article's content is just a product review.
Authenticity is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment, and consumers do punish brands if they feel they are being inauthentic.
Getting Started
Just as you would take the time to prepare your venue before doors open, it's worth taking the time to prepare your business for success on Instagram.
Set Up How Others Can Interact With You
You can determine how others can interact with your content by setting up your account preferences. Doing this will ensure that your brand's guidelines are followed and that your account remains secure.
Here are some key settings to consider:
Activity
Under the "Activity" section of your Instagram settings, you can choose who can see your activity status. This feature allows others to see if you are currently active on Instagram. You can select from options like "Everyone," "People You Follow," or "Off", depending on your preferences and privacy needs.
Mentions
The "Mentions" setting allows you to control who can mention you in their Instagram posts or stories. You can choose from options like "Everyone," "People You Follow," or "No One." Think about your brand's visibility and engagement goals when determining the appropriate setting.
Allow Posts to be Used
If you want others to tag your brand or repost your content, you can enable the "Allow Posts to be Used" setting.
Allowing other users to tag or repost your content can increase your posts' engagement, broadening the audience reach. This approach can encourage user-generated content. However, there's always a risk of content being misused, misrepresented, or taken out of context, which could harm your brand image.
While this approach offers several benefits, brands should proceed with caution. Ensuring a strict monitoring process and clear guidelines for reposting can mitigate some of the risks.
Who Can Tag You
Under the "Who Can Tag You" setting, you can choose who can tag your Instagram account in photos or videos. Options include "Everyone," "People You Follow," or "No One." Consider your brand's visibility and engagement strategy when selecting the appropriate setting.
As more people “find their tribes” on Instagram, focusing on the content pillars they are interested in will be more impactful. Both from a human and algorithmic perspective. When users tag a business on Instagram, it fosters engagement and creates a sense of community around the brand. It can also encourage user-generated content, further increasing authenticity and trust.
Allowing "Everyone" to tag the account can significantly increase the brand's visibility on Instagram. It can expose the brand to a broader audience and attract potential customers.
However, there's a risk that the account may be tagged with spam or irrelevant content. While user-generated content can be beneficial, it can also backfire if customers have negative experiences to share. This could tarnish the brand's image.
Offensive Words and Phrases
The Offensive Words and Phrases feature is a security measure introduced by Instagram to filter out negative and inappropriate content in comments and direct messages. It works by automatically detecting offensive words, phrases, and emojis and hiding them from the user's view.
You can use the "Offensive Words and Phrases" setting to filter out offensive comments to maintain a positive and inclusive online environment.
Your brand voice will significantly influence the use of this feature. For example:
A luxury hotel renowned for its elegance and class would require a strict filter on offensive language to maintain a sophisticated and respectful online environment. The use of offensive words and phrases would be automatically detected and blocked to ensure that the hotel's brand image remains untarnished and that the online community feels safe and respected while interacting with the hotel's social media platforms. This approach aligns with the hotel's commitment to providing exceptional service and creating a positive guest experience.
A trendy restaurant brand with a younger demographic may adopt a more relaxed approach to offensive language filtering on social media. Understanding that its audience resonates with slang and informal expressions, the restaurant may allow harmless slang while blocking genuinely offensive language. This strategy aims to create an inclusive and engaging online community where customers can freely express themselves and connect with the brand's unique personality. By finding the right balance, the restaurant can maintain a positive and authentic brand image while fostering a sense of belonging among its customers.
Overuse of this filtering tool may limit genuine user interactions and expressions. The filter may block comments that aren't genuinely offensive but contain keywords that have been identified as such. For example, some customers may leave light-hearted or sarcastic comments that contain playful banter or jokes. Although these comments may not be intended to be offensive, they could be flagged by the filtering tool based on the presence of certain keywords. This could dampen the atmosphere and discourage users from engaging in casual and fun interactions.
Regularly updating your word list is essential to keep up with language trends and nuances. It's important to strike a balance between maintaining a positive environment and allowing authentic audience engagement.
This is particularly important when you are marketing across Generations.
For instance, negative slang that Gen Z uses includes terms like "cheugy," which describes millennials who try too hard to be trendy, "big yikes," used to express strong disapproval or shock, and "bad take", used to criticise or dismiss someone's opinion. These terms are part of Gen Z's lexicon and are commonly used to convey negativity or disagreement in informal conversations and online interactions.
Availability & Away Messages
Manage customer expectations by setting clear customer service operating hours. Instagram provides features such as availability status and away messages that can help manage these expectations effectively.
The availability status feature indicates when you are online and can respond to messages. This allows your community to know when they can expect a prompt response.
When you cannot respond immediately, send messages to inform your community that you are unavailable. Include an estimated response time or provide alternative contact methods for urgent inquiries, such as a WhatsApp number.
Quick Replies
To save time and provide efficient customer service, create quick replies. This feature allows you to create predefined responses for frequently asked questions or common enquiries. Here's how to set it up:
Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile. Tap the three dots in the top right corner to access the Settings menu.
Select "Business Settings.".
Under the Business Settings menu, select "Quick Replies" to access the auto-complete feature.
Tap the "+" icon for a new quick reply. Enter the desired response and assign it a shortcut keyword. For example, you can create a quick reply for "Thank you for your enquiry" and assign the keyword "TY" for easy access.
When replying to comments or messages, type the shortcut keyword, and the auto-complete feature will suggest the corresponding response.
Consider creating Quick Replies for
Allergies & Dietary Requirements
Cancellations
Careers
Check-in/out
Collaborations & Sponsorships
Competition Entry Received
Complaints & Suggestions
Directions & Parking
Disabled Access
Events
Feedback and Reviews
Local Guides
Menus
Media Inquiries
Opening Hours
Restaurant Reservations
Room Service Requests
Special Occasions or Offers
Spa & Wellness
Standard Greeting
Thank & Close Message
How to Get Verified on Instagram
Verification is a process where Instagram confirms that an account is the authentic presence of a public figure, celebrity, or brand. This is indicated by a small blue badge beside the account name.
Being verified on Instagram increases credibility. Given that less than 1% of accounts are verified displaying the blue badge sets the account apart, signifying authenticity and increasing trust amongst followers.
Not being verified on Instagram could potentially expose brands to risks. For instance, it may make it easier for imposter accounts to falsely represent the brand, potentially damaging the brand's reputation. Moreover, brands without verification may struggle to gain the same level of trust from the audience as their verified counterparts.
To get verified on Instagram, there are two options available.
Meta Verified Subscription
The first option is to subscribe to Meta Verified, this bundle includes the verified badge, increased account protection, access to account support and exclusive stickers. The eligibility criteria for Meta Verified include meeting minimum activity requirements, providing identification, and having two-factor authentication enabled. Users must be 18 years or older.
The subscription costs USD 11.99 if registered online and USD 14.99 if subscribed via the app. The features, availability, and pricing may differ based on location.
After submitting your Instagram profile for verification, you will receive a notification within 48 hours informing you whether your profile has been successfully verified. High submission volumes may make this process take longer.
If your verification is unsuccessful, you can attempt it again once the refund process has been completed. An automatic refund will be issued if the verification process is incomplete or pending for more than 72 hours.
Once you initiate the verification process, you cannot change your profile username, profile picture, or profile name. If you wish to update this information, you must cancel your Meta Verified subscription, make the necessary changes, and resubscribe.
Using false or misleading information during the verification process may result in the removal of your verified badge and additional actions being taken on your account.
Apply For a Verified Badge
The second option is to apply for the verified badge directly. Public figures, celebrities, and brands who meet the requirements can apply. These requirements include having an authentic, unique, and notable presence on Instagram. The account must represent a real person, registered business, or entity. It should also be complete with a public profile, bio, and profile photo and be active at the time of application.
Notability is assessed based on features in multiple news sources, and paid or sponsored media content is not considered a source for review.
If your Instagram verification request is not accepted, there are a few steps you can take:
Ensure your account meets all the minimum verification requirements.
Make sure you are following Instagram's terms of service and community guidelines. Any violations can lead to denial or removal of verification.
If your verification request is denied, you can reapply after 30 days. Take this time to improve your account by adding a bio, a profile picture, and more posts.
Seek feedback: Reach out to Instagram to inquire about the reasons for the denial. They may provide insights into what you can do to increase your chances of success in the future.
How to Set Up Social Listening on Instagram
Social listening is the process of monitoring, identifying, and analysing conversations about a campaign, product, or brand.
It helps companies gain valuable insights into customer needs and preferences, improve their products and services, understand their brand reputation, and develop effective marketing strategies.
Social listening on Instagram can be tricky as there's no built-in tool. However, it is possible by following this three-step process.
Brainstorm queries based on your business, relevant hashtags, branded hashtags and industry terms.
Research hashtags with intent words included, such as “like who, what, where, why, and how.“
For example, #WhereToEatToday #WhereToFindGoodFood #WhereToStayInStyle #HowToPlanThePerfectGetawayMonitor mentions, tags, comments, and interactions related to these queries. You should check these daily or more frequently, depending on your brand.
Assess the collected data to take appropriate action, e.g. Update FAQs, Customers who would like a Vegan option, etc.
You can also use a third-party social listening tool like Hootsuite or Sprout Social. These tools allow you to monitor mentions, hashtags, and keywords relevant to your brand.
Establish Community Guidelines and Moderation Policies
Maintaining a safe and respectful Instagram environment starts with clear and simple community guidelines and moderation policies.
As a platform, Instagram has developed user guidelines to promote a safe and respectful community for everyone. They emphasise the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. Users must not post content that promotes hate speech, harassment, or bullying. Prohibited content includes nudity, violence, and illegal activities. Violations of these guidelines can result in consequences such as content removal, account suspension, or permanent ban.
Brands may want to create additional rules, guidelines, and moderation policies to manage their Instagram account for several reasons.
User-generated content (UGC) is common on Instagram, and having rules and policies in place helps brands manage and moderate this content effectively. This ensures that only appropriate and relevant UGC is shared, maintaining the brand's desired image.
Brands need to protect themselves from potential misuse or abuse on their Instagram account. Clear guidelines can help prevent offensive, inappropriate, or spammy content from being posted, ensuring a positive and safe environment for followers.
Sometimes, brands may need to address or comment on controversial topics or events. Guidelines can provide a framework for handling such situations, ensuring that responses are thoughtful, respectful, and aligned with the brand's values.
To effectively determine your brand community rules, consider the following:
What is the purpose of your Instagram community?
What are the core values you want to promote?
What kind of behaviour do you want to encourage?
Be specific about acceptable comments or behaviour.
Ensure the rules are consistent with Instagram's Community Guidelines.
Regularly review user-generated content to ensure compliance with the brand rules.
Address violations promptly and consistently.
Provide warnings or reminders for minor infractions, allowing users a chance to rectify their behaviour.
When necessary, consider banning or blocking users who consistently violate the rules.
Engaging Your Instagram Community
Engaging personally with your audience on Instagram is essential for building trust, fostering loyalty, and nurturing long-lasting customer relationships. By responding to comments, sharing user-generated content, and initiating conversations, you signal to the platform's algorithm that your account is valuable and active, increasing visibility in user feeds and driving user interaction and engagement.
Personal engagement also allows you to collect zero-party data from your audience, which is willingly shared information like preferences, interests, and feedback. This data is invaluable for understanding your customers better and delivering personalised and relevant content or products, strengthening the customer relationship.
A strong community leads to higher user engagement, increased brand loyalty, and more conversions. It's about fostering a two-way dialogue, making followers feel valued and fostering a sense of belonging.
Respond to Comments and Messages
Whether positive, negative or constructive, responding to comments and feedback shows that you value your audience's opinions and are committed to continuous improvement.
50% of Instagram users say they would recommend a brand to their friends if they had a positive customer service experience on Instagram
To provide exceptional customer service on Instagram:
Be responsive. Respond to customer enquiries as quickly as possible.
Be personal. Address customers by name and use a friendly tone.
Be helpful. Do your best to resolve customer issues.
Be positive. Even if you can't fix a customer issue, try to end the conversation on a positive note.
Be creative. Use Instagram's features to provide customer service in a creative and engaging way by adding emojis, images and gifs where appropriate.
If the comment is positive, double down on the positive sentiment in the reply. Thank the user for their feedback or question, respond by referencing their comment, and ask an open-ended question to continue the conversation.
Dealing with Negative Comments
Negative comments can impact a brand's reputation and influence potential customers. Handling negative reviews professionally can turn them into opportunities to showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Here are some tips to turn the conversation around.
Address negative reviews in a timely manner to demonstrate your dedication to resolving issues. Acknowledge the customer's concerns and provide a personalised response.
If a negative review requires further discussion or resolution, encourage the customer to contact you privately through direct messaging or email. This allows you to address their concerns more effectively and maintain privacy.
When responding to negative reviews, offer practical solutions to address the customer's concerns. Doing this demonstrates that you value their feedback and are committed to improving their experience.
Personalisation
When responding to comments or direct messages, address your audience members by their names whenever possible. Using someone's name acknowledges their identity, validates their presence, and creates a sense of connection.
When someone uses our name in a conversation, it enhances our memory of the discussion, making it more memorable.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
Encourage your audience to share their thoughts and opinions by asking open-ended questions in your comments. Engaging in conversation not only initiates dialogue but also offers valuable insights for your brand. Comments send signals to the algorithm that can result in increased reach.
Examples include
Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world right now?
If you could have a meal with any celebrity chef, who would it be, and what would you ask them?
Are there any hidden gems you would recommend to others in your city? Why do you love them?
That's great to hear [First Name]. What was it about [our product/service] that stood out to you?
Text Translation
Instagram provides a built-in text translation feature, allowing you to translate comments and captions in different languages quickly. This feature is handy for engaging with a diverse community. Here's how to use the text translation feature:
Open the Comment or Caption: Tap on the comment or caption you want to translate.
Tap on "See Translation." If the comment or caption differs from your device's default language, you will see the option "See Translation." Tap on it to view the translated text.
Translate Multiple Comments: To translate multiple comments, tap on the three dots in the post's top right corner and select "Translate Comments."
How to Break the Ice and Start Conversations
It is important for brands to start conversations on Instagram because it allows for two-way communication with customers, fostering a sense of connection and building brand loyalty. Starting conversations on Instagram is a great way for brands to showcase their personality, be helpful, and create a superior customer experience.
What to consider
Who are you trying to reach with your Instagram conversations?
What are their interests and needs?
What do they talk about in their posts and their comments?
Where can the brand add value?
Run polls to capture zero-party data
Once you know your target audience, you can tailor your conversations to appeal to them. People come to Instagram to learn and be entertained. So, make sure your conversations are helpful and informative. Share tips, tricks, and advice your target audience will find valuable.
People want to feel like they're part of the conversation. So, ask questions, respond to comments, and use polls and quizzes to get people involved. Above all, be consistent - consistency is the key to building relationships on Instagram.
Share User-Generated Content
Sharing Posts
Instagram does not have a built-in feature to repost Grid posts. However, there are third-party Repost applications that allow users to repost photos, videos, and captions from other accounts on Instagram.
Instagram's policy is clear that reposting without permission is a violation of intellectual property rights. To repost on Instagram legally, brands and users must obtain explicit permission from the content owner.
Sharing Stories
Instagram allows you to share someone's post from their feed to your story if their account is public and they've allowed the resharing of their posts.
To repost someone's post from your feed to your story, follow these steps:
Tap on the photo or video you want to share in your feed.
Tap the option to add the post/video/reel to your story.
Add appropriate captions, tags and stickers
Finally, tap on the "Share" button.
Keep in mind that when you share someone's post to your story, anyone who views it can see who originally posted it and can also view the original account. You can disable the ability for others to reshare your posts.
Remixing Reels
Instagram Reels have become popular for creativity, collaboration, and sharing engaging content. Remixing Reels allows users to add their unique touch to existing videos.
Explore the Reels section on Instagram or visit a user's profile to find a Reel to remix.
Look for the "Remix this Reel" option, indicated by a small camera icon on the right side.
Tap the camera icon to open the Remix editor. The original Reel appears on the left, with a split-screen showing your camera on the right. Now you can begin remixing.
Use available tools to add your personal touch.
Record a video reacting to the original Reel, and add visual effects, text, or stickers. Get creative and experiment to make your remix unique and engaging.
Tap and hold the record button to start recording. Pause and resume as needed. Trim, adjust duration, and rearrange clips in the remix editor.
Audio is essential for a Reel remix. Use the original audio or add your own. Tap the audio button to choose from Instagram's library or search for a specific sound. Using Trending songs can also increase reach.
Add captions, hashtags, and tag relevant accounts for visibility.
Tap "Next" and choose to share on your Instagram feed, stories, or both.
Adjust privacy settings as desired.
Best Practices
When it comes to sharing other people's content on Instagram, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:
Select content that aligns with your brand and audience interests.
To share someone else's content, asking for their permission first is a good idea. Respecting their work helps build positive relationships within the Instagram community. This could also lead to productive collaborations.
Whenever you share content, always give credit to the original creator. You can include their username in the caption or the "Tag People" feature.
Make sure you add value to someone else's content when you share it. Provide additional context or thoughts about the content in the caption to enhance the viewer's understanding.
Leave thoughtful comments or like the original creator's posts after sharing their work. Doing so adds value to the community and encourages further collaboration.
Celebrate Diversity and Inclusivity in UGC
When you share stories, testimonials, or user-generated content highlighting your audience's diverse backgrounds and identities. Doing so creates an environment where everyone feels welcome and represented.
Geotags
Instagram's geotag feature allows users to add a specific location to their posts. This feature can help you find and connect with people in the local community, even if they’re not following you.
How To Add Geotags to Posts
When creating a post, tap on the "Add Location" option.
Search for the location you want to tag or select it from the suggested options.
Once you've added the geotag, your post will be visible to users browsing or searching for content related to that location.
You can use this feature to connect with the audience in your location, and take part in local community conversations. Use Suprise and Delight tactics - such as a free meal or complimentary coffee to drive local word-of-mouth recommendations.
To find photos by location on Instagram, you have a few options:
Use the search feature: In the Instagram app, tap on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen. Then, search for the location you want to see.
When you come across a photo with a location tag, you can tap on the location field to see more images tagged with that location, guides, plus top and recent posts.
Instagram now has a Map feature that allows you to view popular spots in your area and local Stories. You can access the map by tapping on the location tag in a post or by searching for a city's name. The map allows users to bookmark locations, share them with friends, and view posts and Stories from those locations.
Explore Feature
The Explore feature is a curated collection of content based on a user's interests. The Explore page displays posts from accounts that users might like to follow. It is an excellent way for users to explore different topics, trends, and accounts.
The page uses an algorithm that considers factors like engagement, freshness, and relevance to personalise the content shown to each user. Engaging with content in your Explore feed is a great way to expand your reach and connect with new users.
Like, comment, and follow accounts that align with your brand and target audience. This activity increases the likelihood of those users engaging with your content in return.
What Not To Do
Sharing Without Permission
Sharing protected content on Instagram without permission can lead to copyright infringement lawsuits.
Copyright-protected work can include music, photos, videos, drawings, and graphics. Reposting social media content without permission, even with credit or disclaimers, does not protect against infringement. The exception here is sharing Stories, or remixing Reels where the original content creators have agreed that Instagram users can do this.
Content that is shared without permission can have serious repercussions, especially for the person or brand being depicted. Creating a false impression or portraying them in an offensive or inappropriate manner can harm their reputation and have negative consequences.
Topics of Conversation to Avoid
Don't talk about topics that could negatively impact your Instagram following.
These topics include overly promotional content, political or religious content, irrelevant viral posts, negative or derogatory content, and posts with explicit or offensive language.
Don’t Reply Like a Bot
Users should avoid automated or robotic responses when commenting on Instagram. Bot-like comments are repetitive and lack personalisation or genuine interest in the content. Generic replies like "Nice pic!" or "Great post!" contribute little to the conversation and leave Instagram users feeling undervalued and disconnected.
Managing Your Instagram Community
Through effective community management, hospitality brands can establish a loyal and engaged following, resulting in increased awareness, customer lifetime value, and sales.
Engaged followers are more likely to share content, tag friends, and interact with the brand, creating a positive ripple effect.
Create a Favourites List
Instagram's algorithm determines the order in which posts appear on users' feeds. However, you can take control of your Instagram experience by creating a Favourites list.
This list allows you to prioritise the accounts you care about the most, ensuring their posts appear first on your feed. Use this for VIPS, Influencers and Campaign Partners.
Here's how to create a Favourites list:
Go to your Instagram profile and tap the three dots in the top right corner.
Select "Settings" and then "Account."
Tap "Favourites" and choose the accounts you want to add to your list.
Once you've added accounts to your Favourites list, their posts will be prioritised on your feed, making it easier to engage with them regularly.
Get Notifications When Your Favourite People Post
If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest posts from your favourite accounts, you can enable notifications for their posts. This way, you'll receive a notification whenever they share new content, allowing you to engage with it promptly.
Go to the profile of the account you want to receive notifications from.
Tap on the "Following" button.
In the "Notifications" section, select "Posts."
From now on, you'll receive notifications whenever that account posts new content.
This feature can also come in handy when keeping track of troublemakers and trolls.
Pinned Comments
Pinning comments on your Instagram posts is a great way to highlight significant or insightful contributions from your community members.
It allows you to showcase meaningful conversations and engage with your audience effectively. Here's how to pin comments:
Open the Post: Navigate to the post where you want to pin a comment.
Swipe Left on a Comment: Swipe left on a comment to reveal a list of options.
Tap on the Pin Icon: Tap on the pin icon to pin the selected comment to the top of the comment section.
Unpin a Comment: To unpin a comment, swipe left on the pinned comment and tap the pin icon again.
Hide, Delete, or Disable Comments and Likes on Your Posts
Managing comments and likes on your Instagram posts is essential to maintaining an active community. Here are some options to consider:
Regularly review and delete irrelevant or spam comments to keep your content clean and relevant. Hide or remove them according to your brand community guidelines. Your followers will see that you value quality interactions and engagement by doing this.
Consider turning the comment feature off if you anticipate controversial discussions or negative attention on specific posts.
Photos You Are Tagged In
Instagram users tag brands on their pictures for a number of reasons. One common reason is to enter competitions associated with the brand. Many brands run contests or giveaways on Instagram and require users to tag them in their posts to participate. By tagging the brand, users can increase their chances of winning and potentially receive prizes or rewards
Users may want to showcase that they use certain brands, especially if they are popular or high-end. By tagging the brands they use in their posts, users can create a sense of association with those brands and project a certain image or lifestyle.
However,, some users tag brands on their pictures to complain or seek attention. If they have a negative experience with a product or service, they may tag the brand in their post to express their dissatisfaction publicly. This can draw attention from the brand and potentially lead to a resolution or response.
Having control over the images associated with your brand is vital to maintaining brand integrity.
Here's how to hide photos you've been tagged in:
Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
On your profile page, tap on the icon that looks like a person with a tag next to it; this will take you to the tagged photos section.
Scroll through the tagged photos and select the ones you want to hide. Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of each image and choose "Hide from Profile."
Tagged Posts
To remove tags on posts, follow these steps:
Click on the profile picture in the bottom right corner to access your Instagram profile
Tap on the tag user icon to access the images tagged with your account
Find the post you want to remove the tag from and tap on it.
Click on the three dots (Photo Options) to open the menu
Select "Remove Me From Post" or "Hide from My Profile."
Confirm the action and the tag will be removed from the post.
Managing Messages
Direct messaging, or DMs, is one of the main channels for communication on Instagram. Managing a high volume of DMs can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and challenging without the right strategies and tools.
Customers expect prompt responses on social media, with 80% of them expecting a response within 24 hours. On Instagram, businesses should respond within an hour of posting for the best response time.
Being responsive to messages can potentially increase engagement and user interactions, which may positively impact the algorithm's assessment of an account and its content.
Meta Business Suite Inbox
Meta Business Suite allows you to streamline your messages, making it easier to stay organised and respond promptly.
You can view and respond to messages from Facebook and Instagram in one unified interface. This eliminates switching between different platforms, saving you time and effort. You can filter messages by date, sender, keywords, and more, ensuring that you can focus on the most important messages first. E.g. VIPS, Journalists, Influencers.
If you have a team managing your Instagram messages, the Meta Business Suite Inbox allows for seamless collaboration. You can assign messages to specific team members, add notes, and track the status of each conversation.
Define your priorities and establish guidelines for responding to different types of messages. Allocate your resources effectively and promptly address urgent or important messages.
Use labels to categorise messages based on their nature or purpose. For example, you can create labels such as "Customer Support," "Sales Enquiries," or "Partnerships."
Adding notes to messages can provide context or share important information with your team members. You can use notes to highlight specific details, record customer preferences, or document any follow-up actions required.
Managing Messages Effectively
Engaging with community feedback and enquiries is an opportunity to show your audience that their opinions and concerns are valued.
Take the time to understand the message thoroughly before responding.
Label the conversation type and take any notes. Be aware that if a customer sends in a Subject Access Request or similar, that these details would be handed over - so keep to the facts and avoid opinion or conjecture.
Acknowledge the feedback or enquiry and express appreciation for their input. Conversations are more positive and constructive this way.
Offer helpful solutions or assistance based on the nature of the feedback or enquiry. You can provide instructions or connect them with resources.
Where appropriate use multi-media like audio notes, gifs and images to add personalisation to the message.
How To Handle The Bad Bits
Blocking or Restricting Accounts
Blocking an account is a necessary measure when an account continuously posts inappropriate content, harasses, or exhibits harmful behaviour towards your brand. It's typically considered as a last resort, after you've tried other options like reporting the account to Instagram or politely asking the user to stop their behaviour.
To block an account, navigate to the user's profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select 'Block.'
Before you resort to blocking, there are other ways to manage troublesome users. You can 'Restrict' them, which means their comments on your posts will only be visible to them, unless you approve otherwise.
You can also 'Mute' them, which keeps the user from knowing they are blocked but prevents their posts and stories from appearing in your feed.
Brand Identity Theft
One of the most significant threats brands face on Instagram is identity theft. Scammers can easily create fraudulent accounts that impersonate legitimate businesses, using stolen photos, logos, and other content. These impersonation accounts can deceive consumers and tarnish a brand's reputation.
Taking immediate action is essential if you discover an account impersonating your brand. Report the account to Instagram, providing as much evidence as possible, including screenshots and your intellectual property registrations. Instagram takes brand protection seriously and will investigate and take appropriate action against impersonation accounts.
Educating your audience about legitimate accounts associated with your brand is essential to protect your brand from identity theft. Communicate the official usernames, account names, and hashtags your brand uses on Instagram. By sharing this information, you empower your audience to identify and avoid impersonation accounts.
Trolls
Trolls intentionally post inflammatory or offensive comments to provoke a reaction. It's important to carefully handle negative comments from trolls to protect your brand's reputation.
Engaging with trolls often leads to further negative interactions. It's best to refrain from direct engagement and not feed into their behaviour.
You can hide or delete negative comments on Instagram. Hiding comments remove them from public view, while deleting them permanently removes them from your posts. Consider the severity of the comment and the potential impact on your brand before deciding which action to take.
If the comment warrants a response, direct messaging allows you to address their concerns or issues without further public engagement.
Spammers
Spammers on Instagram often leave irrelevant or repetitive comments promoting their own products or services. Here’s how to protect your brand from spam
Use Filters and Moderation Tools to hide or block specific keywords or phrases automatically.
If you encounter a spam account on Instagram, report it to Instagram using their reporting forms.
Phishing
Phishing is when scammers attempt to obtain sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal details, by posing as a trustworthy entity.
Here’s a phishing message I received the other day on Instagram, in my DMs.
Instagram provides a feature to view official emails sent by the platform within the last 14 days. To access this feature, follow these steps:
Click on the menu "More" located at the bottom left of the screen.
Select "Settings" from the menu.
Within the Settings menu, click on "Accounts Centre" and then navigate to "Password and security."
Look for the option called "Recent emails" and click on it.
Choose the Instagram account for which you want to view recent emails.
It's important to note that emails related to account security and login within the last 14 days can be found under the "Security" section, while all other emails can be viewed under "Other."
Instagram will never contact you about account security via direct messaging.
Official Instagram messages regarding account security will solely be sent to your email address and originate from the support team.
Look for emails from the following addresses: @support.facebook.com, @support.instagram.com, @facebookmail.com, and @mail.instagram.com.
How to protect your audience
Remind your followers to be cautious when sharing personal data and to verify the authenticity of any requests they receive.
Communicate the official channels through which you interact with your audience. Encourage them only to provide sensitive information through these trusted channels to avoid falling victim to phishing scams.
If you come across any phishing attempts on Instagram, report them to Instagram immediately. Provide as much detail as possible to aid their investigation and protect your audience.
Account Locked
One of the more problematic scenarios that Instagram users may encounter is getting locked out of their accounts. While Instagram does not provide detailed information on why accounts are locked, there are common reasons for this occurrence.
Instagram has community guidelines that users must adhere to when posting content. Violating these guidelines can lead to account locks. Ensure you are not reposting copyrighted material without permission or credit, sharing content depicting graphic violence, or engaging in purchasing likes or followers. Review your feed and activity to ensure compliance with these guidelines.
Instagram is vigilant in identifying spam accounts and may temporarily block accounts that engage in rapid actions such as liking posts, leaving comments, or following and unfollowing accounts en masse. Avoid engaging in this behaviour, and be cautious when connecting third-party apps that may engage in spammy behaviour without your knowledge.
Connected third-party apps can trigger account locks if they engage in suspicious behaviour or if Instagram suspects phishing scams. Regularly review the apps connected to your Instagram account and remove any unauthorised or suspicious ones. If legitimate apps trigger account locks frequently, consider using more established and trustworthy tools.
To prevent being locked out of your Instagram account in the future, there are several steps you can take:
Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your account.
Remove extra devices connected to your account and regularly monitor your login activity.
Remove third-party apps that may be misbehaving or triggering account locks.
Limit the number of logins from different IP addresses or MAC addresses to avoid suspicion.
Be cautious of phishing emails and verify their legitimacy before taking any action.
Get Verified.
By following these steps, you can reduce the chances of experiencing an account lockout and protect the security of your Instagram account.
Crisis Communication
During a crisis, it is essential to have a clear plan regarding where and when you will post updates. Identify all relevant social media platforms and determine the speed and frequency of posting in the event of a global or community emergency. Tailor your messaging to the specific audience on each channel to ensure you provide the correct details to the right people.
Your social media crisis communication plan should align with your existing social media policy and guidelines. Ensure that everyone involved understands the appropriate tone during a crisis and how to respond to negative comments or feedback.
Clearly define who can speak on behalf of the brand in a crisis scenario and provide employees with access to approved information they can share on their channels. Link your crisis plan to your policy and guidelines, making all the information easily accessible.
Community Management Strategy
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