Do you want to learn how to plan your IG feed so people will drool over your content? Follow this advice, and you’ll see results fast.

 

Actually, plan your IG feed. 

If you follow a post-when-you-feel-like-it approach to Instagram, you’re doing it wrong.

First things first, you should be planning your Instagram feed with details like:

• what content you’re going to post
• if multiple posts will have a central theme or topic
• when posts will be published
• which methods of posting you’ll use (IGTV, Reels, Carousel Posts, Videos, etc.

If you want to convert your Instagram visitors into loyal followers, having a plan is the first step. If you don’t have a social media game plan already, it’s a good thing you’re here now.

 

Plan your IG feed with the help of a planner app.

Instagram planner apps help you visualize your Instagram feed before posts are live. Seeing what that nine-tiled grid will look like before you post is a great way to decide which posts are great—and which ones need to be redesigned.

In order to use these apps to plan your IG feed, you’ll need to be a few steps ahead of the game by having multiple posts prepared already.

Here are some of our favorite IG planner apps:

• Later
• Preview
• Planoly
• UNUM
• Mosaico

Some apps also give you certain insights and other tools to help you plan your IG feed, so check out all these apps before settling on one.

 

Figure out the best times to post.

Once you’re set up with a planner, it’s time to form the plan.

If you want more people to drool over your Instagram content, you need to make sure it’s shown to as many people as possible.

The time you post determines how many people will view your post, and the average lifespan of a single Instagram post is 48 hours. 

So, that means you should post at least once every other day at the best times of the day.

 

When is the best time to post on Instagram?

The best time to post on Instagram depends on the specific trends in your audience.

If you’re marketing to gamers who identify as night owls, the best times to post will be different than if you’re marketing to new parents who fit social media in during their kids’ naps.

However, as a general guideline, global engagement on Instagram is highest between 11 am – 12 pm on Mondays through Fridays. But Tuesdays are the best days to post, when engagement hits its peak between 11 am to 2 pm.

These times are in US Central Time—which means you should post around 9 am if you’re on the west coast of the US or 12 pm if you’re on the east coast.

 

Focus on creating better designs.

Improving your engagement on Instagram can be done by adjusting how you plan your posts, but the designs of your posts are just as—if not even more—important than timing.

When designing Instagram posts, you want to consider the aesthetic of each post. But, you also want to think about your Instagram feed as a whole (those IG planning apps should help with this!).

Here’s some advice for creating better Instagram designs. 

 

Create a strong visual identity.

Visual identity is all about cohesion. You want all your posts to be distinctive, clearly belonging to the same brand. Here are a few easy ways to achieve that:

• choose a color palette
• use the same fonts in your text graphics
• edit all photos with the same filter

 

Work with the IG grid, not against it.

You want to use the nine-tailed Instagram grid to your advantage. One way to do that is to work in threes.

By creating a visual theme that connects every three consecutive posts, you can generate a unique aesthetic on your IG page that isn’t locked into one design.

The grid can also allow you to make a big, bold statement by creating a larger image out of smaller ones.

 

Choose one topic and stick to it.

Just like your visual aesthetic, you want to have a thematic link between all your Instagram posts.

Say goodbye to spontaneous posts because your themes must be present in every post. Is your account about how to make it in the music industry? Do you post healthy recipes for people with tight budgets? Does your IG account promote your small business?

Don’t mix business and pleasure. Instead, make sure every post contributes to your account’s purpose, vision, or theme.

 

Only ever post quality content.

When it comes to posting on Instagram, nothing is better than something you just threw together last minute.

If you put the time and energy into posting great content, you’ll reap the rewards in the form of engagement.

People want to follow accounts that they know will continue to post content they want to see. To be one of those accounts on social media, you need to post quality content—and only quality content.

 

Complete public research to inform your posts.

Now, you might be thinking, “what is quality content?” and just like the answer to when the best times to post are, this answer depends on your audience.

If you’ve cultivated an audience of people who love plants, advertising car parts or snowboarding tips is probably a bad idea.

So, here’s how you can complete research to learn more about your target audience on social media.

 

Use analytics to plan your IG feed.

The best way to learn more about your Instagram audience is through Instagram analytics—which every business and creator account on Instagram has access to.

You can find the “Insights” button on your home page. Once on the “Insights” page, click “Audience” to navigate to your demographic data. Here, you can learn information about your audience, including:

• gender
• age
• location
• active times
• follower growth

 

Ask your audience.

The people who engage with your content will tell you what they want to see if you just ask. In the captions of your posts, you can ask:

• “Do you want to see more?”
• “Tell me if you want a part two!”
• “Do you want to hear more about…”

You can try this tactic on various posts and see which ones gain the most engagement.

 

Participate in online spaces where your audience spends time.

Does your target audience frequent Quora or Reddit threads? Do they share their thoughts in Discord chats? What Facebook groups are they a part of?

Join these online groups and observe what people are talking about. What are their concerns, goals, and interests?

Putting yourself in your target audience’s place is a great tactic to learn more about them.

 

The Bottom Line: How to Boost Instagram Engagement When You Plan Your IG Feed

There are proven strategies that will boost your engagement on Instagram and help you grow your presence on social media.

All you have to do is take advantage of them.

Remember these proven tips for crafting content that people will drool over:

• take time to plan your feed and don’t post spontaneously
• use apps to help you plan your IG feed
• create better designs for posts individually and as a whole
• only ever post high-quality content
• gather research on your target audience to inform your posts

The benefits of these practices will take time. If you need results now, consider enlisting the support of Managergram, a professional Instagram promotion agency.

Managergram can help you achieve real Instagram engagement and growth quickly and easily. Just reach out to us today!