Instagram 101:
How to grow an Engaging outdoor & environmental instagram community
Over the past few years, we’ve been able to grow and nurture a community of over 20,000 outdoor and environmental focused Instagram followers. It’s safe to say that we’ve learned a few things along the way…
Instagram remains a powerhouse for building your online presence and connecting with your audience. To create posts that truly stand out, you need to prioritize visual appeal, valuable content, and storytelling. Here’s a guide to help you craft Instagram posts that capture attention and boost engagement.
1. Start with an Eye-Catching Image or Video
The Braker Bros Instagram profile page.
Your visual content is the first thing followers see, and it determines whether they’ll stop scrolling. Make sure your images or videos are high-quality, vibrant, and relevant to your brand. For example, a travel blogger might use stunning photos of a recent trip, while a fitness influencer could post a dynamic workout video. When you cannot use quality, lean into a unique hook to stop viewers in their tracks. For example, one we have use in many successful reels is, “We couldn’t believe how colorful this fish was…”
2. Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience is crucial for creating relevant and engaging posts. Consider their interests, preferences, and what they look for on Instagram. For us, it’s been about meeting our outdoor and environmentally focused followers where they are. It is much easier to picture your ideal follower and to make niche content for them, rather than creating broad content for everyone that gains zero traction.
3. Tell a Compelling Story
Every great Instagram post tells a story. Use your caption to draw your audience in with a hook, provide interesting details, and end with a call-to-action (CTA). For example, share the behind-the-scenes process of a recent camping photoshoot: “Here’s a sneak peek of our latest shoot! Swipe to see the transformation from concept to final deliverables.”
4. Provide Valuable Content
Content is king on Instagram. Each post should offer something valuable, whether it’s tips, insights, or inspiration. The goal is to ensure your followers find your posts worth engaging with. For instance, an outdoor brand could post hiking fun facts, product tutorials, and customer testimonials.
A reel where we incorporated a strong hook and a fun nature fact. This video ended up getting over 15,000 likes and 400,000 views.
5. Design for Engagement
Make your posts visually appealing and easy to engage with. Use bright, clean visuals and consider the overall aesthetic of your feed. Incorporate text overlays, use consistent filters, and pay attention to composition.
6. Include Clear Calls-to-Action
Each post should have a clear CTA to encourage engagement. Whether it’s asking followers to comment, share, save the post, or visit your website, make your CTA clear and compelling. Use action-oriented language, such as “Tag a friend who needs to see this” or “Click the link in our bio to learn more.”
7. Use Hashtags Strategically
Hashtags help increase your post’s visibility and reach. Use a mix of popular and niche hashtags relevant to your content. For example, depending on the post, we might use a mix of broad and niche hashtags like #outdoors, #nature, #flyfishing, and #flyfishinglife. Research and use hashtags your audience follows to maximize exposure.
An example of a video we created with Trout Unlimited. We were able to post this short clip as a trailer that drove engagement to the full video on YouTube.
8. Engage with Your Audience
Engagement goes both ways on Instagram. Respond to comments, like and comment on your followers’ posts, and use interactive features like polls and questions in your stories. This builds a community and encourages more interaction with your posts.
9. Analyze and Optimize
Regularly analyze your Instagram performance to understand what works best. Look at metrics like likes, comments, shares, saves, and reach. We’ve found that watch time is the most powerful metric to optimize for Instagram success. Use insights to optimize your content strategy. For example, if you notice that videos get more engagement than photos, incorporate more video content.
Conclusion
Posting on Instagram is an art that requires a balance of visual appeal, valuable content, and compelling storytelling. By following these steps, you can create Instagram posts that not only capture attention but also foster deeper connections with your audience. Start crafting your engaging content today and watch your profile thrive!
