35 Instagram Statistics & Fun Facts
via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/35-instagram-statistics-fun-facts.html March 11, 2019 at 02:25PM
13 Strategies to Boost Instagram Engagement
via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/13-strategies-to-boost-instagram.html March 08, 2019 at 03:03PM
How To Block Someone on Instagram
We’ve all been there: whether it’s an ex constantly checking your Instagram, a friend you’ve had a falling out with, or that one weird aunt who’s all over your pictures, we’ve all had to block someone. Whatever your reason may be for wanting to block someone, we’ll walk you through the steps and go over what actually happens when you block a follower on Instagram.
How To Block on InstagramThe process of blocking a follower on Instagram is easy. If you’re resolved in your decision to cut online ties with someone, just follow these steps:
What Happens When You Block Someone on Instagram?When you block someone on Instagram, they can no longer see your posts, Instagram stories, nor can they direct message you. They will not be able to find your Instagram page if they search your username. If they do find your profile (maybe through a mutual follower) your profile will appear totally blank. Instagram does not send a notification when you block someone, so they won’t know you blocked them unless they search for your page and find that they can no longer access it. If you later unblock someone, you won’t be following each other and you’ll have to re-follow their account, which could alert them to the fact that they were previously blocked. Who Blocked Me on Instagram?It’s both a blessing and a curse that Instagram doesn’t send notifications when someone is blocked. It’s great when you’re the one hitting the block button, but on the flip side, it would be nice to know who blocked you. If you want to find out who blocked you, there are a few ways to tell: Ask them: This option could get pretty awkward, but it is the most direct way to know if someone has blocked you, and you could also get an explanation. Then again, if they blocked you there is a chance they won’t answer you, or you may not have another means to get in touch other than Instagram. Download an Instagram follower tracker app: Some apps that track your followers will also allow you to see who has blocked you. Many free follower apps have in-app purchases for this feature, so you may have to pay a few dollars to check. Search for their username: If their username doesn’t come up when you search for it, it’s possible that you’ve been blocked. To confirm, try searching through a mutual friend’s following list if you know that the two would probably follow one another. You may be able to find their name here, but if you’ve been blocked their profile will appear blank when you click their name. If their number of posts looks normal but none of their posts are visible, you’ve been blocked. How To Mute Someone on InstagramDo you feel uncomfortable fully blocking someone on Instagram? If you’re sick of seeing their posts but don’t mind them seeing yours (and potentially liking and commenting on them) you can always mute them instead. Muting a follower on Instagram hides their posts from your feed so that you don’t have to see them. Instagram does not notify someone when you mute them, and you will still appear on their followers list. They can still see and engage with your posts, so if you’re feeling harassed by someone, muting them probably won’t help. You can mute and unmute followers without them realizing. To mute that annoying person that you can’t block without fallout, follow these simple steps:
To unmute someone, simply go to their profile and click the “Unmute” button that appears under their Instagram bio. The post How To Block Someone on Instagram appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/how-to-block-someone-on-instagram.html March 08, 2019 at 09:48AM
Calculate Your Instagram Engagement Rate
Calculating engagement on Instagram is far from an exact science. Do you just consider likes? Should comments hold more weight than likes? What about shares and saved posts? Gauging exactly how engaged your audience is can be exhausting. We offer a few different methods to determine your engagement rate on Instagram, so you can track your posts and work to improve engagement on Instagram.
What Is A Good Engagement Rate on Instagram?Instagram sees higher rates of engagement compared to Facebook and Twitter. While Facebook and Twitter users see an average of about 0.5 – 1% engagement, the average engagement rate on Instagram is around 3%. Many Instagram users have complained about decreased engagement rates since the adoption of the new Instagram algorithm. A general guideline to engagement rates on Instagram is as follows: < 1% = Low Engagement 1-3% = Low – Average Engagement 3-6% = Average – High Engagement > 6% = Very High Engagement Most paid influencers have an engagement rate of at least 8%. How To Calculate Instagram Engagement RateEngagement rates on Instagram are hard to pin down. The difficulty in assessing engagement is the question of what factors to include. There’s also the question of how you use your engagement rate. Some users want to know the engagement rate for their entire account, but this measure is very broad. To assess the engagement rate of your account in general, you would need to find the average amount of likes and comments per post and divide by followers. The issue is that your follower count has probably grown since your first post, and has fluctuated across posts. It’s better to calculate engagement per post so that you can see your progress on Instagram over time. Engagement by post also lets you know what content resonates with your audience so that you can use that same strategy for future posts. There are a few different methods to gauge your engagement rate on Instagram. We’ll walk you through each method. Instagram Engagement by FollowersOne method of tracking Instagram engagement is adding up all the likes and comments on a post and dividing by total number of followers. Multiply that number by 100 for a percentage of how many followers engaged with that post.
Engagement = (Likes + Comments) / Total Followers x 100
This method is simple, and one benefit of this measurement is that you can easily check another account’s engagement. Since number of followers, likes, and comments on a post are public information, you can track competitors and see how their engagement rate compares to your own. Instagram Engagement by ImpressionsAnother option is to look at engagement by impressions. If you run a business account on Instagram, you can see the total number of impressions on a photo in your Insights tab. Impressions, often confused with reach, means the number of times your post could have been seen. If a follower views your post twice, that would result in two impressions even though it was seen by the same user.
Engagement = (Likes + Comments) / Impressions x 100
Influencers tend to use impressions to gauge engagement over followers, since it gives a more accurate estimation based on how many users actually viewed your post. This method eliminates inactive followers or fake accounts that don’t actually view your posts, as well as anyone who simply didn’t scroll past that specific post. Instagram’s Definition of EngagementInstagram defines engagement as likes, comments, and saves. Instagram users can choose to save posts for later, and Instagram counts this metric in its own measurement of engagement.
Engagement = (Likes + Comments + Saves) / Impressions x 100
You can also choose to include saved posts but still calculate based on followers instead of impressions if you want. Some users also choose to factor in the number of shares on a post as well. Instagram Engagement Rate CalculatorIf you’re looking for your average engagement across all posts, the easiest method is to use an engagement rate calculator. If you have another app that reveals your average likes per post, you can also use this number along with average comments to determine an average engagement rate. If you want to use a calculator to do the work for you, however, we recommend checking out Phlanx. Their calculator looks at your last 12 posts on Instagram to estimate average engagement. They take the average number of likes and comments and divide it by your total followers to determine engagement. How To Use Instagram EngagementThe important thing about calculating your engagement rate is tracking its progress. You can choose to measure engagement with any of these methods or all of them, but check in on yourself and re-measure every week or month to see how your engagement has changed. Learn from what posts experience great engagement and what posts don’t seem to work so that you can slowly improve overall engagement and grow your Instagram account. To organically grow your followers and improve engagement, sign up with Social Buddy. Our Instagram growth service brings you targeted, real followers based on your interests and niche, so that your Instagram grows in both followers and engagement rate.
The post Calculate Your Instagram Engagement Rate appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/calculate-your-instagram-engagement-rate.html March 07, 2019 at 11:19AM
Top 20 Instagram Fitness Influencers
via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/top-20-instagram-fitness-influencers.html March 06, 2019 at 12:43PM
Instagram Ads: How To Advertise on Instagram
If you scroll through Instagram, it’s hard to miss the advertisements. Instagram ads are peppered throughout everyone’s feed, breaking up our normal content and tempting us to make unexpected purchases. These advertisements are effective too – according to Business Insider, 72% of users have made a purchase on the app. Advertising on Instagram is a must, especially if your target demographic is a younger age group. 65% of Instagram users are between 18 and 34 years old, so any brand targeting millennials should include Instagram in their social media marketing strategy. While it is both important and effective to advertise for free via a business account that shares normal posts and stories, putting some money behind a promoted post can make a huge impact on reach and customer conversion. Advertising on Instagram is vital to many businesses, helping to improve brand exposure, reach new customers, and retarget and convert interested users into paying customers.
Why Should I Advertise on Instagram?Do you know how many active users are on Instagram? According to Statista, there are 1 billion active users as of June 2018. Instagram has become increasingly popular, and the huge amount of devout Instagrammers creates a huge audience for advertisers. Advertising on Instagram can help spread brand awareness as you reach a larger audience, resulting in more clicks and potential future customers. Instagram has reported that 60% of people say they discover new products on the app, and over 200 million users visit at least one business profile daily. In 2018, Instagram added a native payment feature that allows users to add a credit or debit card to their profile. Users can now make purchases from advertisements without ever leaving the app. This makes advertisements even more fruitful for businesses, as users may be more inclined to make a purchase due to the convenience of an in-app purchase. Posting on your business account can already help you reach new customers and expand your brand’s online presence. Paying for a promoted advertisement has an even greater reach, and the cost of a well-targeted ad will most likely pay for itself and then some. Instagram Ads and LinksOne problem many businesses run into on Instagram is the fact that there are very few places to link to your website. Instagram posts do not allow active links in captions, so placing a clickable link with a post can be difficult. Instagram only allows one link in each account’s bio, which is why the phrase “link in bio” is so common in Instagram captions. If you have 10,000+ followers, you can include a link in your Instagram story, but this option isn’t open to every business. With an Instagram ad, you can include a direct link to your website on the post. Users that view your post can very easily click the “Shop Now” banner across the bottom of your ad, directing them to your website and hopefully converting them into customers in just a few clicks. What Are Instagram Ads?Instagram ads are paid advertisements in the form of Instagram posts or stories that are shown to a larger, more targeted audience. Advertising on Instagram can lead to improved brand exposure, new leads and customers, website traffic, and profit if customers take action. You may think, “why pay for an ad when I could just post on my account for free?” While promoting your brand on Instagram by sharing from your account page is encouraged, Instagram ads have more reach than normal posts. Advertisements are promoted and placed on feeds of targeted users, while normal posts are generally only seen by your followers. There are a few different types of Instagram ads. You can advertise via photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, collection ads, and story ads. Instagram is a visual platform, so it should be noted that all-text advertisements are not supported; you could advertise a picture of text, but this is not recommended. Photo AdsPhoto ads are just that: a single picture shared on Instagram. Promoted Instagram ads include a banner across the bottom of your post reading “Shop Now” or “Learn More” that links to your website. A good photo ad should feature a high quality image and a compelling caption that includes a call to action for customers to follow. Video AdsVideo ads can last up to 60 seconds and give advertisers the opportunity to combine a vibrant image with sound and motion. If your business chooses a video ad, make sure that the video is high quality. Carousel AdsCarousel ads are the Instagram posts that include a series of photos for users to swipe through. The caption can change with each picture, making it easy to advertise a few items at once. Carousel ads can include photos, videos, or both, and range from two to ten images per post.
Collection AdsCollection ads are similar to carousel ads in that they can include multiple images, but collection ads link directly to a page with various products to purchase. Instead of swiping through a few images, create a collection ad where users can swipe up to immediately browse through available products. Check out this demo from Ad Age that shows fashion brand Revolve’s collection ad. Story AdsStory ads are the promoted Instagram stories that appear in between users’ follower stories. With 500 million active story-viewers daily, Instagram stories reach a huge online audience and have grown in popularity for both advertisers and Instagram users. The swipe up function on stories can bring viewers directly to your business’ website.
How Much Do Instagram Ads Cost?There is not a set, flat price to pay for an Instagram advertisement. The cost of advertising on Instagram depends on a few factors, some of which are not made entirely clear by Instagram. Much like Instagram’s parent company Facebook, which determines ad cost in part by an ad relevance score assessed by Facebook, Instagram ads are priced based on various factors like target audience, ad feedback, and relevance. Cost is based on cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM) in Instagram’s ad auction. Instagram Ads’ Cost Per ClickA 2017 study by AdEspresso revealed that the average CPC for Instagram ads ranges from 0.70 to 0.80 cents per click. The cost of advertising has increased since then, however, and a 2018 study revealed more insight into the cost of ads and how the ad auction works. Here are some key takeaways to know about the cost of Instagram ads:
How the Instagram Ad Auction WorksPurchasing an ad space on Instagram requires that you enter an auction, much like Facebook’s auction system. Advertisers must set a budget of the total amount they’re willing to spend, which they can specify to be set over one day or over a longer campaign. They also set a bid, which is the highest price they’re willing to pay for a user to complete an ad objective. The highest bidder does not necessarily get the ad space; Instagram wants to show users content that most interests and engages them based on the new algorithm. The auction winner is the ad that creates the most value for the target audience. The three major factors that affect ad auctions are the bid, estimated action rates (the odds that the user completes the desired action), and ad quality and relevance to its specific target audience. If your ad is not relevant enough, the cost will increase to place it in front of your desired audience. How To Create Instagram AdsTo promote ads on Instagram, you must also have a Facebook business page. Since Facebook owns Instagram, the ad manager on Facebook is the same tool used for Instagram. If you own a business, you likely already have a Facebook page set up. The simple way to create an Instagram ad is to take a post already shared on your account and promote it. To do this, just view the post while logged into your business account and press the blue “Promote” button on the bottom right corner of the post. You can set this up on Instagram, but to customize the details of your advertisement you should set it up on Facebook’s ad manager. Within the ads manager tool, you can set up your ad, choose your target audience, set goals for your ad, and set your budget and bid. Your audience can be targeted based on location, demographics like age and gender, interests, and behaviors online. You can also create custom audiences to retarget visitors to your site. Advertising goals are based on the objectives awareness, consideration, and conversion. Awareness targets new customers who may not be familiar with your brand, consideration targets those who may want to learn more about your products and services, and conversion looks to make sales and get users to complete your ultimate goal of converting paying customers. Best Practices for Instagram AdsNow that you know how Instagram ads work, learn how to get the most out of your ads. Focus on AudienceYour target audience is a very important factor when advertising. Not only does audience affect your cost-per-click, but they also determine how your ad performs. As a brand, you should know who your target personas are and create ads that speak to those users. Consider your audience in each step of the process: what image or images you use, word choice and tone in your captions, and ad placement, as you should consider when they’ll be online to see your ad. Use HashtagsHashtags improve engagement on posts and can help you reach a larger audience. While your audience is already targeted when you create your ad, using relevant hashtags can help even more users see your advertisement. Check out our guide to Instagram hashtags to learn more. Stay On BrandYour ads should reflect the personality of your business or brand. Establishing a brand aesthetic is important for brand awareness and recognition, so stay on brand to appeal to your target personas and to create a memorable brand experience. Everything from your images, captions, tone, hashtags, and even filters should be true to your brand. Include a Call To ActionMost Instagram ads include a call to action button across the bottom of the post. There are various options for what text to include on this banner: pick the one that makes the most sense for your objective. The banner is a clickable link to a website page of your choice, so link a page that matches your call to action. You can also include a call to action in your caption, but be sure to use text space wisely. Shorter captions tend to perform better. Refresh Your AdsChange up your ads to keep users interested. You may have a great ad that performs well, but if users are seeing it over and over again, they’ll stop paying attention to it. Keep ads fresh by updating content. Track PerformanceTrack each ad’s performance, and learn from what works and what doesn’t. You can track ad performance on Instagram Insights or, for more depth, on Facebook’s ad manager. Look at key metrics for your business, whether you’re concerned with reach, traffic, conversions, etc. Assess how your ads are performing and make adjustments to optimize your advertising strategy. The post Instagram Ads: How To Advertise on Instagram appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/instagram-ads-how-to-advertise-on.html March 05, 2019 at 01:43PM
How Much Time Do People Spend on Social Media?
Ask anyone how much time they spend on social media, and most will probably answer, “I don’t even want to know”. Social media has become deeply ingrained in our daily lives, and many people can’t go a full day without checking their favorite social media platform. So how much time do we actually spend on social media?
Average Time Spent on Social MediaVarious studies have been done to track social media trends, looking at everything from demographics of users to brand engagement online. Different studies have revealed different statistics, but all report a similar trend: social media usage has skyrocketed, even growing over the last 5 years. One 2018 report from GlobalWebIndex estimates that, on average, social media users spend 2 hours and 22 minutes online each day globally. You can see in their graphic below that younger generations tend to spend more time on social media, with 16-24 year olds clocking in at about 3 hours a day. The same report also revealed that our time spent on social media is starting to plateau after years of steady growth. In some countries, like Germany and Japan, time spent on social media is beginning to decline. Some believe this decrease is due to increasing knowledge of the negative effects of social media, like feelings of FOMO or isolation. How Much Time Do Teens Spend on Social Media?Teens and tweens have grown up with social media. The iPhone was released in 2007, meaning that younger teens don’t even remember the world before smartphones. A 2016 study by The Common Sense Census looked specifically at teens and tweens and their social media patterns. This report found that teens (ages 13-18) spent about 9 hours daily on entertainment media, including social media and entertainment media like TV, online videos, reading, and mobile games. Tweens (ages 8-12) averaged about 6 hours. While this statistic includes a wide range of activities since it looks at all entertainment, they break down different types of media consumers based on their preferred medium. The graph below shows that tweens identified as “social networkers” spend the most time on entertainment media, clocking in at almost 10 hours daily. Only a portion of that time is dedicated to social media, however. Among teens, “heavy viewers” of TV and movies spend the most time on media, again with a portion of that time spent on social media. Teen “social networkers” still spend about 9.5 hours a day looking at media as well, 3 hours and 17 minutes of which are spent on social media, on average. Track Your Time Spent on Social MediaNow that you’ve seen the numbers, you may be saying “That’s not me,” or frantically trying to figure out how your social media use contributes to these statistics. Luckily, there are ways to track your own activity online. Some apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube provide your activity information and offer timers to cut down on your social media usage. If you have an iPhone, you can also check your screen time on each app in your settings. Learn how to check yourself before you wreck yourself – or, wreck your eyesight staring at your phone, at least. Check Your Daily Activity on Instagram Activity TrackerInstagram tracks your activity on their app and estimates a daily average of how much time you spend on the app. The number is based only on app usage, not the desktop version. You should also keep in mind that this is an average taken from the last week, not your entire Instagram career. Follow these steps to check your average time spent on Instagram:
Here you’ll see your daily average for the last week, as well as a graph with your total time for each day. Set a Daily Reminder For Your ActivityIf your daily time spent on Instagram was a bit too high, you can use this tool to help you cut down. On the same page, below your daily time, you’ll see a section titled “Manage Your Time”. Here, you can set a daily reminder when you’ve reached a certain amount of time on the app, or change your notifications settings. Instagram’s daily reminder will not kick you off the app; it simply lets you pick the amount of time you want to spend on the app and sends you a notification when you’ve reached your allotted time. You can choose to ignore this timer and keep scrolling if you want to. Changing your notification settings can also help you cut down on Instagram time. Often, receiving a notification drags users back to the app when they might not have opened it on their own. Turning off some or all notifications can help users unplug from the constant updates. Track Average Time Spent on FacebookFacebook also tracks your activity. Facebook owns Instagram, so it’s no surprise that these platforms share similar activity logs. Much like Instagram, Facebook tracks your average time spent for the week. Follow these steps to check your Facebook activity for the week:
Here you’ll see your average time per day for the last week, as well as the total time spent on the app each day from the last week. Set a Daily Reminder For Your Facebook ActivityBelow your Facebook time per day, you can set a daily reminder to tell yourself that your time for the day is up. Simply scroll down and pick the amount of time that you want to spend per day on Facebook. When you reach that time, Facebook will notify you that your time is up, but it will not kick you off of the app. You can also edit your notification settings on this page to save yourself from useless notifications that draw you back in. You can edit your newsfeed and friends preferences as well so that you only see the content you care about. Track App Usage on iPhoneIf you have an iPhone, you can check up on all of your app usage. iPhone’s settings reveal your total screen time in the last 24 hours for each app, revealing how much time the app was active on your screen. You can also check based on your last 10 days of activity for a broader sense of your social media and app usage. Follow these instructions to track your app usage:
The settings automatically show you “Battery Usage By App” which tells you how much of your battery life went towards each app. If you click “Show Activity”, you can see the total amount of time each app was open, both on-screen or as a background app. The post How Much Time Do People Spend on Social Media? appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/03/how-much-time-do-people-spend-on-social.html March 01, 2019 at 01:44PM
How To Get On The Explore Page on Instagram
Almost as coveted as the blue verified check mark, getting on the Instagram Explore page is a goal for many businesses, brands, and influencers on Instagram. Even if you don’t run a business account, who wouldn’t want to get more followers and likes though a feature on the Explore page? Getting your post on the Explore page puts your posts directly in front of users that are likely to be interested in your content. This makes a feature on the Explore page a great way to expand your reach online, find new followers, and get more likes on your posts. Anyone advertising on Instagram knows that the Explore page is a prime time spot to showcase your brand. Unfortunately, getting featured on the Explore page is not an exact science. We’ll share how the Explore page works and tips to get your post on the Explore page.
What Is The Instagram Explore PageInstagram Explore, also known as the Search and Explore Tab, is the page on your Instagram that features posts from users you do not follow. This page also houses the Search bar that allows you to look for other users, hashtags, or posts that interest you. You can access the Explore page by clicking the magnifying glass icon on the bottom of your screen, or the compass on the desktop version. The purpose of the Explore page is to showcase other accounts or posts that may interest you. Instagram wants to keep users on their app for as long as possible, so they curate an Explore tab specifically for you. Across the top of your Explore page there are even more specific topics that may interest you. If you want to discover new brands, find new accounts to follow, or you just have some time to kill on the ‘gram, check out your Explore page. From The Popular Page to Instagram ExploreIf you’ve been on Instagram for a while, you may remember the “Popular” page. The popular page on Instagram was not-so-popular with users, and received little attention. Part of why the popular page failed to take off was probably because it was the same for all users. Instagram showed the same popular posts to all of its users without tailoring it to their interests. The Instagram Explore page, on the other hand, caters its posts to each specific user; no one has exactly the same Explore page on Instagram. Instagram tailors your Explore page based on the Instagram algorithm, which is constantly learning what interests you and adjusting your feed in response. How The Instagram Explore Page WorksInstagram’s Explore page is based on the new Instagram algorithm. To learn exactly how the Instagram algorithm works, click here. Basically, Instagram’s algorithm is all about keeping you on their app for as long as possible. To keep you on the app, Instagram wants to keep you interested and engaged with the content you see. Instagram’s algorithm tracks your activity online to learn what interests you and then shows you that content. The Explore page is fueled by the algorithm that tracks your interests. Instagram looks at your interests (what you like, watch, search for, etc.) and your relationships (who you interact with, whose posts you like and comment on) to determine what kinds of posts would most interest you on the Explore page. Those factors, plus recency of the post, are used to choose posts that will appear on your Instagram Explore. If you peruse your Explore page, you may notice how the algorithm factors in. You should see accounts similar to those you follow, hashtags that you frequently like, and generally content that you tend to engage with online. My Instagram Explore page, you ask? Full of puppies, tattoos, and comedians. Instagram knows me well. Why The Instagram Explore Page MattersYou may be wondering why you should even want to be on the Explore page. Aside from the obvious increase in likes and comments, getting your post on the Explore page is a great way to reach a larger audience. The Explore page can place your post in front of new followers who are specifically interested in your content, which means that they’ll be more likely to hit the follow button. Since the algorithm is based on interests, your post will only be featured on Explore pages that are tailored to your interest group and target audience. If you’re a business advertising on Instagram, the Explore page is basically free advertising that dramatically improves your follower base and can lead to potential customers and increased profits. Rather than paying for an Instagram featured ad space, you can simply try to boost your post to get organic likes, comments, and visibility on the Explore page. How To Get On The Instagram Explore PageHow can I get my post on the Instagram Explore Page? Many users ask themselves this question. With an estimated 95 million photos and videos shared each day on Instagram, there are plenty of other posts to compete with. While there isn’t a fool-proof strategy to get your content on Instagram Explore, you can use your knowledge of the Instagram algorithm and engagement to optimize your posts. These tips may not get you on the Explore page right away, but they will improve your Instagram regardless, getting you closer to that featured spot. Keep in mind that your account must be public to be featured on the Explore page. Learn how to change your Instagram privacy settings here. Engage with your followersInstagram tries to put the best posts on the Explore page. This means that your post must perform well first to be featured on the Explore page. If Instagram deems that your post is high-quality and it engages your followers, it may help you reach the Explore page. Instagram has revealed that it chooses to showcase your content “based on how relevant it is to the people following you”. If your followers like and comment on your post, there’s a higher chance that it will be featured on Instagram Explore. Know your audience online and post content that interests them! If you haven’t already established a target audience, ask yourself: Who would buy this product/service? What interests my target audience? What kind of content do they follow or post? Add Your LocationAdding a location to your post can improve engagement and help you to reach more local followers. The Explore page often features images based on location, so tagging your location can help your post get discovered more easily. You can also search for locations on the explore page, and your post could be featured on the specific location page that you used. You should also use location-based hashtags. Use HashtagsSpeaking of hashtags, you should always use hashtags on posts if you’re looking to engage with more users and get more followers. Hashtags essentially brand your image as related to that topic, so if you add a #fashion to your post, Instagram knows that your post is fashion-related. Hashtags make it easier to get on the Explore page because it labels the content of your post. If someone is interested in a certain topic or follows that hashtag, it’s more likely that your post will be featured on their Explore page for that interest. Research the best hashtags for your industry and the best practices for hashtags on Instagram. Post at The Right TimeOne factor influencing the Instagram algorithm is recency: how recently something has been posted. Even if you receive lots of likes and comments, if your post is too old it will not be chosen for the Explore page. This means that you have to engage with your followers quickly, and to do that, you must post at the right time. Sharing at the right time means accounting for peak hours of activity on Instagram. You should know when your followers are most active to see your post and share it at this time to get engagement on your photo, fast. Research the best times to post on Instagram, the worst times to post, and when your specific followers are most active. If your account is a business profile, use the Insights tool to help you find the optimum time to post. Include a Call To ActionSince Instagram is more likely to feature a post with a large amount of engagement, you should remind your followers to engage. Include calls to action like “tap to like”, “comment below”, or, even better, ask a question. Asking a question for your followers to answer in the comments can help to encourage greater engagement. A post with a lot of comments is likely to be added to the Instagram Explore Page. Grow Your Followers With Social BuddyInstagram rewards posts with great engagement. Social Buddy can help you improve both followers and engagement. Our Instagram growth services helps you to organically grow your Instagram following with real, targeted followers. Get more niche, targeted followers who will engage with your content and help your post reach the Instagram Explore page! The post How To Get On The Explore Page on Instagram appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/02/how-to-get-on-explore-page-on-instagram.html February 28, 2019 at 03:17PM
FOMO: What It Means and How To Overcome It
Even if you didn’t know what it meant, you’ve probably felt it. FOMO, the Fear Of Missing Out, is a new acronym that has also become a widely understood cultural phenomenon. Other acronyms like LOL, BFF, and WYD are more commonly known, but FOMO is different because it doesn’t just shorten an expression, it is a new expression that has become apart of the online and IRL vernacular. While this acronym is a new way to express an all-too-common feeling, the fear itself dates back to . . . who knows when? It’s likely that FOMO has been around forever, along with other human fears and emotions. While you may be feeling intense FOMO after a weekend spent in bed, it should comfort you to know that you’re not alone. A 2014 study revealed that 69% of millennials experience FOMO. This number may have grown since 2014, as social media has become even more ingrained in our daily lives. What Does FOMO Mean?FOMO stands for the fear of missing out. This can refer to the sense of disappointment over missing a specific fun event, or the general feeling of wasting your life while others enjoy more fulfilling experiences. According to Urban Dictionary, FOMO is:
While Urban Dictionary is known for defining unofficial words or cultural slang, FOMO has been added to other, reputable dictionaries including Merriam-Webster, Oxford Living Dictionaries, and the Cambridge English dictionary. This term, once slang for the younger generations, has become commonly understood by people of all ages and studied by social scientists. The origin of the term FOMO dates back to 1996, when it was coined by marketing strategist Dan Herman. Herman later used the term in an op-ed piece while at Harvard Business School in 2000. Since then, the term has been slowly adopted online, and has become even more prevalent with the rise of social media. Fear of Missing OutThe fear of missing out is pervasive, and FOMO can be applied to a variety of situations. Friends are going out to a new bar and you’re stuck at work? FOMO. You see pictures of a relative’s trip abroad? FOMO – why aren’t I traveling more? That concert you forgot to get tickets for that’s all over everyone’s Instagram stories? Major FOMO. FOMO doesn’t have to be about a specific evening you missed out on or the concert tickets you couldn’t afford, however. FOMO can be used in regard to the general feeling that you’re missing out on the best possible thing or that you’ll regret your choices later in life. Herman, who came up with the term FOMO, also coined the not-so-widely used, but still relevant, terms FOBO (fear of a better option) and FODA (fear of doing anything). FOMO (fear of missing out) leads to FOBO (fear of a better option), as you worry about what the best possible choice is. All of that social anxiety leads to FODA: fear of doing anything, as you worry that none of your options are good enough and give up entirely. The Psychology of FOMOWhile some may scoff at the severity of FOMO, social scientists have researched the phenomenon. Scientists at Carleton and McGill Universities looked into the psychological basis of FOMO in a study recently published in Motivation and Emotion. In a primary study the scientists looked at first-year college students and monitored their sense of FOMO. They predicted that FOMO would be associated with other negative outcomes like stress, negative emotions, fatigue, and sleep issues. The study did, indeed, show these negative outcomes in relation to feelings of FOMO. Students reported stress, fatigue, sleep problems, and other psychosomatic symptoms in response to their FOMO. The study also looked at how certain personality traits figured into FOMO, but the results did not support any correlation: everyone experiences FOMO sometimes. FOMO and Social MediaThe FOMO epidemic has been largely linked to social media. We see our friends or even strangers living it up online and feel like our weekend was inadequate in comparison. One of the reasons many people believe FOMO has become so pervasive is because we’re seeing so much of each other online. In the years before social media, you may have heard about the party you missed, but everyone’s fun pictures from the party weren’t thrown in your face across various social media platforms. While many link FOMO to the rise of social media, a secondary study by the same scientists at Carleton and McGill Universities concluded that social media may not be totally to blame. An article by Psychology Today revealed that:
“FOMO was felt no matter how the person found out about the alternate social activity on which they were missing out. Hearing it from a friend versus social media produced the same amount of FOMO”
Social media certainly impacts FOMO to some degree: we’re more likely to notice a fun event we missed out on or realize just how great it looked on our socials. But FOMO can be felt regardless of social media, and the anxiety over living your best life is triggered both online and in real life. How to Overcome Social Media FOMOUnfortunately, a natural instinct when feeling FOMO online is to check even more often so that we don’t miss anything. FOMO drives humans both towards and away from social media. We can use social media to feel connected to others online, but it also can lead to feelings of isolation. Most psychologists and others who have studied FOMO recommend taking breaks from social media to relieve that overwhelming sense of “what if?” You don’t have to totally unplug – that may lead to feelings of FOMO about missing things online and feeling totally unaware of what you should even feel FOMO over. Simply try to cut down on your time online and focus on your surroundings. Instagram allows you to set reminders when you’ve reached your daily allotment of time on the app. You won’t get kicked off, just reminded gently that your planned time for the day is up. Some have found success in simply turning their phones off for an hour at a time or putting it away somewhere. Other psychologists suggest re-framing your perspective: instead of worrying about everything you could be doing, focus on what you enjoy doing. Comparing yourself to others online is unhealthy and can lead to worse mental health issues. Remind yourself that social media is curated: those people who look like they’re having a great time aren’t sharing their boring nights in, but they have them too. No one has Instagram-worthy nights every night – everyone feels FOMO sometimes. No Mo FOMOThe catch-all cure to FOMO has not been discovered yet. Social Buddy’s recommendation? Practice unplugging from social media when you’re with friends or participating in an activity you enjoy. Put down the phone, look around, and find something to be grateful for in that moment rather than worrying about what could have been. The post FOMO: What It Means and How To Overcome It appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/02/fomo-what-it-means-and-how-to-overcome.html February 27, 2019 at 05:42PM
Who Viewed My Instagram?
I’ll admit it – I’ve Googled it, I’ve done the research, I’ve tried the apps. Who viewed my Instagram account? It’s natural to wonder who is looking at your profile, stalking your page, or viewing your posts (especially if they chose not to hit the like button). For those of us with our lives documented on social media, it’s hard not to feel self-conscious about who is looking at our photos and videos online. If you’ve tried to figure out who viewed your Instagram, you are certainly not alone. Can You See Who Views Your Instagram?In short, no. If someone visits your Instagram profile without liking or commenting on anything, they leave no trace for you to know that they’ve been there. Various apps have claimed to reveal who has viewed your Instagram or who your “stalkers” are on social media. Unfortunately, these apps are falsely advertising themselves. The Instagram API (application programming interface) does not allow other apps to access that information, and Instagram itself does not release the information to users. Any app that says they’ll reveal who views your profile is lying. While this answer is somewhat disappointing, take it as a sign to chill out and unplug. Social media already leads to FOMO, self-esteem issues, and paranoia over who likes or doesn’t like your content and why. It’s probably a good thing that we can’t also obsess over every profile or post view. Besides, now you can stalk freely without worrying about anyone noticing. Instagram Story ViewsWhile you cannot see who views your profile or individual posts, you can see who views your Instagram stories. Stories were added to Instagram in 2016, and have since become wildly popular, surpassing the usage of the original story-sharing app, Snapchat. If someone views your story, which is only shared for 24 hours, you can tell by checking the list of viewers. To check who viewed your story, click your profile picture in the top left corner of your feed or on your profile. At the bottom left corner of your screen, click “Seen By ###” to view the list of users who have watched your story. Instagram Story Views OrderNow that you know who has viewed your story, you may be wondering what the order of that list means. Many users are curious about the order of follower and following lists, likes, and story views, as it is usually clear that the order is not chronological. The exact explanation for the order of these lists is not totally clear, but we know that it all goes back to the Instagram algorithm. Instagram’s algorithm, and therefore the order of story views, is based on who you interact with the most online. Instagram assumes that those you interact with the most interest you the most, and they want to keep you interested and spending time on their app. The users who you engage with the most on Instagram will likely appear at the top of the list, which is why you often see your closest friends or followers as the first viewers on the list. Change Your Instagram to PrivateIf you’re really worried about who is viewing your Instagram, you can change your privacy settings so that only those you’ve approved can see your posts. If your Instagram is set to public, anyone can view your posts and stories unless you’ve blocked someone specifically. Going private on Instagram can negatively impact engagement, as your posts won’t be visible to anyone who doesn’t follow you already. With your Instagram set to private you still won’t know which of your followers is stalking you, but at least you’ll know that strangers can’t look at your photos. Follow these simple steps to change your Instagram privacy settings:
Instagram Insights for Business ProfilesIf you have a business account on Instagram, you still cannot see exactly who views your posts or profile, unfortunately. You can, however, see how many users have viewed your post through Instagram Insights. Insights reveals how many people have viewed your posts and breaks down demographics like age, gender, and location of followers. Check out how many impressions were made on each post, as well as how many people liked, commented, shared, or saved it. While you can’t see which specific followers viewed your profile or each post, you can see the numbers to better gauge your reach on Instagram and use that information to improve engagement and gain Instagram followers. The post Who Viewed My Instagram? appeared first on Social Buddy. via Blogger http://iamsocialbuddy.blogspot.com/2019/02/who-viewed-my-instagram.html February 26, 2019 at 05:42PM |
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