How graphic designers can use Instagram to grow engagement

Instagram For Graphic Designers

Instagram is a vital part of a modern designers portfolio, it connects creatives from all around the world to share their unique and fascinating ideas and concepts. As Instagram is image-based this is perfect for this industry as we are constantly trying to find the most aesthetically pleasing solution to a problem that a client may have. The days of monotonous selfies, appetizing food and cat memes are long gone in this niche on Instagram. We have changed the landscape in the community to be more focused on the talented logos, web design or illustrations we produce as a creative community. The graphic design Instagram scene is massively thriving and has never looked better with more posts every hour across the globe. In this blog, we will look at the tips and tricks we designers can use to improve our engagement on Instagram.

  1. Actively engage with your community
  2. IGTV/Reels
  3. Hashtags
  4. Your Instagram bio 
  5. Organisation is key 

01. Actively engage with your community

This one is simple and yet the most effective. By interacting with your followers and the wider community you are positively exposing yourself to Instagram, this will improve your online presence and hopefully, your engagement will increase. Not only will this improve your engagement it will also build strong bonds with your fans and other professionals in the graphic design industry. 

Actively engaging with your community involves replying to comments on your feed, visiting other profiles and chatting to people who follow you or are using the same hashtags. Don’t just send emojis as this isn’t authentic or honest most of the time, send genuine comments as this will make your account look more transparent and reliable. 

02. IGTV and Reels

Videos are the most actively consumed content on the internet and no wonder that many platforms are moving towards a video-based service. Instagram is no different with many opportunities to interact with your audience in a variety of ways through video. You could start a vlog, film behind the scenes or even show your process of design. Reels especially have a much higher chance of being posted on the Instagram discover page. 

03. Hashtags

Hashtags are a vital part of growing and marketing on Instagram. It can help you reach further afield and find your niche following. Using hashtags with a large following isn’t the most effective strategy as your post will get lost in the crowd of people posting with the same hashtag. You should be using a healthy mixture of popular and niche hashtags as this can spread your brand to a variety of people. Always ensure the hashtags you use are relevant to your post. Local hashtags are also a great way to grow within your local community. 

04. Your Instagram bio

Although many users may skip past the bio section on Instagram, this is no reason to not optimise the 150-word description about your page. By having a structured and informative bio you will gain more interest as users can read what your content is about. It will give the user an image of what type of person you are creating a greater connection between you and the user. 

Ensure you add a link to your website/portfolio so interested users can engage with more of your content. If you have multiple links you want to show off, there are useful apps that can ensure your bio has all of the necessary links you may require. 

05. Organisation is key

Being organised when planning how your feed is going to look is essential for the most atheistically pleasing feed. The best way of organising your feed is to have set post types, for example posting blog carousel, logo dissection and behind the scenes of projects. Remember Instagram isn’t a platform for your portfolio, it’s an advertising tool used to build online communities. Organise your content so it is specific to your brand and try to not go too far from what your target audience has come a custom to. 

Scheduling times are also essential to understand. Use your Instagram insights to see when most of your followers are online, however, test what is the best time for your brand. Remember practice makes perfect.