Instagram is one of the relatively new ‘visual’ platforms that, for those focusing on the written word, is a bit challenging to make headway on. We don’t have gorgeous products or interesting scenery… we have blog posts, that leverage Insragram, right?
But Instagram, like every other social network, does have potential for certain bloggers who want to make a little effort to leverage it. And I’m going to tell you exactly how.
And the good news is, while we’ll be reviewing quite a number of techniques and processes, the amount of time required to promote an individual post to Instagram is relatively minor… likely a few extra minutes. Is that worth it? Let’s discuss that.
Why Should Bloggers Include Instagram?
Now, bear in mind that how each individual uses and experiences Instagram depends in large part on who they’ve chosen to follow. That said, most of us probably have Instagram feeds filled with selfies and family photos and food porn. With its tight integration with Facebook and fun filters, it’s incredibly easy to snap a fun, candid photo, edit it a bit, and then share it with your friends.
But suppose for a moment that, instead of connecting with friends and family, you instead used Instagram to connect with peers and colleagues, influencers and readers.
And suppose that you regularly posted an image associated with your latest blog post, inviting your followers to read it?
Oh but wait, you can’t include working links within image descriptions. So this must all be a waste of time.
The Devoted Instagram Follower
Here’s where Instagram gets really interesting.
Yes, you cannot include links within individual image descriptions. That means that, in order for someone to get to your site or blog or post, they’re going to need to use the link within your Bio.
That’s right. Someone that sees an image you’ve shared and is interested in reading the corresponding blog post is going to have to read the description, tap on your Name to get to your Bio, tap on the link in your Bio, and then find your blog post and tap the title to open it up on their mobile device.
Who’s crazy or bored enough to do all that!
Quite a few people, it turns out.
While actual numbers will vary of course with the blogger and blog post, bloggers who have tried to leverage Instagram have been pleasantly surprised. While the referral traffic won’t rival other social networks, what’s interesting is how interested those readers really are.
I mean, think about it. If they were willing to jump through three hoops just to get to your content, they must really want to read it, right?
And the metrics back this up.
When one compares the traffic from Instagram to the traffic from other sources and campaigns, it’s clear that the Instagram users tend to read the entire article, spending more time on site than others. And they’re interested in clicking around to other content as well.
During a one-week test, I observed on my own blog that readers from Instagram spent twice as much time on site and were 40% less likely to bounce off the page. (Though to be fair, this low bounce rate is largely due to the fact that we’re sending followers to the Home page, and they need to tap another link to get the content they’re interested in.)
.
How To Share Blog Posts To Instagram
I think the number one reason most bloggers don’t think to share posts to Instagram is the simple lack of a share button, right there on the blog, staring us in the face and asking, “Why, Mike? Why haven’t you shared to me lately?”
Ok, maybe that’s just me.
But really, just as followers on Instagram have to jump through a few hoops to get to your post, likewise you need to jump through a few hoops to get that post on Instagram.
Step One: Get your blog image into your phone.
This in and of itself is probably not too challenging… just not easy to remember. You need to make this part of your Blog Promotion Checklist.
If your blog post already has a great image that’s suitable for sharing to Instagram, you can likely visit your blog on your phone once it’s published, tap and hold the image, and select Save Image to save it to your camera roll. (Specific steps may vary depending on your phone’s OS.)
Step Two: Share Your Image to Instagram
Now, simply open the Instagram app on your phone, tap the center button in the bottom row, and then tap the thumbnail image in the lower left. This will open up your camera roll and allow you to choose an image from your phone.
Tap Next and you’ll have an opportunity to apply filters and other image edits.
Tap Next and you can add a description, tag people, and even share to other social networks. The caption is where you must explain that this is a new blog post, and that followers can get to it through the link in your Bio. I also avoid sharing these posts to Facebook or Twitter, since I’ve already shared the blog post there in a more optimal way. However, I do share these images to Flickr.