Table of contents
TLTR
Not just quality content: to be visible on social media and to generate conversions, it’s important to improve certain aspects of your Instagram profile.
Why optimize the profile?
When we think about improving our presence on Instagram, we usually consider the quality of content, a well-structured and consistent editorial plan including various categories, posts, stories, and reels; or we focus on enhancing the visual appearance to make our grid as appealing as possible.
Certainly, all these aspects are fundamental, but they might not be sufficient on their own. To truly enhance your profile, beyond content quality, you should also consider how easily users can find your content and optimize it in a way that the algorithm assigns the right value to your efforts.
Just as a skilled artist wouldn’t let their canvases gather dust in a dark basement, similarly, you should ensure that your content is seen by as many people as possible, especially by those users who could generate leads and conversions for your brand.
To achieve this, you have a set of simple and free methods at your disposal, forming what is known as Instagram SEO, aimed at optimizing your profile so that the internal search engine enhances its indexing and makes it more easily discoverable to interested individuals.
Let’s see how to do it.
Username and Profile Name
If you have an Instagram page, you’re aware that it’s associated with both a username and a profile name (which don’t necessarily have to be the same). These elements, often overlooked, are the most important when it comes to indexing. To change them, simply go to your page and click on the “Edit Profile” button.
You’ve probably noticed that when you search using Instagram’s search bar, the algorithm automatically suggests pages that might interest you. For example, if you type “Restaurant Milan,” Instagram will suggest pages of Milanese restaurateurs. But how are these suggested pages chosen?
Certainly, factors such as the number of followers, clicks, and a page’s activity in publishing quality content matter. However, that’s not enough. Instagram suggests pages that have all the search terms either in the username or profile name!
If a restaurateur’s username and profile name don’t contain these terms, their page won’t show up, no matter how luxurious their establishment or how delicious their saffron risotto might be.
From this, we can draw some conclusions:
- It’s extremely important that the main keywords your potential customers use to search for your brand are present either in the username or profile name. Both of these fields should be concise, so you’ll need to be skilled in selecting a few but highly effective words.
- Using identical usernames and profile names isn’t a strategic move. We recommend using your company name as the username (e.g., “My_Beloved_Milan”) and utilizing the profile name to provide additional information (e.g., “Restaurant with typical cuisine in Milan”).
Localization, Biography, Website Link
Other important spaces for a fully optimized profile include geographical localization, website links, and biography.
- Adding your business address enhances your page’s indexing and makes it easier to discover, especially for users searching from nearby areas.
- If your company has a website, you can link it to your profile. This element serves as a badge of credibility and, in Instagram’s eyes, makes your page more trustworthy. However, the linked website should be relevant!
- The biography is another crucial space where you should insert keywords that users commonly search for to find you. In these few lines, you should be able to express your Unique Selling Proposition. Thus, it’s best to avoid using this space for long strings of emojis, out-of-context quotes, or other irrelevant content.
- Also, always remember to use a high-quality profile picture (preferably your brand’s logo), indicate your industry, and provide your contact details if possible. A complete profile with all fields filled is much more discoverable than an incomplete one.
Optimized Content and How to Produce It
The quality of the content you publish on your page – as previously emphasized – is crucial for a strong social presence, but this isn’t the place to delve into that topic.
However, there’s a significant difference between excellent quality content and optimized content. To improve your indexing, it’s necessary to have both high-quality and optimized content. How do you achieve this?
Firstly, remember to avoid practices that Instagram frowns upon, as repeated use of such techniques might lead to your content or even your profile becoming less visible. Pay particular attention to:
- Not stealing or copying others’ content. Your posts, besides being good, must be original.
- Not buying fake follower packages to inflate your fanbase and avoiding using bots to leave spam comments or likes on other profiles.
- Avoid keyword stuffing, which means using highly searched and commonly used keywords that have nothing to do with your content.
Unfortunately, keyword stuffing is more common than you might think, particularly regarding the choice of hashtags to use in posts.
Hashtags are indeed a vital indexing element, but you must know how to use them effectively.
- Choose hashtags carefully, observing which ones your competitors and customers use most frequently, and consider words that uniquely characterize your brand.
- Use a balanced mix of general and specific hashtags.
- Avoid creating bizarre hashtags; no one will ever search for #thebestrestaurantyoucaneatinMilan! Transforming complete sentences into hashtags is pointless.
- Place hashtags only within the text itself; those inserted in comments aren’t indexed by Instagram.
Use Alt Text
Another best practice for optimizing your profile is to include alt text in images. Alt text is a literal description of a graphical element, intended to make the web more accessible to visually impaired individuals. However, aside from being an inclusive measure, it’s also a factor that can contribute to improving your page’s ranking.
Instagram already associates alt text with the images you post, but customizing this field allows you to provide a more accurate and detailed description. You can do this when publishing a post by clicking on “Advanced Settings” → “Write Alt Text.”
Promote Your Posts
All these suggestions, combined with a focus on content quality, can help you optimize your Instagram presence. However, in a platform with approximately two billion active users and intense competition in terms of advertising pages, getting noticed might be more challenging than anticipated.
Sponsoring your posts by adding paid ads is currently the best strategy to make your profile visible to prospects and to generate leads and conversions.
Producing quality, optimized, and sponsored content isn’t a walk in the park; it requires various skills, a good understanding of the social network, and ongoing commitment. But it’s the only way to establish a strong and structured presence on Instagram.
Need help? Want to learn more? Contact us via email at web@antartika.it!
Table of contents
