Are you confused about what to post on Instagram for your business? If so, you should know that there are 4 basic types of posts you should publish every single week if you want to maintain a healthy Instagram strategy.
What are those 4 types of posts?
- Engagement
- Education
- Inspiration
- Promotion
But don’t worry… I’ll dive deeper into each one. I’ll walk you through how to create these types of posts and how they help build your business brand!
So let’s get to it, shall we?
What to Post on Instagram: Creating the Right Content
Last week, I wrote about how to use Instagram for business. Now, it’s time to learn what to post on Instagram.
In order to create the right content, you need to be sure you have a clear purpose in mind for each post as you create it. What response do you want this post to evoke from your viewers?
Do you want them to click something? Buy something? Like, comment, or share?
As I mentioned before, the top four purposes you want to have for your posts are: engagement, education, inspiration and promotion.
That said, sometimes these purposes will overlap a little bit. And that’s OK! Just make sure you’re hitting each of these 4 categories at least once per week.
1. Engagement-Focused Posts
The goal of this type of post is to drive engagement with likes, post saves, comments, shares, or clicks. In other words, you simply want your audience to enjoy the content and interact with it.
Engagement is important because it tells Instagram that people care about your content. This is because it causes the algorithm to put you in front of other people who are more likely to enjoy your content and follow you.
Great ideas for engagement posts are:
Step-by-step instructions
This could include recipes, directions, formulas, and so on. Clear lists, especially if they’re numbered, are easy to digest and often get a lot of reactions from people, like this post.
Funny memes or GIFs
If lighthearted humor is part of your brand, creating memes can be a great way to delight your audience.
Conversational questions
These are great ways to get to know your audience. That’s because you can ask questions like: “Where are you from? Comment below!” or “How many of you are working from home right now?” or “What’s your favorite way to drink coffee?”
People love answering lighthearted personal questions like this. Conversational questions typically get lots of comments.
“This or That?” questions
Like conversational questions, “This or That?” questions typically get a lot of comments, too. And yes, they are very similar. But the beauty of “This or That?” is how simple they are! Yet so many people comment because we all love to share our opinion. 😉
Some ideas for “This or That?” include: “Beach or Mountains?” “Coffee or Tea?” “Cats or Dogs?” “Introvert or Extrovert?”
In light of that, you can even do some strategic A-B testing with this question! For example, you could create two types of logos and post them side by side, saying, “A or B?” You’ll get lots of comments, I’m sure!
Always end your engagement posts with a strong call to action. You might tell them, “Save this post so you can make this recipe later!” or “Comment below!” Just make it clear.
Here’s an example from my Instagram account.
2. Educational Posts
Educational posts build trust. They position you as the expert in your niche, showing that you know what you’re talking about and you have what it takes to help your ideal client.
Educational posts will look different depending on what niche you’re in. But they should always provide some kind of knowledge that helps your ideal client.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Tips and strategies
For example, if you’re a homeschool blogger, an educational post might mean sharing a tip you recently learned for better organizing your busy day with kids. Or if you’re a financial expert, maybe you share some top tips to stay organized for tax time.
Your blogs
Sharing your blogs would fall under this category since you’re offering free knowledge that helps your audience.
Because you can’t put clickable links in Instagram posts, I recommend posting a compelling graphic and caption. At the end of your caption, tell people to click on the link in your bio to read the post.
I use Linktree as my bio link. So all I have to do is add my blog link whenever I promote a new article.
Lessons you’ve learned the hard way
These are great because they build a deeper connection with your audience. They see you more as human and someone they can trust instead of a far-off guru.
3. Inspirational Posts
This is where you let your values shine! Inspirational posts should tell your audience what morals, values and ideas define your brand.
For inspirational posts, try…
Quotes from people you and your audience admire
My target audience is Christian entrepreneurs, so I often quote Christian heroes in the past, current Christian leaders I admire, marketing experts, and business thought leaders.
But make sure the quotes somehow relate to your audience’s need.
Bible verses that speak to your audience’s situation
If your target audience is Christian, then Scripture quotes are amazing. After all, we all need more of the Word of God!
Heartfelt words of encouragement
Sometimes we just need someone to tell us we’re going to be OK. That we’re going to make it… even though it’s hard. No matter what niche you’re in, you can be a voice of encouragement to your audience.
4. Promotional Posts
Here’s the thing… if you don’t tell people what you offer, they won’t know!
I made this mistake when I first started posting to Instagram. I just posted engaging, educational, and inspirational content. But then I realized I never told my audience exactly how I can help them!
Doing so isn’t just a disservice to your business. It’s also a disservice to your audience. After all, they deserve to know how you can help them with their problem.
That said, if you’re only promoting, then you might annoy your audience. A good rule of thumb is making one out of every three to five posts a promotional post. (Unless you’re launching a new product and need to promote every day in a row for a few days.)
Here’s an example:
Hey, speaking of Instagram… Are you following me there? Click here and follow me for more free content marketing tips!
Jenny Rose is a freelance copywriter and content marketer specializing in B2B marketing, real estate, and accounting. She's written for clients like AAA, Edward Jones, Flyhomes, Guild Education, and more. Her writing has also appeared in publications like Business Insider and GOBankingRates.
