PlatformsInstagram
Best Practices - Instagram
Tips for maximizing engagement and reach on Instagram with ScoutSocial.
Instagram best practices
Content strategy
- Post consistently - Use the Best Time to Post panel on your Dashboard to find optimal posting times
- Mix content types - Alternate between feed posts, carousels, and Reels for maximum reach
- Reels get priority - Instagram's algorithm currently favors Reels; include them in your content mix
- Carousels drive engagement - Multi-image posts encourage swipes, boosting engagement metrics
Captions
- Front-load value - Instagram truncates captions after ~125 characters in the feed; put key info first
- Use a clear CTA - Ask questions, encourage saves, or prompt shares
- Hashtag strategy - Use 5-15 relevant hashtags; mix popular and niche tags
- Line breaks - Use line breaks to make longer captions scannable
Visual content
- High-quality images - Use well-lit, sharp images; avoid heavily filtered or pixelated content
- Consistent aesthetic - Maintain a cohesive visual style across your feed
- Square or portrait - 1:1 and 4:5 ratios take up the most screen space in the feed
- Video thumbnails - Choose an engaging cover frame for Reels
Timing
- Use suggested posting times on the Dashboard or when scheduling from Create Posts
- Generally, weekday mornings (9-11 AM) and evenings (7-9 PM) perform well
- Compare performance across different posting times in Post Performance on the Dashboard
Engagement
- Respond to comments promptly to boost algorithmic ranking
- Use ScoutSocial's dashboard to monitor comments across all posts
- Engage with your audience's content to build community