How to Do an Instagram Audit for Your Brand
Photo from Stock That Rocks
Do you feel like you’re spending hours trying to perfect your Instagram account but aren’t seeing any results? If so, it’s time to take a step back and evaluate by conducting an Instagram audit.
So what exactly is an Instagram audit? Doing an audit consists of evaluating what’s working for your account and what isn’t. This will tell you what adjustments you need to make when it comes to your Instagram strategy, and the steps you can take to make improvements! It’s important to note that behind every great Instagram account is a strategy, and even the most successful ‘grammers out there learn from trial-and-error, just like you!
Here at Wela, we recommend doing regular check-ins, or audits, for your Instagram at least once a month. By doing this, you might just find that you need to work smarter rather than harder! So, here’s what you should take into consideration when doing an Instagram audit:
Profile
Your profile picture and username will be the first thing that people see when landing on your Instagram account. So, make it count! You want to use the same profile picture throughout all of your social media accounts, so whether you choose to use your logo or a pic of yourself, be consistent across all platforms. Also, it’s just as important to have the same username across on all of your social media channels! This way, if someone stumbles upon your Twitter and wants to follow you on Instagram, they can easily find your profile. Consistency is key here!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Is your profile picture and username consistent across all social platforms?
Does your profile picture make sense for your brand?
Is your username easy to spell, and is it searchable?
Does your username relate to your brand?
Your Instagram bio should also fit what your brand has to offer. Think of it as your elevator speech! You have 150 characters to describe who you are and what you do, so choose your words wisely! Your bio should match your personality and voice, whether it be bubbly, funny, or serious. It’s also important to include contact information in your bio so other brands have a way of reaching out to you for collabs!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Does your bio explain what your brand is and what you offer?
Does your bio reflect the personality of your brand?
Is your bio insightful in showing what to expect from your brand?
Did you include your contact information— your email address, links to other social media, blog, etc.?
Content
Your content is the glue that holds everything together, so it’s crucial to consistently put great content out there! On Instagram, it’s all about visuals, so make your feed looks aesthetically pleasing by using the same two or three filters for all your photos. We also recommend having a balance between minimal and busy photos. If you haven’t noticed by now, consistency is a pattern here! Your followers will become accustomed to the content you put out there and how often you post, so it’s important to be consistent and meet their expectations!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Are your photos visually stimulating for your audience?
Do your photos serve a purpose for your brand?
Do you have a consistent editing style for all your photos?
Do your photos all come together to tell a story?
Voice
Your voice is such an important component of branding, so It’s important to have a clear and consistent voice throughout your captions. Your friends should be able to look at your Instagram and be able to recognize your personality through it! Plus, having a clear, consistent voice will allow you to connect with your target audience and keep them comin’ back!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Is your voice consistent throughout your Instagram, blog, and overall brand?
Does your voice match your brand and what you’re trying to promote? (personal brand, business, etc.)
Does your tone of voice appeal to your target audience?
Captions
Captions may seem like no big deal, but they’re super important! Behind every great photo is a captivating caption to go along with it. So, be sure your captions complement your photos and pull people in. The goal here is to connect with your audience and encourage them to follow your account! Think of it this way: when you put effort into posting great photos, great captions are the icing on top!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Are your captions relevant to your posts?
Are your captions appealing to your audience?
Do you include questions/ calls to action to engage your audience?
Do your captions show your voice?
Hashtags
Hashtags are a crucial part of any Instagram strategy because they allow you to get your content in front of new audiences! Use a few hashtags in your caption, then post the rest in a comment so it doesn’t seem too cluttered. When choosing hashtags to use, be strategic! Consider your niche and the audience you want to reach. When you use trending hashtags that relate to your brand, this is when your account will really take off!
Bonus tip– Did you know that you can create keyboard shortcuts to auto-populate your hashtags? Learn how here!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Are you using hashtags that are relevant to your post and overall brand?
Are the hashtags you’re using popular and easy to find for users?
Are you consistent in the amount of hashtags you use for each post?
Learn how to make the most of hashtags on Instagram by watching the video below:
Engagement
Since community engagement is such a big part of Instagram, you want to make a special effort to have a great connection with your followers. In order to do so, respond to all comments and regularly like and comment on photos from other accounts. Although it’s great to have a specific target audience, it can be really beneficial to try and make your brand relatable to everyone in the community without straying away from who you are. You will have a bigger outreach that way, and you can build even more connections!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Are you engaging with your followers by liking and commenting on their pictures?
Do you respond to all comments and questions in a timely manner?
Do you make an effort to communicate with your followers?
Do you interact with other brands?
Does your account foster community?
Do You Have a Plan?
Life is so much easier when you have a plan, and the same goes for your Instagram feed. Take the time to write down the goals you have for your account, such as the amount of followers you want to have by a certain date, the number of photos you want to post each day, and the overall look and feel you want your grid to have. Then, brainstorm and plan the steps you need to take to meet these goals. Do you need to set aside time each day to engage? Do you need to purchase a stock photo membership to get great photos for your account?
As you go about implementing your plan, pay close attention to what works and what doesn’t, and make adjustments as needed! Instagram success takes time–so be patient! When you have a plan in place and put in the hard work, you will see results!
Bonus tip– There are plenty of tools out there for planning your Instagram! One of our faves is Planoly–use it to plan your grid ahead of time, follow-up with comments, and even plan your Instagram Stories!
Questions to Keep in Mind
Do you plan out your content and schedule times to post?
Do you monitor your feed and see what works and what doesn’t?
Do you have an app or tool specially made for planning your feed?
Do you have a set look and feel for your grid?
At the end of the day, Instagram is a great platform to get your brand’s name out there! Every account starts somewhere (even the ones with millions of followers!), so don’t get discouraged when you don’t find the success you’re looking for right away. When you regularly conduct Instagram audits, you’ll perfect your Instagram strategy and be on your way to becoming Insta-famous in no time!
Have you tried doing an Instagram audit for your brand? What did you learn? Let us know in the comments below!
Interested in working on growing your Instagram? Contact us at Wela Creative Studio to learn more about our social media services!
