Instagram content ideas to try out today

If you’re running a business that uses Instagram as a marketing platform, I bet that it’s something you have a love / hate relationship with it. I know that for my own product business, I struggle to come up with good content on a consistent basis. From curating photos that complement your brand, to thinking of perfectly clever captions, to harnessing all the right hashtags, it can be a huge investment of time for many business owners.

When I mention Instagram to my fellow entrepreneurial friends, I’m always met with a collective sigh and eye roll as they describe the burden of maintaining Instagram followers for what sometimes seems like little return.

To make matters worse, a recent algorithm change to Instagram means that it’s harder than ever to see good organic engagement with your posts, with many businesses noticing a significant drop in post interactions this year. In fact, it’s widely quoted that only 10% of your followers are able to see your posts, as Instagram attempts to only serve content that it thinks you care about.

Despite the effort that it entails, Instagram really is the place to be for many product (and service) businesses, and there are plenty of examples of businesses who have gotten traction solely through this platform. So, if you want to continue to use Instagram to promote your business, but you’re struggling to come up with content, I’m going to share some ideas for ‘types’ of content that differ from the usual product sell.

You can use these ideas to put together a basic content plan which will help you churn out content on a regular basis, and keep it varied and interesting. Having a plan also means you can create your posts ahead of time on days where you are feeling a little more inspired, or at times when your business is quieter, like during school holidays.

Creating a content plan doesn’t need to be a scary thing. It can be as basic as a list of ideas on a Word document, or a simple Excel spreadsheet. All you need to do is list out different types of content down the left side of the page (see below for inspiration), and have dates running across the top (or ‘Week 1’, ‘Week 2’ etc.). Then, in the middle of this table, add in the specific topic ideas under the dates you would like to run them, and beside each relevant content type. Simple, right?

How frequently you post is entirely dependent on you. Most social media marketers would recommend posting as frequently as possible – daily, in fact. But from my perspective, this isn’t practical for many small businesses, and you’ll quickly run out of quality content to post if you commit to doing this right off the bat. So, the answer to the frequency question is ‘Post as often as feasible for your business and lifestyle’.

Here are some ideas for different types of Instagram content that you can adopt for your business today:

1. Behind the scenes
   Showing how a product is made, or telling stories about the team behind the brand, is great for making your business stand out. People are better able to connect with a brand when you step away from glossy product photos to present the people and the processes that make your business what it is.
2. Instagram vs. reality
   In a sea of Instagram perfection, some of the most engaging posts are the ones which show the real story, whether it’s the photogenic vintage car that’s broken down and is being towed, the meltdown from the kids right after the angelic-looking photo shoot, or a puppy influencer behaving badly. People love to see authenticity, so use it to your advantage.
3. Quote of the day
   Depending on your brand’s personality, you can use relevant quotes to make people laugh, or feel inspired. I highly recommend using Canva to create the image with the quote on it, and don’t forget to add the source of the quote, as well as your logo so other people can’t use it without attributing it to you.
4. Teach me something
   How should your product be used? What are its features and benefits? What can it be paired with to maximise its effectiveness? Making your posts useful and educational is far more engaging than simply trying to sell. Video is perfect for this, and your mobile phone camera is all you need to start creating short videos for Instagram.  
5. Testimonial
   If you receive a glowing customer testimonial, why not turn it into an image (again, Canva is brilliant for this) and post it on Instagram? It’s a good idea to ask the customer for permission first, and thank them in the caption. What’s even better is a photo or video of your customer using your product – this is marketing GOLD.
6. Seasonal
   When you’re creating a content plan for the first time, a good place to start is by adding all the important holidays and events which you might be able to use as content ideas. For example, if you’re in the gift business, then Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas are going to be times you’ll want to post, whether it’s a special offer e.g. free shipping, a sale, or simply a nice message to your followers.
7. Something personal
   ​Not everyone wants to mix personal with business, but many solopreneurs benefit from revealing a little about themselves on social media. Whether it’s a photo and short profile of you and how you got started in business, a photo of your family or dog, or your favourite café, the trick is to try and relate the caption back to your business where possible so your post feels relevant.

So, there you have it. Just a few ideas for Instagram content that’s different to simply uploading photos of your products. If you’ve got other ideas, I would love to hear them! Just add them in the comments below.