In April 2021, Instagram had around 32.05 million users – just in the UK! So it’s no surprise businesses are jumping on the social media platform for exposure and growth. But with apps, there are always hidden tips and tricks that the majority of people are unaware of. Using certain hacks can make your life a lot easier, so take a look at our top 4 hacks that will help you tackle Instagram head first.

Hack 1) Set up notifications for other accounts

With the current algorithm, posts are not shown in chronological order anymore. It’s more to do with the accounts you interact with and your interests but sometimes pages that you love can get left behind. This is where turning your notifications on comes in handy. You’ll get a notification every time that page posts, meaning you won’t miss an update!

How to do it:

• Visit the profile page of the account you’d like to get notifications for

• Tap the following button

• Select notifications

• Toggle the content you want to receive notifications for

Hack 2) Create automated responses for direct messages

If your Instagram is getting a lot of traffic and lots of direct messages from customers asking questions, you may want to set up an automated response. This enables you to let your customer know you’ve seen the message and will be in touch shortly, which in turn improves the customer’s experience and buys you time until you’re free to respond.

How to do it:

• On your Instagram profile, tap the hamburger menu and then settings

• Tap creator and then quick replies

• Tap new quick replies

• Choose a few words or a phrase to act as a shortcut

• In the message section type the generic response you would like to create

• Tap save

• Anytime you want to use that specific comment, type out your shortcut and your phone will automatically populate the full phrase

Hack 3) Save as draft function for reels

Reels are a new function on Instagram since following the lead from TikTok with the short 30 seconds videos. They’re becoming more and more popular and have recently incorporated a new ‘save as draft’ function. This allows you to edit your reel, write your caption and save it as a draft for when you’re ready to post. In turn, this allows people to plan content ahead of time and go back to it once they are ready to post.

How to do it:

• Select the function of the reel and upload your video you are wanting to post

• Tap share to

• Input your caption and then instead of clicking share, tap the ‘save as draft’ function below

• This is then stored on your reel page ready for you to post at a later date

Hack 4) Make your posts shoppable

If you’re an e-commerce business, then this hack is one you don’t want to miss! Taking the opportunity to sell through Instagram is a brilliant way to increase your reach and access a wider audience. Showcasing a product on Instagram that your audience can see and then buy, creates a smooth customer experience, increasing the likelihood of your customer purchasing your goods.

What you need:

• You need to have an Instagram business account

• The good that you sell must comply with Instagram’s merchant agreement and commerce policies

• Your Instagram account must be connected to a Facebook catalog

How to connect:

• You must create a Facebook catalog, which you can do in the Facebook Business Manager.

• Go to the shopping section in your Instagram – This feature won't appear until your account has been approved so be patient as it could take a bit of time

• When you have clicked shopping in your settings, go ahead and tap Products

• Tap continue and select the product catalog that you want to connect to your profile

• Tap done and you’re ready to sell!!

So there you have our top 4 tips for Instagram. Try incorporating them when using Instagram and see how much more traffic you get or how much your customer satisfaction improves! If you like these sort of blogs, let us know and we’ll bring you more hacks for different social channels.