With video becoming ever more popular and with brands fighting for eyeballs, it's clear what worked in the past will not continue to do so in the future. The way you look at Instagram, and consequently, Instagram promotion will need to evolve with the times.
Data is key
Produce as much content as physically possible. The possibilities are endless, far too many to list. Don't worry about it being polished and professional, release it into the world and evaluate the data you get back. That will tell you what works and what doesn't and therefore you will know where to focus your efforts.
Build a social media ecosystem
Produce long-form content, like a blog post. Then chop it up to be repurposed for other sites like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and of course, Instagram. Repurpose the images, videos and highlight any relevant quotes. Build your marketing plan and schedule posts to be released every day.
Use hashtags
Research your genre and ensure you label your material with the relevant hashtags. Be honest and open as nobody likes to be bombarded with spammy messages. Hashtags will help your potential audience find you much easier. Experiment with them and throw them out if the data doesn't support them.
Tag other bands in your post
Give other groups the chance to reach your audience, and they will do the same for you. It doesn't matter who has the most followers, people like what they like. Every single fan counts.
Have an identity
Carve out a look. What makes your Instagram account any different to the millions of others? Is it your music? Design? Fashion choices? Whatever it is, you need to hold onto it, amplify it and differentiate yourself.
Paid marketing and influencers
It's painful to spend money unnecessarily. I'd argue you should be investing in your music. Don't you believe in yourself?
You're living in an incredible time. Never in human history has it been easier to put you and your music in front of so many people at so little cost. Reach out to influencers to see what they can offer you. Shop around because some are better than offers. Buying Instagram followers and buying views on Instagram is a useful way of raising an audience quickly and cheaply. Buying followers on Instagram is not cheating. Who cares if you buy a billion. You still have to hold onto them and keep them from unfollowing. Your content will ultimately be the deciding factor. Promote Instagram posts and monitor the data as this will maximise value and help you to make informed marketing decisions.
