5 Fool-Proof Ways to Increase Instagram Engagement

What Is Social Media Engagement and How Do I Improve It?

Hey friends! Thanks for checking out the blog. My blog has three main goals. First, to help you develop your social media strategy. Second, to boost your engagement. And third, to get your profile in front of your dream clients!

Today's post is all about boosting your social media engagement.

If we haven't met, my name is Sarah! I am a social media marketer and coach for luxury wedding vendors. I've spent a lot - and I mean a lot - of time researching how social media works and explaining how normal people (like you and me) can use it to our advantage.  

So here are the most reliable and consistent ways I have found to boost engagement on social media!

What Does “Engagement” Mean & How Can I Use It For My Wedding Business?

Okay, first things first: what is social media engagement? What do I mean when I talk about "increasing your engagement" or "engaging with other accounts?"

“Engagement” is the term for measuring how much people interact with your online content. 

There are a few different ways people can engage with your content. I’m willing to bet you do most of these things without even knowing it. My job is to help you apply strategy to these actions! 

But first, you need to understand how Instagram calculates your engagement.

4 Ways Meta Measures Your Instagram Engagement 

1. Page Interactions:

Page interactions count how many people click on your profile. It also tracks whether they click on any links on your profile, etc. 

2. Post Interactions:

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Post interactions measure the likes, comments, and shares your post receives. If you post a reel, it will also note how long people stayed on the video, and when they tapped away.

3. Messaging Interactions. 

Again, self-explanatory. How many people are messaging you? Are you responding? This also counts if people reply to your stories! 

4. Interactions on Other Pages. 

This metric notes how often your page/profile is mentioned on other pages, posts, and profiles. This is when people tag you in posts, mention you in comments and stories, etc. 

How To Find And Learn From Your Instagram Insights 

Now, you’re probably wondering where on earth to find this information. Don’t worry! I’ve got you covered. 

Here’s how to find your insights on the mobile Instagram app. Keep in mind that you can only check your insights if you have a business account! 

• Go to your profile

• Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner 

• Scroll down to the “Insights” tab

And you’re in! From here, you can check your insights from the last 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, the previous month, or the last 90 days. The 30-day insights give me the most information about what's working for my page.

Now, you can check how many different accounts your recent posts have reached. You can see how many people viewed your posts and their actions (like sharing or commenting). You can also see how many of these profiles follow you or not!

These insights are super valuable for wedding businesses! They help you learn what your audience likes to see! If you have one reel that did exceptionally well, take note! What topic did you cover? How long was the video, or how many slides was the post? Did you use audio? 

All of these things contribute to how your audience engages with your content. 

5 Easy Ways To Improve Your Instagram Engagement 

Now, maybe you’ve had very little engagement. Or maybe your engagement is growing and you want to maintain that growth!! Wherever your wedding business is, here are 5 fool-proof ways to increase your engagement! 

1. Comment

Comment on other people’s posts. Yes, this is simple. And yes, it’s important. I’m not talking about the typical “OMG so pretty!” comments or the heart-eyes emoji. Comment something meaningful. 

Pay attention to what’s in the post and mention a detail in your comment. This shows that you actually care about what’s posted and that you have meaningful input to add. Feel free to ask questions in the comments and let that conversation keep going! 

2. Responding to Stories

Don’t just tap through. I know it’s tempting, but stories are the catalysts for incredible connection. If someone asks a question on their story, reply! Slide the little scale and vote in the polls. People look through those responses and will start noticing your name show up! 

Type up an intentional, genuine comment to reply to someone’s story. Most people will share more vulnerable aspects of their lives on their stories than they will in a post. Listen to what they have to say and share your thoughts - nicely. This is another great place to ask questions and get a real conversation started!

Pro tip: this is not the time to pitch yourself. Your goal here is to create connections. That’s it. If this is your first conversation with someone, do not pitch your service! You risk ruining the conversation and making your new friend feel like you’re only after sales. 

3. Posting on Your Own Stories

The wedding industry relies on trust. You need your clients to trust you. And as a wedding vendor, you need other vendors to trust you too! 

So get on your stories and share what’s going on! Talk to the camera about your experiences, dreams, and hot takes. Include question boxes, polls, and quizzes. I wrote a whole other blog post with content ideas that work great on Instagram stories! Read it here. 

4. Including a Hook

This goes for posts, stories, reels - everything. You need to give your audience a reason to keep watching or reading!

Step one: Include a hook that grabs the correct audience. Literally say “Hey 2025 Brides, this is for you!” or “Wedding Pros, are you still doing this old trend?” This way, you know you’re talking to the right people. 

Step two: Make your hook attention-grabbing. Do this by asking a question, hinting at good information, or providing a controversial opinion.

Pro Tip: Do not clickbait your audience! If your hook hints at a topic, your post better cover that topic.

Step three: Use visual hooks, too! Move into the camera’s view at the beginning of your video, hold something in your hand, or do something. Also consider your lighting and the colors in your video. Strong visuals are more likely to hold your audience's attention.

5. Including a Call to Action (CTA)

This one also goes for all forms of content. What good is getting your audience to read your post if you don’t tell them what to do next? 

Which CTA you use depends on your goal. What do you want your audience to do? Do you want them to comment? Share the post? Book a consultation call? All the above?

Choose ONE call to action per post or story. At the end of your post, include a line telling your audience what you want them to do. And make it fun! Say “Comment your favorite emoji!” Or “Give me your most controversial opinion in the comments.” 

This is another way to get people to engage with your content. 

Do You Need a Professional Social Media Coach?

Chances are, you’re already doing these things. You just need a strategy to turn your social media accounts into lead-generating magnets!  

I recommend setting dedicated time aside every day to engage with other accounts. For some people, this is 15 minutes. For others, it’s an hour. Choose an amount of time that works for you and set a timer. 

During that time, find accounts that you resonate with. As a wedding professional, maybe it’s others in your same field. If you’re a wedding photographer, find other photographers whose work you admire. Find other wedding vendors like florists, planners, and caterers.

And then, of course, find people you want to work with! Maybe this is individual couples, or maybe it’s a venue or travel agency. 

You need to start showing up online. 

This doesn't mean pitching yourself. It doesn't mean sliding into people's DMs with a discount code. It means being a real person and looking to connect with other real people. Who knows, you might just make a friend!

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Instagram engagement. But if you are consistent with those 5 tips, I guarantee that your engagement will start to grow!

Why am I so sure? Because I’ve watched it happen, time and time again.    

“I never thought I would reach 10k accounts when I used to celebrate reaching 300! Thank you, Sarah!” 

Joanna, J. Flynn Copywriting 

Want to learn more about how I’ve boosted my clients' engagement rates? Schedule a Call! I have a few slots left for May!