Okay, Instagrammers, this post is for you. If you find yourself just going through the motions with Instagram, you simply won’t see the growth and engagement that you deserve. Fortunately, you don’t have to dedicate your life to Instagram to make the app work for you. Instead, work smarter with time-saving Instagram tips and hacks that are easy to implement. Ready to get started? These are our all-time favorite Instagram tricks.
General Instagram tricks
First, a few general tips that will help you save time on Instagram. These easy Instagram hacks will make your life easier and don’t require a lot of effort.
1. Save your favorite hashtags to use later
As you probably already know, you can use up to 30 hashtags on each of your Instagram posts. Researching and adding hashtags to your posts is one of the most time-consuming parts of sharing on Instagram, so why not save your favorite hashtags to use with relevant posts? It’s so easy to do.
The next time you create a set of hashtags for a post, copy them and add them to your iPhone notes or an email that you send yourself. Create a group of hashtags for different categories of posts — DIY, home decor, travel, etc. Name your note or the subject of your email with each category so you can easily access them before posting.
2. Add a line break to your Instagram bio and comments
Adding line breaks between paragraphs makes the text in your bio and Instagram comments easier to read. You would think that Instagram would have an easy way to create line breaks, but for now, you still have to find a work-around.
For iPhone users, the easiest way to add line breaks is to create your bio and captions in the Notes app, then copy and paste it into Instagram. Using this method, you can make your bio and comments look exactly the way you desire, without too much effort.
3. Reorder filters and hide filters you don’t use
Using Instagram’s native filters is a quick and easy way to create a cohesive look to your Instagram grid, but did you know that you could rearrange those filters and even hide the ones that don’t work for you? It’s easy to do and will make editing and posting your photos a little less time-consuming. Here’s how to easily manage your Instagram filters:
- First, add a photo to Instagram by opening the app and tapping on the + icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Next and then navigate to your Instagram filters.
- Scroll all the way to the right and tap Manage.
- Tap the circle to uncheck the filters that you don’t ever use.
- To rearrange the filters, hold your finger on the three lines next to the filter and drag it into the position where you want it to show up.
- Tap Done.
4. Hide accounts but keep following them
If unfollowing someone who posts content you don’t want to see feels a little too harsh, there’s an easy way to mute their posts and Stories. If you’re seeing the same boring stuff from the same person, you can temporarily mute them. When scrolling past a photo you’re not interested in, tap the three dots in the top corner of the post. Now, tap Mute to stop seeing posts from that account.
5. Quickly manage more than one Instagram account
If you have multiple Instagram accounts, you know how time-consuming it can be to log on and off of each one. Fortunately, you can set up your accounts so that you can easily jump between them while staying logged into them all. Here’s how to add up to five additional accounts to your Instagram app.
- Navigate to your Instagram profile and tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) next to your profile name.
- Tap Settings.
- Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Add Account.
- Tap Log Into Existing Account and type in your login credentials.
- Tap Log In.
- Now, when you want to switch between accounts, you only need to tap the down arrow next to your profile name to access your other accounts.
Instagram Stories tips
Instagram Stories are still the best way to build engagement and get your message in front of new followers. Why? Because Instagram Stories allow you to say so much more than you can in a stagnant photo post. There are countless ways to let your personality shine in your Stories, and it’s a great way to find your Instagram tribe. Here are some awesome Instagram Story hacks that you’ll use over and over again.
6. Add more than one photo to your Stories
A picture may be worth a thousand words, and sometimes you need a bunch of photos to tell your story. You can easily add several photos from your Camera Roll to your Instagram Story. Here’s how to do it:
- Open your Instagram Stories and add a photo.
- Head over to your Camera Roll, choose a photo, and tap the upload icon.
- Scroll down and tap Copy Photo.
- Head back to your Instagram Story. Hold your finger down on the screen and tap Paste.
- Now you will have two photos on your Story. Continue until you have as many photos as you want.
- Move your photo around on the screen until you are happy with the results.
- Add text, stickers, etc., and tap Your Stories.
7. Turn your live photo into a Boomerang Story
Want to create a Story using Instagram’s Boomerang effect with a Live photo you’ve already created? This is a little-known Instagram trick that is fun to implement. To take a Live photo, make sure the circle at the top of your screen is yellow before tapping the shutter button. If you have a Live photo on your iPhone, you can create a Boomerang using this method.
- Open your Instagram Stories.
- Tap the photo icon in the bottom left of your screen to upload your Live photo.
- Hold your finger on the screen to turn your photo into a Boomerang Story.
- Tap Your Stories to share with your followers.
8. Hide part of your Story photo with the paintbrush tool
Want your followers to check out your Instagram feed from your Stories? You can do that or create a bit of drama within your Stories by using the paintbrush tool to hide a portion of your photo. Here’s how to do it:
- Upload a photo to your Instagram Stories.
- Use the paintbrush tool to completely cover up your photo with color. It’s easiest to use the thickest brush setting for this. Go over your photo several times until it’s completely opaque.
- Use the eraser tool to remove some of the color so that the photo shines through.
- Add your partially covered photo to your Stories.
9. Use GIFs in your Instagram Stories
You can add your favorite GIFs to your Instagram Stories. All you need to do is download the GIPHY app from the App Store and follow these steps.
- Open the GIPHY app and find your favorite GIF.
- Tap the share icon, which looks like a paper airplane.
- Tap the Instagram icon.
- Choose Stories from the menu. Your GIF will be automatically added to your Stories.
10. Use the hands-free recording feature in your Instagram Stories
Perhaps you’ve seen the hands-free option within Instagram Stories but weren’t sure how to use it. This is a great option for shooting up to 1-minute videos when you don’t want to hold your phone. It works best if you have a tripod to keep your iPhone stable when shooting. Here’s how it works:
- Put your phone on a tripod or prop it up on something stable.
- Navigate to your Instagram Stories and scroll through the effects at the bottom of the screen until you get to hands-free mode.
- Tap the shutter button to start recording.
- Tap again to stop recording.
- Instagram will automatically break up your video into 15-second segments, which you can add to your Stories.
Instagram growth hacks
Perhaps you’ve been on Instagram forever, but you’re still stuck with the same followers you had last year. Will you ever see growth, or has your account simply stagnated? If you really want to increase your followers and your engagement, you have to put in some work. These Instagram growth hacks may be exactly what you’re looking for.
11. Use fewer hashtags on your Instagram posts
Did you know that the more hashtags you use, the less engagement you’ll receive on your photo? According to Bustle, the optimal number of hashtags to use in an Instagram post is nine. Hashtags should be relevant and specific, with a relatively low volume. Instead of #cat use #persiancat. Instead of #roadtrip use #route100roadtrip. Using a small number of targeted hashtags will get your photo in front of the people that matter most.
12. Provide your Instagram peeps with an exclusive experience
What do we mean by that? Simple. Your Instagram content should be available only on Instagram. Build a narrative that is authentic and speaks to your goals. There’s a reason you’re pouring all your time into Instagram besides growing followers, right?
Remind yourself of your goals and create a narrative to help meet them. Whether you’re a photographer, a blogger, or a wildlife biologist, you can use Instagram to tell your story. That means writing more than a few words in your caption. Be authentic and make it count!
13. Find your Instagram tribe and engage
Your Instagram tribe are the folks that like and comment on your photos again and again. These relationships need to be cultivated! Find 10 of your ideal Instagram followers and turn on post notifications for their content. To do this, navigate to their Instagram post and tap the three dots in the corner of the post. Now tap Turn on Post Notifications.
When your 10 favorite Instagram followers make a post, your phone will let you know. Head over to the post and leave a meaningful comment. This will help you garner likes and comments on your own posts, and you may even make some friends in the process.
14. Share the content of others
Sharing content is another great way to build engagement. If you have followers or friends whose messages and content align with yours, ask if you can share it with your followers. Share through Posts and Stories, and be sure to tag the account that you are sharing from.
15. Optimize your Instagram profile for search engines
Yes, Google indexes social media profiles and content so that it’s available when searched. If you want to optimize your Instagram account so that it can be easily found in search engines. To do this, create a complete bio with a profile name, a user name, a relevant link, and a bio with keywords. You should also use relevant keywords within your posts and Geotag posts when appropriate. If you have a website or online portfolio, be sure to include links to your Instagram account.
Have a bit of an Instagram obsession? Don’t worry — we won’t judge! We’re just trying to make life easier by sharing our favorite Instagram hacks and tips so that you can make the most of your Instagram love affair.
