Engagement is the bread and butter of any social media platform.
Without it, your posts get lost in the ether, and your growth stagnates.
But when you prioritize Instagram post ideas that inspire engagement, you can reach new audiences, build a loyal community, and dominate your niche.
To get there, you need to create content that your audience feels compelled to interact with as part of your posting strategy.
8 Amazing Instagram Post Ideas to Boost Engagement
Ready to break out of your creativity rut? Here’s what to post on Instagram to boost your engagement.
1. Post Relatable Memes
Memes are a love language.
It’s one of the ways we show our friends and partners that we’re thinking of them.
It’s visual validation that deep down, we all feel the same.
It’s a virtual hug.
All this comes together to make memes one of the best Instagram post ideas to increase engagement. You’re tapping into the need for human connection by sharing your sense of humour and poking fun at relatable things in your niche.
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The best part? You don’t need to hire a comedian.
You can:
- Re-share funny Tweets
- Jump on trending GIFs in your Reels
- Use trending topics
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Remember: You don’t need to make your entire posting strategy memes, or you’ll become a meme account. Sprinkle a few in your content calendar, and only share memes that make sense for your brand.
2. Jump on Trends
Want more eyes on your Instagram posts?
Jump onto current trends.
Whether it’s a viral challenge or a trending audio clip, incorporating these into social media strategy can increase your visibility and engagement.
The key is to think about how you can fit the trend into your niche.
Case in point: TikTok losing access to Universal Music Group’s songs. Many musicians jumped onto a trending audio clip from Glee to vent their frustration.
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The trend spiralled into other creators sharing something you did that wasn’t worth your while.
Tip: Want to keep up-to-date on trending audio WITHOUT spending hours scrolling through Instagram? Sign up for a free Plann account, and you’ll get instant access to a trending audio feature with the latest trends for Reels and TikTok videos.
3. Teach Your Audience How to Do Something
One of the main reasons people “save” or “share” a piece of content is because it’s educational.
Whether you’re teaching someone a space buns hack or how to cook a delicious vegan meal in 15 minutes or less, there’s valuable information people will need to watch and refer back to multiple times.
But don’t get caught in the trap that your Instagram post ideas need to be a groundbreaking tutorial that’s never been done before.
Keep it simple.
Think about the quick wins you can offer your Instagram followers.
For example:
- If you’re a fitness influencer, break down how to do one specific exercise with perfect form.
- If you own a bakery, teach your audience how to braid croissants.
- If you’re a finance coach, you can educate your audience on how to break bad money habits.
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Read More: Instagram Hashtags in 2024: The Ultimate Guide
4. Film a Day-in-the-Life
Ever heard of Brooki Bakehouse?
The small Brisbane bakery went viral on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube after its owner, Brooke Saward, started posting “day in the life of a bakery owner” videos.
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The result?
- 3 million followers
- Queues out the door
- A baking empire shipping across Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and Asia.
It’s an incredible success story, but what makes “Day in the Life” content so engaging?
It makes your product or service feel real. It’s a storytelling tactic that helps you connect with your audience where you’re showing, not telling what makes your business great.
Think about it.
What’s more compelling and relatable: a list of features and benefits or behind-the-scenes content that tells a story about how you create your product or help your clients?
It also ties into creating aspirational and inspirational Instagram content. Your followers who want to be like you get a glimpse into what their future could look like, and the others are developing FOMO to give your brand a try.
5. Create a Series of Product Sneak Peeks
Is your brand a tease?
If not, it’s time to add a dose of anticipation to your Instagram feed.
For your next product release, build up to it in a series of posts. Share glimpses of your upcoming products, discuss what went into creating them, share your colour ranges, and finally, drop the entire collection with prices before its release date.
By slowly teasing the information with each sneak peek, you’re stirring curiosity and building excitement within your audience. This naturally leads to more likes, comments, shares, and saves and attracts new followers who are eager to see what you’re launching.
Tala, an activewear brand from the UK, is an expert at tease marketing.
The company creates a series of posts leading up to a launch before it culminates in revealing the entire collection and opening up an early access sign-up form for a final dose of FOMO.
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Read More: When To Post On Instagram: How To Figure Out The Best Time For You
6. (Re)Introduce Yourself
The psychology behind why we follow people on social media is intriguing.
It boils down to three things:
1. The desire for authentic social connection and belonging.
2. The desire to emulate their success or lifestyle.
3. The desire to stimulate our minds.
Instagram provides a platform to connect with others who share similar niche interests, values, and beliefs, create a sense of community and learn from each other.
However, to stimulate users’ reactions, you need to be vulnerable and show up authentically on your Instagram account.
One of the best Instagram post ideas to do this is with an introduction-style post.
It attracts your dream audience, gives you a platform to share your story, and creates a genuine connection.
Erin May Henry, a personal branding coach from Melbourne, Australia, used this strategy and went viral, clocking up 1.7 million views.
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What made her Reel stand out from all the others?
Erin introduced herself but didn’t keep things surface-level. She dived straight into her story and used it to debunk the idea that women peak in their 20s. This created a discussion in her comment section between women who felt seen and a few trolls (who are always excellent for engagement and skewing the algorithm in your favour).
Read More: Everything You Need To Know About How Instagram Search Works
7. Reply to Questions or Comments with a Reel
Another thing that Erin did well after her introduction post went viral was continuing the conversation by replying to a comment with another Reel.
She did it while her first post was still generating massive engagement, resulting in her reply going viral and clocking up 1.9 million views.
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That’s more than her original post.
Use this strategy if there is a hot discussion in your comments or if someone asks a question that you can turn into another Instagram post idea.
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Read More: 10 Proven Hacks to Increase Engagement on Instagram Reels
8. Create a Round-Up Resource
Convincing someone to save or share your content ideas all comes down to providing value.
Another way you can use this concept is to create round-up Reels.
Think of it like bite-sized listicle blog posts.
Some examples include:
- Best things to do in Miami for solo travellers
- Must-have apps for freelance designers
- Three ways to style cargo pants
- Top serums for acne-prone skin
What makes these great Instagram post ideas is you can rinse and repeat because you’re only sharing 3 to 5 resources instead of one gigantic brain dump.
So, if your audience responds well to your first round-up post on remote work spots in London, create another one and keep the engagement momentum going.
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Read More: How To Schedule Instagram Reels with Plann
Schedule Your Instagram Post Ideas with Plann
At the heart of engaging and creative Instagram posts is content that resonates, educates, entertains, and invites conversation.
Whether you incorporate all these ideas into your content or only a handful, if it hits all four marks, you’re well on your way to building an engaged community around your brand.
The next step?
Creating a consistent schedule for Instagram.
Whether it’s a carousel post, Reels or Instagram Stories, planning out what to post on Instagram is the key to your success.
Sign up for a free 7-day trial of Plann Plus today and gain access to a content calendar, trending audios (updated weekly), an AI-caption generator and everything else you need to play social media marketing on easy mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important type of engagement on Instagram?
Engagement on Instagram can take many forms, including likes, comments, shares, and saves. While all forms of engagement are valuable, saves and shares are often seen as indicators of deeper interest and interaction with your content.
Why are saves and shares important on Instagram?
Saves and shares indicate content value. When Instagram users save your posts, it means they find it useful enough to revisit. Shares expand your reach by putting your content in front of potential new followers and boosting your brand visibility and engagement.
How can I identify trends and memes to use for content?
The easiest way to find trends for your Instagram content ideas is with Plann’s trending audio feature. It saves you time and explains how your brand can hop on to the trend. Other strategies include staying active on social media platforms and observing what’s gaining traction in your niche or the broader cultural conversation.
