You know me well enough to know that I love Instagram. Why? It is because it is the only social network that is “personable”, and engagement is still decent.
It is not easy to set up, but it does require a lot of work and time.
Automating your Instagram can help you produce great content and spend less time.
The results of my Instagram marketing automation have been amazing over the past three to four months.
Here's what it did:
- 223 Story mentions — More eyes on my brand
- 431 page views — More followers
- 1068 DMs – More leads for my ad agency
This increases engagement by 132 percent without having to do any additional work beyond the initial setup.
It's amazing that many marketers don't know how automate their Instagram marketing beyond scheduling posts .
Although I did schedule posts which was a good thing and I will discuss that later, it was the story automation mentions that really drove great results (I will also go over that).
Let's now dive into my Instagram marketing automation and how you too can do it.
Imagine that you are getting stories mentioned. It would be amazing if you could reply to everyone in bulk without having to do all the work of responding individually.
Best of all, you can respond to them automatically and personally and build a relationship. This will allow you to get more stories mentioned which will increase your account's growth.
It also helps you to increase your followers and foster relationships.
Automated story mentions can also be used to:
- If they mention you in their stories, enter them in a contest
- Make promotional offers
- More mentions
Automated story mentions are what I use to reply to anyone who mentions me in their @story.
Here is my response if you mention me in your story.
When I receive a mention, I have responses in my queue ready to go. The responses are greatly appreciated, even though I am not available to answer every question manually.
People love personal touches. The ability to send automated responses allows me to build customer loyalty and establish myself on Instagram.
How to set up MobileMonkey story mentions
- To automate messages on Instagram, first link it with a Facebook Business Page and then to MobileMonkey.
- Log in to Mobile Money and click “Chatbot” then “Chat starters”.
- Click on “Instagram Story Mentions” in the left-hand menu and select “Create Instagram Story Mention.”
- To create an automated response, choose “Instagram Story Mention” from the drop-down menu. You can thank them for including you in their story or provide a link to a website that you think they would enjoy. You can also add widgets such as images, forms and attachments to your site.
- You can choose what your automated reply will look like depending on whether the user responds with text message or email or multiple responses (such as yes or no).
- Send and preview!
Strategy #2 – Schedule Posts in Advance
Many people don't know that it is possible to schedule Instagram posts in advance.
This is because the post scheduling feature was removed years ago. It's now hidden in Instagram Creator Studio.
Instagram puts it this way: “The creator account on Instagram gives you tools that make it easier to manage your online presence, understand and manage your growth, and send messages.”
It saves me so much time and I love it.
Creator Studio includes:
- Professional Dashboard – See how your content performs and view educational content shared on Instagram.
- Growth insights – Tools to help you identify what content is helping you grow your audience.
- Advanced Post Scheduling: Create a content calendar by creating posts for Instagram Feed or Instagram TV.
Creator Studio also has a calendar view that allows you to see all content scheduled for publication. This is great for social media teams.
The Creator Studio Instagram scheduler will make it so easy to post multiple posts at once.
Strategy #3: Automate Direct Messaging Responses
You'll start to receive more direct messages as you grow your Instagram following. This is a good thing because people want to communicate with you. Automation can help you cut down on the time it takes to send DMs.
Most people I know ignore the DMs, but that is not a good idea. 75% of consumers would prefer to communicate with brands via private messaging. Therefore, you should respond as soon as possible.
You can use the automated direct messaging feature to:
- Set up automatic welcome messages for new followers
- Automated replies to InstagramDMs based upon keyword triggers
- Automate FAQ responses in DMs
Automated Direct Messaging can be used for many purposes, including customer service, account management and marketing campaigns.
Automated DMs must be triggered based upon keywords. It is important to not send generic DMs to everyone. Otherwise, it will look spammy and won't work. This will change the way you add calls-to-action to Instagram comments.
One example: I would post a message on Instagram asking people to comment with a phrase or word in order to receive a free ebook. I was able to get more engagement and build a larger audience, as well as generate leads for my advertising agency.
Here's how it works:
- To automate messages on Instagram, first link it with a Facebook Business Page and then to MobileMonkey.
- Log in to MobileMonkey and click “Chatbot” at the top.
- Click on “Instagram Welcomer”, on the left sidebar, to create a new one.
- You can choose the message that you want people to receive automatically when they DM your Instagram account. You can add widgets such as images, forms, and attachments to your sms opt ins. Here's the one I made:
- Send and preview
Strategy #4 – Drip Campaigns on Instagram
Email drip campaigns are something you're familiar with, but did you realize that you can also do it on Instagram?
The Instagram drip campaign feature allows you to take the standard automated DM response and elevate it to the next level.
Instead of sending just one DM, send multiple links to your blog and other channels over several days.
For example, you can:
- Send educational content to the first message.
- You can send social proof within a few days, such as a case review or brief review.
- Once you have their attention, ask them if they would like to be added to your email list.
You want to see it in action. Send me a “growth” message on Instagram.
These are some other ways you can use Instagram drip campaigns.
- Start lead nurturing campaigns.
- To engage your followers, send onboarding messages that include educational messages.
- Ask questions about list segmentation or retargeting.
- Send upselling campaigns
- Send your new followers instant messages of welcome.
Here are the steps to set up an Instagram drip campaign.
- Click on “Campaigns”, in the top bar, and “Drip Campaigns”, in the left.
- Make a new drip campaign.
- Please specify the social media platform.
- You can choose the audience to whom the campaign should be sent. Your audiences can be included or excluded.
- Select a time frame during which drip campaign messages will go out. Next, choose the time before the first message is sent. You can select minutes, hours or days.
- You can create a conversation and send as many follow-up messages as you like for up to 23 hours. The 24 hour clock resets if a user replies to your messages.
Strategy #5: Automate Comment Replies
Are you curious about the best way to make your Instagram account viral?
It is actually the same for most social media networks…
It's not about shares or likes, but it's about comments.
While anyone can share or like a post, it takes some time for people to comment thoughtfully. Social networks are aware of this. The more comments you receive, the more people will view your content.
The best way to encourage comments is to respond to them.
The best part is that you can do it in an automated manner that is “personalized”.
Here are the steps to get it set up.
- It should be linked to a Facebook Business Page first, and then to MobileMonkey.
- Log in to Mobile Money and click “Chat bot” then “Chat starters”.
- Click on “Instagram comment Guard” in the left bar to create a new one.
- You can choose what the Comment Guard will use, such as all posts or all comments.
- You can set the frequency limit if a user leaves more than one comment.
- You can create a dialogue and send it to all users who comment on your Instagram posts. You can also add widgets such as images, forms and sms opt ins to your Instagram post.
- Send and preview
This is how it looks in action. To see it in action, comment “growth” on the post.
Strategy #6: Use Instagram Guides
Instagram Guides is a new feature that allows users to easily search for tips and recommendations from their favorite Instagram accounts.
It was originally only available for certain types of accounts. Later, it was expanded to be accessible to all users.
There are three types of Guides: products, places and posts. They can also be shared in stories to help increase your content's reach.
Although it is not automation, Instagram Guides can be a great tool for marketers because they allow them to schedule posts ahead of time.
The first is that the feature is great for people with limited marketing budgets. Instagram Guides is a free tool that allows you to design brand pages and guides you through content promotion.
Guides' curation style makes it an ideal format for automatically sharing informational content in an engaging manner. The content can be used to inform new customers or followers about your products and how they relate to their lives.
It's also a little bit of an “always on” feature. It's possible to create a lot of content and it just sits there waiting for users.
Here's an example:
It is accessible by all users via my NP Digital Instagram account.
Instagram Guides allow you to choose from a variety of formats. You can create articles and convert them into slideshows using images and videos from tutorials.
You could also create videos that guide viewers through the task completion process.
Strategy #7 – Integrate with TikTok
Cross-promoting your content on social media puts it in front of a larger audience, attracts more leads and increases brand awareness. It also gives you more value from your content.
Instagram and TikTok are well integrated, and you can easily connect your accounts in just a few simple steps.
Connect them by:
- TikTok: Click “Edit Profile”
- Enter your username and select “Instagram”.
- Click here to connect
- You're done!
All you have to do now is share some content. These are just a few ideas to help you get started.
Start your story on TikTok, and then finish it on Instagram. There is no better way to reach two audiences than this!
This is great for decorating projects, makeovers and recipes. Anywhere you need a starting point and a finished product.
Another benefit is that you don't share the same content so there is no duplication.
You can also repost your Instagram Reels to TikTok. However, you must adhere to both platforms' guidelines.
Whatever approach you choose, remember your audiences and make sure your content is appropriate for each platform.
Instagram Automation FAQs
Is it expensive to automate Instagram functions?
Prices vary. You can find many great tools that are completely free. Some paid subscriptions also offer a free trial so you can get the most out of your subscription. While some apps may be more costly, they offer a wide range of features that make them worth it. You should not only consider the cost of an app, but also the return value. Consider how much time and money this automation tool can save you in other areas of your business.
MobileMonkey's InstaChamp tool offers two main packages: the VIP Creator & Influcer package and the platinum package. These include Story Mentions, Q&A Keywords, and DM Autoresponder Tools.
Which Instagram features can I automate
You can automate many important elements of your Instagram account using the tools available on Instagram. These include scheduling posts, responding and liking stories, commenting and liking posts and automatically responding to Instagram DMs.
Why should marketers automate Instagram functions
Many business owners need to use Instagram automation to make their Instagram accounts more interactive and respond to other users. They just don't have time or the resources to do it themselves.
Automating Instagram functions can help you save time and make your life easier. You can, for example, set your account to post at specific times during the day. Automate your account so that when someone comments or likes a post, it will automatically follow back.
How can I find out which Instagram automated tools work best?
There are many ways to determine which Instagram automation tools work best for you. You can check comments on company websites to see if there is any useful feedback.
You can also check out the reviews of customers on their site to see what other people think about their experiences with these tools.
If the company offers a free trial, it's a great way to try out the functions and find the right Instagram automation tool for you.
Instagram Automation Conclusion
Instagram automation will make your life much easier.
There are only so many hours in a day. While being active on social media sites such as Instagram is vital for brand growth, it can also be time-consuming. This can cause you to neglect other tasks, like outreach or developing content.
Instagram automation allows you to manage all aspects of a social media account, including the front-end and back-end tasks. This is possible without having to hire a manager or virtual assistant.
You can also integrate Instagram automation into your daily routine to increase productivity, build stronger relationships with your community, and develop customer loyalty.
Are you using Instagram tools for your business? What are the benefits?
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By: Neil Patel
Title: How to Automate Your Instagram Marketing and Get 132% More Engagement
Sourced From: neilpatel.com/blog/instagram-automation/
Published Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000