The Do’s and Don’ts of Instagram: How to Maximize Your Presence

When it comes to Instagram, having fun and being creative is the true essence of the platform. However, as you’re building your brand and growing, there are some practices that you should follow and some you’ll be better off without. Below we’re outlining some of basic do’s and don’ts to get you started.

DO’s

Focus on photographs – Instagram was made with the intention of sharing one’s life events with their friends, family, and followers predominantly in the form of photos. So if you or a team member want to share a moment however serious or silly it may be, snap a photo and publish it on Instagram!

Be mindful when posting – When you’re first starting on your Instagram page, aim for a post a day to build your content and, subsequently, your audience. Consistency is key, so be sure to set a goal that is realistic for you and your practice.

Share more than just your office life – Your followers love the office photos, but it never hurts to add a little bit of “you” to the page. Any big accomplishments or events outside of work? Share them! Your followers want to see you, so show them the things that make you unique.  

Quality over quantity – Not everything needs to be shared, and you won’t always have something to post. If you don’t have anything in mind to share, that’s fine – it’s always better to wait for the appropriate time than to fill your page with content for the sake of having content.

Have fun – From funny captions, asking questions, and engaging with the comments, there are a plethora of ways to interact with your fan base. Have fun with it, get creative, and use hashtags – no one wants to look at a totally serious, plain Instagram page, so find ways to add a hint of whimsy to your content.

DON’TS

Don’t use too many graphics – As mentioned before, Instagram is meant for your photos, not so much for graphics. There’s nothing wrong with sharing graphics occasionally, as long as they don’t make up the bulk of your content.

Don’t spam  – Having a post once or twice a day is fine, but five? It’s overkill. Posting everything and anything will only lead to a loss in followers.

Don’t post photos of people’s mouths – It’s important to remember that what you might find interesting and cool from your work may not be interesting to your patients. Not many people want to see a detailed image of the inside of someone else’s mouth.  

No thank you, Dr. Dentist.

Don’t overdo it on the hashtags – Imagine you’re a user browsing through Instagram, you spot a nice post from your favorite dentist or orthodontist, you look at the caption and uh-oh it’s all ruined by a maze of incoherent hashtags, forcing you to scroll past and not even bother engaging with the post. It happens, so be considerate when playing around with hashtags. Aim for a max of four.

Don’t overuse filters – Filters can an absolute blast to use and can also help a photo pop, but they also run the risk of making a gorgeous photograph into a less than stellar one. Too many filters on your photos won’t lead to any gain, so be aware of how you edit your photos.

The biggest item to remember when using Instagram is that you should be having fun. Take photos, use hashtags, and get creative – your followers are waiting to see what you and your team are up to, and there’s no better way than with a nice photo gallery through Instagram. Just avoid those close-up shots of mouths.

Itching to learn more? Be sure to check out our latest webinar on Instagram marketing hosted by Sesame Social’s Michelle Hammond! Mark your calendars for May 9 at 11:00 P.M. PST to hear some of the best tips and tricks in the market.

— Adrian Vargas, Social Media Specialist, Sesame Communications