Instagram comments aren’t something most people spend a lot of time on. There’s nothing easier than double-clicking a little red heart to like somebody’s post. So when a user decides they want to comment, that comment is probably going to get read.
People have been using Instagram comments as a way to grow their accounts for a good amount of time.
Who among us doesn’t know the thrill of receiving a notification that somebody left a comment on our post, only to find somebody has left “Great content, check out my page!”
Instagram comments can be used for good. They can even be a crucial part in growing your brand and becoming a top influencer.
Let’s take a look at some of the do’s and don’ts of Instagram comments.
Do: Use Consistent Instagram Comments
Instagram comments are a great way to boost your own engagement and get your profile noticed. People are much more likely to click on your profile if you comment consistently.
Commenting just once on a random post from a long time ago on a profile you’re not following is a pretty transparent move. Anybody who’s trying to make their way as an influencer is going to notice your patterns of engagement.
So to make sure your engagement is actually engagement, try building a real relationship instead of just seeking followers. Make sure to leave comments on more than one post, drawn out over periods of time. Spamming with Instagram comments is no better than actual spam.
Consistent Instagram comments can be part of a valuable relationship. You never know what they could lead to!
Don’t: Play Games In Your Instagram Comments
Follow, unfollow. Like for like. Commenting to check out your own page. These are all Instagram strategies that are not particularly effective. They make your account look like a spam account. They’re also incredibly annoying.
When building your brand, your audience is just as important as your content. Perhaps even more important. Engagement is a huge deal on Instagram. You should aim to cultivate an audience that is genuinely interested in your content. Attentive followers will click on links you post, answer your polls, and find you on other platforms.
When you’re building your account, remember those great words of Aesop: slow and steady wins the race. Sure, it’s easy to buy followers, and easy to like for like – but that’s not the kind of profile you want to create in the first place.
Do: Comment After Posting
An important part of engagement is how much attention your post gets in the time after its immediate publication. One easy way to use that to your gain is to go into a hashtag after you post and leave a comment.
Comments are likely to generate the highest engagement if you comment within fifteen minutes of your post. The comment will direct traffic back to your own profile, and new posts have a chance of being featured on Instagram’s explore page.
But, a word to the wise: choose your comments carefully! Comment on profiles that have a similar style and content to yours.
If you keep your Instagram comments about creating a space of genuine positivity and creative exchange, your Instagram comments will help you gain new followers and make new friends.
Don’t: Recycle the Same Instagram Comments Over and Over
Maybe it doesn’t say “Please check out my page,” but if you put the same exact, generic comment on every post, people will notice. Top pages can generate hundreds of comments within minutes. The chance that your comment will be filtered out as spam is much increased when it’s unoriginal.
Remember that your brand is your business. A good business benefits from the hardest work at the beginning. If that means setting aside some time to come up with new, original comments for Instagram profiles you admire, take the time to invest in your brand.
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Do: Make Genuine Instagram Comments
With Instagram’s “sticky” comments feature, it’s easy to assume that your comment will be swallowed along with everyone else’s except for those lucky few who are pinned to the bottom of the post. The temptation to phone it in with your comment is strong.
Even if you aren’t recycling an old comment, a low effort, generic comment will result in no gain at best. At worst, it can turn into severe backlash.
Not too long ago, there was an influencer scandal involving Sia Cooper of @diaryofafitmommyofficial. Many top influencers and Instagram users alike complained about seeing her Instagram comments absolutely everywhere.
Whether in the pages of Nicki Minaj or a Kardashian or on an influencer’s post, Sia Cooper’s Instagram comments were heavily criticized for being a transparent marketing strategy. She often commented on accounts she didn’t even follow.
Did the strategy work? Well, it depends on who you ask. While Sia Cooper’s Instagram did grow over the course of a few months, her name is far more associated with bad press than good. Just googling her Instagram handle gets you all negative press in the top ten results.
If you want to attract genuine, attentive followers, skip “babe” and “haha” for something that shows you actually read the post.
Do: Leave Instagram Comments on Celebrity Profiles
Don’t let potential scandals discourage you, however. Leave comments on celebrity profiles! As long as your comment is genuine and original, and you’re not obviously spamming, a celebrity profile is a great place to meet like-minded Instagrammers.
Celebrities are often people we look up to. We at least admire some parts of their lives a little bit, or else we wouldn’t follow them. Leaving an Instagram comment on your favorite celebrity’s profile will expose you to their fans and also show your followers who you admire.
Celebrity Instagram comments are a chance to bond, and to align your profile with similar brands!
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Don’t: Leave Instagram Comments On Unrelated Pages
This one should be obvious. Yet somehow discount sneaker brands or totally unrelated ad efforts keep popping up in the comments of the bigger travel accounts on my feed.
Determining a target audience is an important step in building a brand. If you don’t know who you’re marketing to, you don’t know your brand. And if you don’t know your brand, you’re not ready to market. Discount sneakers and adventure travel don’t go hand in hand.
For example, if you run a fitness page, you probably want to focus on other fitness related accounts, and healthy, clean eating. There’s certainly room for overlap, but to focus on growing your account with followers who are engaged and not merely interested, it’s better to stick to one or two niches.
Do: Showcase Your Uniqueness in Instagram Comments
You should comment on profiles that are like yours. But your brand should always stand out as unique. The Instagram comments are where you have the opportunity to show off what makes you and your brand special!
Instagram is full of millions of profiles, so allow your profile to encompass what you have to offer. If you have a fun, silly personality, make use of that in the comments you leave on other pages. If you’re more classy and artistic, focus on that aspect in your Instagram comments.
Highlight the differences between yourself and other similar profiles. What makes you worth following should always be the first thing to stand out in your Instagram comments.
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Do: Have Fun With It!
Through Instagram’s quick rise as a powerful PR tool, it’s easy to forget why all of us love it so much in the first place. Instagram is fun.
Instagram comments are no exception. While Instagram comments are an important tool to building a recognizable brand, remember to have fun with them! Instagram is a positive environment filled with like-minded people, so let that carry you.
Use your Instagram comments to connect with people. Use them to promote. But most of all, use them to keep Instagram a fun, positive place. The more you embrace the fun of Instagram in your Instagram comments, the more users of Instagram will embrace you.
