How to go viral on Instagram?

Understand the expectations of the community

On Instagram, as on other social networks, there is no secret to creating a viral post. This is because it's all about the interest that followers show in your content. And as with all marketing strategies, the best way to meet your followers' expectations is to offer them the content they want. To do this, you first need to know your subscribers and learn more about the topics they love. 

In order to find the type of content that makes people interact the most, you need to create a fictional persona that has the essential characteristics to connect with your audience. Be sure to consider the following criteria when creating your persona:

• age,
• gender,
• the place of residence,
• the profession,
• the level of education,
• wage income.
  

This information will help you connect with your community and therefore determine the type of post that gets them to be responsive. In addition to content, don't forget to also include the type of Instagram account that followers follow the most. 

Finding your visual identity

Now that you have created the character that will capture the hearts of your subscribers, find your visual identity. It goes without saying that this is one of the keys to reaching the Holy Grail in terms of visibility. Just like other social networks, Instagram is based on visuals, both in form and content. So, let's face it, even if the content of your post deserves the most interactions, it will be biased by its non-captivating appearance. 

In addition, having your own visual identity will allow you to create your own personality. It will be like a trademark, because as soon as it appears, subscribers will immediately make the link with you. If you are not good at this or have no knowledge of it, you can call in the professionals. Although this is an additional cost, it is a long-term investment. In addition, you can make use of different software and applications that will make your posts unique, attractive, but also original. 

Publishing at peak times

Just like you, your subscribers go about their business during the day. And if you want to reach them and make your post go viral, choose the time when they are all active. So, posting at peak times is the best way to make your post go viral. This way, it will be at the top of your news feed and will be seen instantly by all your followers so that they can interact right away.

Therefore, there is no point in making a publication at 3 a.m. when no subscribers are active. Studies show that the number of active subscribers peaks in the morning before work, at noon between lunch breaks and in the evening after work. However, there is an audience analysis tool that allows you to determine the most effective times for your audience. Therefore, schedule your posts around these times if you want to go viral on Instagram.

Conducting competitive intelligence

How often have you found that the content published by your competitors is more successful than yours? And just like on Instagram, there is no rule that prevents you from copying an idea, improving it and using it. So why not do some competitive intelligence? It's simple and logical, because if it made your competitor's post go viral, why shouldn't it do the same with yours? However, copying without first modifying it is out of the question, as you will be sanctioned.

In order not to infringe copyright and to increase your visibility, consider the following parameters:

• the type of content: image, photo or text;
• the content itself: humorous, militant, call to action and other;
• the hashtags used;
• the frequency of publications and stories;
• publication schedules.

Mastering these parameters will allow you to reach more subscribers, especially according to the persona you have created. 

Use the right hashtags

Did you know that many companies rely on the hashtag only to increase their popularity? Yes, but in order to do that you need to use the right hashtag. The problem is that social network users are using it without knowing what it means. When used properly, it is an effective strategy that can make a post go viral. 

In fact, the hashtag is a specific tag that offers access to the general feed page and the exploration section. To help you choose the right hashtag that will improve your SEO and your niche, use the Hashtager application. Also, those that are used enough are the most relevant. Choose them according to your theme and popularity level. 

As we have seen throughout this article, going viral on Instagram requires following a specific strategy and steps. If you need professional expertise in the field, My name is Bond and its team can help you in your approach.