Copper State Socials

1. Ditch Square Posts: Instagram prioritizes vertical content! Stop posting 1:1 or horizontal photos. Optimize for 4:5 vertical posts or 9:16 Reels to stay relevant.

The other thing to be mindful of is the boundaries set while editing in programs, such as Canva. These boundaries help keep the content in the space that is easy to read.

Note: Nextdoor app has seemed to move to a 4:5 or 1:1 preference, so make the change if you’re using [Nextdoor] for marketing.

2. Brand Everything: Unbranded content gets lost. Make sure every post, Reel, and Story includes your logo or handle to drive brand recognition and build a cohesive feed.

Do you need help developing a brand guide? Reach out to have your brand guide created easy for you to follow and share with others.

3. Rethink Hashtags: Instagram’s algorithm has evolved! Instead of relying on hashtags, focus on writing keyword-rich captions. This helps your content appear in search and discovery, boosting your SEO on Instagram and Google.

Note: Hashtags are still relevant on TikTok but limited to 5 hashtags max, so choose hashtags that aren’t too broad but also not too narrow that you miss potential reach.

4. Mix Up Your Content: Sticking to just Reels or just photos? It’s time to diversify! Post a mix of Carousels and Reels to keep your audience engaged and cater to different preferences.

What do you have the hardest time creating, Reels or Carousel posts? Personally, I love to edit Reels for clients but not for my own channels, but I, too, need to push out of my comfort zone.

5. Stop Ghosting: Don’t just post and disappear! Engagement is key. Reply to comments, respond to DMs, and actively interact with your community to signal to Instagram that your content is valuable.

Pro Tip: When getting ready to post again, review your recent posts for missed comments, check DMs and Message Requests to make sure everything has been answered. This little ‘bump’ of engagement can help push your content out that much further.

6. Tailor Your Content: Auto-posting the same content across all platforms without editing for each one feels impersonal. Take the time to adapt your visuals and captions for each platform to truly connect with your audience.

If/when you’re planning content shoots, be sure that your photographer is aware of the full shot list you’re expecting. My biggest recommendations are to have all content shot horizontal (for website) and vertical (for social/ad), have great detail shots but also wide shots to tell a bigger story, and lastly, be sure that you have great composition on your photos so that you can add text overlay, as needed.