Instagram is constantly changing and evolving. What once started as a photo sharing application has evolved over the years into mimicking other social media apps, but one thing has remained consistent has been the openness about the changes. I’ve compiled a list of strategies and ideas that if you focus on as a DJ & Producer, will see your social media numbers consistently grow going into 2023. Most of these ideas revolve around using Instagram Reels, but we have some for normal posts as well.
Why DJs & Producers need to use Instagram Reels
If you are not using Instagram Reels by now in 2022, going into 2023 then you definitely have noticed the stagnant and mostly non existent reach and engagement on your posts. Instagram has made it clear that with the rise of TikTok, and even YouTube Shorts now joining in, short form video content is the future. We can attribute this to the rise of high definition cameras on phones as well as better bandwidth with more 5G adoption.
Instagram recently stated at Amsterdam Dance Event that accounts that post only five Reels a month will see their accounts grow by 2.5% more than an account who posts zero Reels. If you are posting Reels but you’re recycling that content from another platform such as TikTok, then you need to ensure that the TikTok logo is not visible. Instagram’s image detection software detects that logo and will limit your reach and engagement on that video.
Experiment with Content
You won’t ever know what kind of videos you should be posting if you don’t experiment with what you’re putting out there. Videos with your face, and videos that are bright will perform better than videos that are dark.
Using Saved Audio from other peoples Reels, or using the Remix feature on Instagram Reels can be an easy way to generate content that can garner a lot of reach and engagement, even from outside of your core followers.
If you are going to make a normal post with photos and videos, you need to ensure you’re making a Carousel post. If you are posting a flyer or meme and it’s just text, be sure to put a picture with your face as the first slide and use a call to action telling people to swipe.
Check your hashtags! Using a hashtag tool to see the volume and other statistics around a hash tag can help you better understand what hashtags are working best for your content. Don’t put “techhouse” as a hashtag, or just “house” because if you look at those hashtags, it’s a lot of high tech houses, or just bare houses in general. Use more descriptive words like “techhousemusic”, “techhousedj” or “housemusiclovers”. These will help you reach new people and better perform amongst other content.
Collaborate with others! If you have a music release coming out on a label, invite them or have them invite you to be a collaborator on a post. Using the collaboration feature will have the content post to both accounts and make it easier for cross-account reach and engagement.
Don’t Overthink It
You don’t have to spend hours and hours a day grinding away creating content for Instagram Reels. With Instagram’s new Scheduled Posts feature that just recently rolled out, you can now batch produce your content and with the right content strategy and calendar you can plan out content weeks in advance. You still need to go back and engage, but the tediousness of trying to come up with posts constantly can be consolidated to an afternoon for the whole month, thus freeing up time for you to produce more music.
I’ll be talking more about social media and marketing growth as my tried and true methods are validated as a self-use case study. If you’re interested in consultations or coaching for your own artist career, reach out.