Are you a marketer looking to promote your business on one of the most popular social media platforms? And that too organically and without using any foul tactics of buying users with third-party apps?
If Yes, then you are in the right place exactly.
In 2020, Instagram has emerged as one of the most famous social networking sites to expand the reach of your business. Don’t just believe in the claims, have a look at the numbers because they are speaking for themselves.
There are approximately one billion monthly users on Instagram. In a report made public in 2019, it was estimated that approximately 73% percent of marketers use Instagram to promote their business.
But, have you ever wondered how all these marketers yield the benefit of such a huge number of people on this platform? What strategies and techniques do they use to have millions of followers? Let us delve into their little secrets.
They use Instagram shoutouts or called Insta shoutouts.
Let’s move step by step to master this art of getting Instagram shoutouts.
Understand what is an Instagram shoutout
A shoutout on Instagram is like a call of support from one Insta user to another. It happens when brand or influencer A mentions a brand or influencer B and vice versa in their post, and talk about their offering to garner support from each other. It is similar to using each other’s Instagram reach.
But is it as simple as it looks? The answer is both Yes and No. It is simple if you follow the right tips and strategies and extremely difficult when you do it haphazardly without a plan.
How does Shoutout happen?
There are several options to give a shoutout such as posting pictures of other brands, videos, tagging the brands, or making a call to action to encourage Instagram followers to visit the proposed pages.
Numerous ways to give a shoutout
Shoutouts can happen in several ways. Some of them are:
S4S (shoutout for shoutout): This is a way of giving Instagram shoutout. It is like making a deal of giving shoutouts between different users of Instagram. This is based on the principle of reciprocity.
Voluntary Shoutout: Sometimes you may get a shoutout without asking for it or making a deal for it. This is when someone likes your offerings so much that they can’t refrain from endorsing you.
In such a situation display good manners and return a shoutout too. After all, Instagram is all about engaging and supporting each other.
Rated shoutouts: Alternative you can also look for people who deal with making shoutouts. Looks weird? But that’s how it is and it is completely legit. The tactic comes under Influencer marketing. See? There is nothing that you can’t sell if done properly. The payment can be made in cash or kinds like a product or service.
Shoutouts by brands: Sometimes famous brands also give shoutouts to their user’s page if they like their content. This can be useful for new users to get authenticated by big brands. For instance, a cosmetics page may get a shoutout from a page promoting healthy habits for getting beautiful skin.
Taking part in shoutout contests: You might have heard about this. Many pages on Instagram run contests and this is an excellent way to win shoutouts. There is a strong likelihood that newbies can also get a shoutout from bigger accounts.
Tips to give/get a shoutout on Instagram
Now you are going to know some pro tips to get and give a shoutout on Instagram. But before looking for someone for shoutouts you have to make a thorough research, go through Instagram pages, and have a command on social media.
1/5 Look for similar content as yours on Instagram
People who are interested in education-related content may not get any followers by getting shoutout form tech-related pages, so don’t just go to any page and propose a reciprocal shoutout or ask for a shoutout.
You can look for relevant pages by searching Instagram with hashtags related to your offerings. Get to know about influencers in your niche. Employ tools like BuzzStream or BuzzSumo. All you are required to do is enter keywords related to your industry and you will get multiples influencers to choose from.
2/5 look for users who have similar account size as you
There are high chances that you are not going to get a shoutout from a user who has a bigger Instagram presence than you. It is only wise to look for accounts that have a similar number of followers as you.
A user with 100 thousand followers is not going to give a shoutout to someone with just a couple of hundred of followers unless it is a voluntary shoutout.
Engage with the prospective shoutout partner before making an offer
Remember, manners are appreciated everywhere. Instead of bombarding a user with an S4S request out of the blue try to engage with them first, like, comment, and follow them. Show some interest in their stories. And when you have made your presence felt politely ask for a shoutout.
Let them know you are a serious user who means business and who is here to stay. Later when you make a request try telling them how you both are similar and why you chose that particular account to engage with.
Directly reach out to them (Direct Message)
The next step is reaching out to them. Directly message them. Start with making a light conversation. Appreciate their offerings and then put forward your proposal.
Make sure to highlight what is there for each side. Chances are you are not going to be successful if you don’t highlight what is in there for the other party. Make sure to not spam irrelevant accounts instead go little by little.
Email: Another option is to email them with your proposal. This looks more professional. By approaching them this way there are high chances that you are going to get a free shoutout from pages having similar content as you or even a bigger account.
Summary
There are some useful tips to win a shoutout such as looking for pages with related content with comparable follower count, making a rapport with the prospective shoutout partners, politely messaging them, and putting forward an impressive proposal highlighting the benefits each side is going to get as a result of the shoutout.
