Having an Instagram profile for your business won’t separate you from the pack anymore. The real test is using it to your advantage on a regular basis to increase engagement and make connections with other users. Thriving on Instagram is all about the effort you put forth. By paying attention to small details, you’ll be able to build countless relationships in no time.

Respond to users.

Simply making a post on Instagram isn’t going to cut it. Once you’ve made a post, monitor the comments section for opportunities to respond to users. Liking and replying to comments on your posts will make your brand much more personable. When replying to others, vary the language you use and refer to them by their first name when possible. This personalizes your responses and lets people know you’re paying attention. Additionally, keep an eye out for what’s happening in your DMs. You may have some questions, comments, or concerns from users who would rather contact you privately than post publicly.

Repost through your story

Instagram Stories are valuable in a lot of ways–one way to build connections is by using stories as a tool for reposting. If other users are posting positive content about your company, ask them for permission to repost it using your story. To increase this type of interaction, ask other users to post using a certain hashtag for you to repost. By doing so, their followers will become aware of your business, and you can keep them engaged through your posts.

Stay in the know.

Make regular rounds throughout different Instagram pages that align with your brand. Consider what kind of memes and pop culture references would be appropriate for an account like yours to post. Of course, you want to be professional and informative, but it won’t hurt to lighten things up a bit every now and then. Consider occasionally posting some fun content so that your followers are not only informed but also entertained.

Be consistent.

Make your account one that people can expect posts from on a regular basis. If you post at a high rate one week, and then go nearly silent the next, it will interrupt your regular communication with your audience. Find a rate of frequency to post at that you will be able to sustain. Your followers will gain a degree of familiarity and comfortability with you and will soon be cutting out time to check in on your posts.

Using a seemingly saturated platform like Instagram as a tool for relationship building can seem daunting. However, by giving it the kind of attention that you’d give any other aspect of your business, with some patience, you’ll find it to be invaluable to your success and reputation.