10 Tips to Effectively Use Social media People want to be seen and heard and there's no better platform than this to reach thousands of people at once

In this growing start-up culture, social media is every entrepreneur's step 1 towards a successful marketing model. And of all the social media platforms, Instagram is a business favourite given that it's one of the fastest growing social media apps right now. Not just bloggers and influencers but brands, agencies and corporates, too, are on Instagram. People want to be seen and heard and there's no better platform than this to reach thousands of people at once. While everyone gets caught up in big campaigns and collaborations to get more numbers and engagement here, they often miss out on the basics. Your Instagram feed reflects you. You can use it intelligently to project the right message. These 10 commandments will help you lead a more effective social media life.

1. Know Your Purpose For Posting

Every social media feed should be backed by the intention with which it was made. Think of it as a brand. Just as a brand has a purpose around which revolves its content and marketing strategy, so does your feed. Know your purpose and you're halfway there.

2. Ensure A Mix Of Real Pictures, Videos, And Illustrations

A good mix of real pictures of yourself, pictures taken by you, videos, boomerangs, and interesting illustrations will give your feed some energy and newness.

3. Make Your Captions Engaging

Now, just posting a picture won't mean anything unless you have something to say about it. Opt for a conversational caption that, one, will force your audience to stop scrolling and read, and two, prompt them to comment.

4. Hashtags Serve A Purpose

Hashtags are an excellent way to get extra visibility. They can help you find people with similar interests, and thus, broaden your connections. At the same time, hashtagging every word is annoying. In fact, Instagram recognises this as spam and can further push down your discoverability. Pick 3 to 4 meaningful hashtags that will send the right people your way. Make sure to use a combination of broad and specific hashtags.

5. Tag Where Credit Is Due

Tagging the right handles is as important as it is easy. If you're wearing a brand, give them outfit courtesy and tag them. If someone else has taken your picture, tag them. If you're at an event, tag the organisers and management. Attaching relevant people to your post will help make it visible to their followers as well which, in turn, will bring them to your feed.

6. Add Your Location To Get More Reach

Adding locations, for example, hotels, restaurants, and cafes you're visiting can help attract other brands. Location tags make your audience relate to you better as it shows them a window to your lifestyle. People always like to find common things between them and you.

7. Don't Ignore Your Audience

Another important aspect here would be responding to the comments your post gets. Striking up a conversation makes them feel heard and keep coming back for more. And that's how you retain your audience. Ignoring a comment (unless it's a spam) is the last thing you need.

8. Make Sure Your Bio Reflects You

Your "About' page or "Bio' is the first thing anyone will see when they land on your feed. So, rather than letting a quote taken off the Internet do the talking, make your bio as real as possible. It should say what you do, what you like, and who you are in a creative and crisp way.

9. Follow The Demographics You Want To Follow You

Following the right people is very important in social media. You don't want to pursue fashion and have automobile enthusiasts following you. That's just not the right target audience.

10. Stay Active

Make it a point to keep posting something, if not a recent picture maybe a throwback or a thought of the day. Your audience will be as interested in your feed as you are.