Instagram Shoutouts
Instagram is a social media giant and quite possibly the most cost-effective platform out there for brands and businesses.
You have probably heard of the phrase “Influencer Marketing” a few times by now and it’s a tried and tested method to get more sales for eCommerce websites. But, what you may not be aware of is another form of Instagram marketing known as Instagram Shoutouts.
It’s widely believed that Shoutouts preceded influencer marketing and were all the rage for a while until it was overtaken.
Regardless, Shoutouts are a proven method to get more followers on Instagram and it can be incredibly effective when done right.
What Are Instagram Shoutouts?
Instagram Shoutouts are basically a temporary sponsored post on somebody else’s account.
You are paying them a one-time fee for them to post an image and caption of your choosing on their account for a set and limited amount of time, usually 24 hours.
The advertiser would also tag your Instagram username (shoutout) and this would complete the process. This can be an incredibly cost-effective method of advertising as opposed to just paying for the standard Instagram ads using their platform.
How to Get Instagram Shoutouts?
So yes, this does cost money, but, it can be relatively cheap depending on who you deal with and it can quite often bring you more results than just using the standard Instagram ads or even sponsored influencer posts would have.
Find some accounts in your niche who have anywhere from 10,000 followers to a few hundred thousand and make note of their username.
You want to send these accounts a Direct Message on Instagram.
Send them a message similar to this:
Hello!
You have a really nice account here and I love your pictures. I would like to make a Shoutout (paid mention) on your account.
If you are interested, please contact me over email on youremail@gmail.com to discuss the terms.
Thank you.
That’s it, no need for it to be long and complicated. If the owner of the account is interested, which most of them are ($), they will write back to you with their terms or if they haven’t done it before you will need to arrange something. Make sure that you arrange the amount of time that it will be up for and you will also need to include your Instagram username in the caption so people know that the post is referring to you.
Tips For Instagram Shoutouts
Instagram Shoutout Caption
Your Instagram Shoutout caption would vary depending on the type of post that gets used. You can really just use the same caption that you would normally as if it was going to be posted on your own account.
Alternatively, you could ask the advertiser if they could come up with a caption that they think is best suited for their followers. They would know their follower base better, so they could probably think of something relatable and effective.
The Shoutout caption could tell a story, ask questions, show off a sense of humor and should of course contain some well-chosen hashtags.
Related: Golf Captions for Instagram
Paying for Instagram Shoutouts
Most account owners will accept a deposit into a PayPal account so payment is easily arranged. You would probably find that over 90% of people would prefer this.
Alternatively, you may get a few who would accept TransferWise, MoneyGram, Western Union, PerfectMoney, or WebMoney depending on their country.
Do your due diligence before sending the money and if it’s a large amount you may want to look into a contract or an extra layer of security for the transaction. PayPal is generally the safest route to go here and would be the most popular anyway.
The cost of a Shoutout will vary depending on the owner and even what niche it is in and two accounts with the same number of followers could vary quite greatly.
Typically, a Shoutout will range from $20 to over $100. This is also dependent on how many Shoutouts the owner of the account does per week as some of them make a full-time income just from daily Shoutouts.
After The Instagram Shoutout is Posted
Once the Instagram Shoutout has been posted you can monitor the post and respond to the comments. This shows that you are active and engaging and could win you some more followers in return.
People love Instagram accounts like this who also have personality and are fun to interact with. It can make brands and businesses more human which can help disassociate from a commercial relationship and foster something more personal.
Having said this, Shoutouts are a great way to get a quick boost in traffic and even sales but are mostly used to get more Instagram followers. If you have the budget, you can rotate a few account owners every week and maybe buy 3 or 5 Shoutouts a week so you can get more Instagram followers faster.
Are Instagram Shoutouts Right For Me?
Instagram shoutouts can prove to be very rewarding when it comes to exposure. A shoutout is when a screenshot is taken of a user’s profile and then shared on another account. It is a way of showing support. It also exposes your profile to an audience that may not otherwise come across your profile.
Doing a shoutout can increase your followers and allow businesses a way to advertise. While shoutouts are very simple to do, they can actually be a great marketing technique.
Instagram’s algorithm is ever changing. By doing mutual shoutouts, you can increase your exposure greatly. Now that we have established what a shoutout is, how do you go about getting one?
Networking is key in this situation. You have to reach out to other Instagram users. With a bit of conversation, you will find other users who are also looking to increase their following. This system can be mutually beneficial.
With reaching out, you will come across some people who simply do not do shoutouts and that is okay, just move along to someone else. It is helpful if you try to stick to your niche, you are more likely to get like-minded individuals to share your account.
You also want to stick to accounts that have a similar following to you. For example, if you have 500 followers, it is not likely that an account with 100,000 followers is going to give you a shoutout.
Take the time to like, follow and even comment on user’s accounts before you reach out. If they see that you have been interacting, they are more likely to be open to giving you a shoutout.
Make sure you do not spam other accounts by posting things such as “S4S” in their comments. This is not going to work out very well if you are seeking their help. In most cases, it will likely get you blocked instead. You do not want to be that person.
When you make your overall content interesting, you are far more likely to have genuine followers. Sure, numbers are great when you look at them, but if you are not getting interaction from those followers it is rather pointless.
When used properly, Instagram can be a great marketing tool for small businesses or websites. It is important to stay on top of the latest algorithm updates as well.