Great Instagram Tips: Ask Me a Question



When I set out to grow my Instagram following in 2020 the first thing I did was search online for ideas to help grow a truly loyal following.

Growing your Instagram following isn’t necessarily all about the number of followers you have, though important, really it boils down to the engagement your profile receives. And in looking at what helped grow an account the most, the recurring theme that kept coming up was engaging users on Instagram!

Instagram’s parent company, Facebook, wants users on their platforms. Their competition is not other social media platforms, but instead, different niches all together like Netflix or YouTube. That being said, knowing what Instagram wants - engagement - will help you grow your Instagram in the long run.

A larger, loyal following leads to more website visits, more leads, and more brand authority. All of which can be made possible with one tiny, simple and effective tip:

By asking questions!

Ask Questions on Instagram

There are a variety of ways to interact with Instagram users.

How to poll a question on instagram story?

Go to the sticker menu by clicking on the sticker icon. In the list, find the Poll sticker if you have the English version of Instagram installed. After you attach the poll sticker, you can ask a question and change the button names.

How to make 4 answer options on Instagram?

Go to Stories, take a photo or video and add a new sticker. Next, (optionally) customize the background color and add two to four answer options. Don't forget to choose the correct answer and that's it - the story is ready to be published.

Sharing epic content, pretty photos, and awesome videos is a solid place to start. From there, engaging with your audience and hashtags that are specific to your niche is your best bet to continue to grow your Instagram.

However, to gain the following and brand recognition you want most, the simple art and tactic of asking simple questions is a game-changer.

For example, at least several times a week, I like to ask a very personal financial question as a personal finance blogger on my Instagram account. While Getting Too Personal might seem a bit over the top, it's effective in connecting with the emotional side of followers. Just recently I asked, If you got a stimulus check, did you spend it or save it?

This question had tons of answers and comments and people even added it to their stories. I typically use a litmus test when asking questions that is simple to remember: Is my question relatable and relative?

Every time I ask a question through a post or make use of the Instagram Story question/poll feature, I use the relatable and relative rule.

That being said, you can certainly step up your question asking game on Instagram and start to see results pretty quickly!

Step Your Instagram Question Game Up!

Always keeping the goal of Instagram in mind (users engaging on their platform so markets can run ads that are seen) it’s important to keep their algorithm in mind when asking questions.

But that doesn’t mean asking a question has to be super complicated. For example, sticking with the personal finance niche, let’s say you’re writing an article on  easy ways to make money at home,   and you want to prime your audience on Instagram some.

Prior to publishing and sharing, you might ask on your story, “Anyone got any cool ways to make money at home they could share?” Or you could even make a post asking the same question with a few options followed by a post description that says something like, “What is the best way to make money at home? A, B, or C? Comment below!”

The question and action prompt of “Comment below” get’s people interacting and talking in your comment section, thus engaging on Instagram. Instagram recognizes this and over time, the more engagement on your profile, the more likely your profile becomes visible to others!

All from just asking a few questions!

To help you ask questions, here are a few tips:
  • Ask either or questions
  • Use your story and posts to ask questions
  • Make quick videos asking questions or share thoughts, with a final question
  • Share posts and at the end say, “Would you add anything else?”
  • Ask users to message you with questions they have
  • Don’t be afraid to get personal or ask questions that might tug at the heartstrings some

Why Questions Lead to Engagement

Looking at a post and liking it is one thing, but oftentimes, many Instagram users will simply scroll past a photo in a matter of seconds. However, stopping them by asking a question that elicits a response creates a slight positive interruption in their scrolling.

The question gets the user thinking, engaging, sharing, and commenting. This is obviously beneficial for all involved. Landing more comments on your posts will help Instagram recognize your profile as a more authoritative profile for your niche and as stated earlier, rank your profile higher.

While none of this happens overnight, just asking one question a week in a post and perhaps sprinkling a few more in on your story will help grow your profile and separate you from other influencers who are blasting and promoting themselves.

Instead of promoting, try asking and engaging - it will work out better!

Another added benefit to asking questions on your profile is that it gives your audience a sense of connection. When you ask personal questions or share things that are personal (about your team, company, brand - whatever) you are moving to level 2 and beyond connections.

Most social media is very surface level, so anytime you can move past that you’re going to get better results, and that includes asking questions!

Final Word

Right now, as someone who is fully immersed in the blogging and social media world as a digital marketer/blogger, I personally feel as though almost all social media efforts should be placed on Instagram.

Twitter is great for announcements, press releases, and news, but more and more brands are moving to Instagram because let’s face it, it’s the fastest growing social media platform.

At the very least, observe the 80/20 rule when it comes to social media for your business. Place 80% of your efforts on Instagram, especially if your target audience is moms or anyone below the age of 35 (millennials and below).

Hopefully learning how to ask thought-provoking and engaging questions on Instagram helps you grow your Instagram authority and as we part, here is a question for you:

Q: How do you plan on implementing the question strategy on your Instagram profile? 
Josh, Money Life Wax
Money Life Wax
Instagram @Moneylifewax
Twitter @moneylifewax

Josh is a digital marketing expert and blogger who writes about ways to make money, pay off debt, and improve yourself. After paying off $200,000 in student loans with his wife in less than four years, Josh started Money Life Wax and has been featured on Forbes, Business Insider, Huffington Post and more! In addition to being a life-long entrepreneur, Josh loves talking about social media, sports and working out!
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is asking questions effective for Instagram promotion?
Instagram ask question story is a simple and effective advice for promoting your account. Since more loyal followers lead to more website visits, more leads and more brand authority.
What questions we can ask on Instagram?
On Instagram, you can ask a wide range of questions to engage with your followers and encourage engagement. For example, about your interests; opinions on current topics; recommendations; personal experience; feedback about your content; seeking advice; surveys; interactive tasks; quizzes and more.
How to share question results on Instagram?
Open the Instagram app. Tap the + icon at the bottom center of the screen to create a new post. Choose or take a photo or video that you want to accompany the results of your question. Click Next. At the bottom of the screen, you'll find the Survey
What are some creative ways to use the 'Ask Me a Question' feature on Instagram for increased engagement?
Creative ways include hosting Q&A sessions, gathering customer feedback, sharing personal stories or expertise, and using responses to create more content.



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