Best Instagram Practices: Boost Engagement and Grow Your Brand

With digital advancement, social media use has also surged. These platforms, once known for socializing, have now become a primary marketplace for businesses. Instagram is one of the largest players in the social media space. India boasts the largest Instagram audience in the world, with 362 million users as of January 2024. This has opened marketing and branding opportunities for brands and creators in 2025.

Instagram ads in 2025 will be smarter than ever. Staying ahead in this cutthroat environment requires mastering the best Instagram practices. The Instagram algorithm 2025 will prioritize high-quality, captivating material, making captioning and carousel posts more crucial than ever. The most recent and best Instagram practice upgrade includes reel optimization, AR filters, and artificial intelligence (AI) content production. Businesses now have access to advanced Instagram shopping features, influencer partnerships, and shoppable posts for more engaged audiences.

Knowing the best Instagram practices for both paid and organic content is essential for success in the fiercely competitive world of Instagram. Let's take a closer look at Instagram's key trends and organic growth tactics.

10 Best Instagram Practices for Ads in 2025 

By 2025, there will be 1.44 billion Instagram monthly active users. Businesses that embrace best Instagram practices will benefit from stronger audience connections and high conversion rates. Let’s explore the top Instagram ad strategies that will help you dominate the platform in 2025.

1.  Leverage AI-driven Audience Targeting 

AI power tools have revolutionized marketing methods. Brands must leverage AI-driven tools to analyze user behavior, interest, and engagement. This allows brands to refine their audience accurately. Instead of relying on basic demographics, AI identifies purchase intent and engagement patterns. To implement AI-driven targeting:

• Use Instagram’s AI-based ad recommendations for smarter targeting.
• With the use of predictive analytics, identify the ads with higher engagement or views and analyze their performance.
• Automate bid variations by integrating machine learning algorithms.
• Personalize ad creatives according to user data.

By staying ahead in the AI revolution, brands can craft hyper-relevant ads that connect with the right audience at the correct moment.

2.  Incorporate AR Try-on Features in Ads 

Augmented reality (AR) try-on ads let users virtually test products, from makeup shades to fashion accessories, before purchasing. This feature increases engagement and conversion and reduces return rates. To integrate AR into ads:

• Let users “try before they buy” with AR interactive filters. This technique could work on products like sunglasses, apparel, shoes, or more within Instagram reels and stories.
• Ask followers to share their experiences using your AR filters, increasing organic reach.
• Showcase product features interactively, such as with 3D visualizations or before-and-after comparisons.
• Collaborate with influencers to showcase AR-driven product testing to increase credibility.

AR filters make ads more captivating and conversion-friendly, creating virtual purchasing experiences.

3. Optimize Shoppable Video Ads 

Instagram shopping is being revolutionized with shoppable video advertising, which lets users make purchases straight from reels and stories. These advertisements simplify the buying experience. Thus, brands must strategically place and use captivating information in their shoppable video advertisements to optimize conversions. To optimize shoppable video ads, brands must:

• Embed product tags early in the video to attract attention and promote instant interaction.
• Ensure that videos are captivating and eye-catching to keep people's attention.
• Highlight product features, demos, or tutorials to inform and encourage viewers.
• Use powerful calls to action (CTAs) like "Shop Now" or "Tap to Buy" to encourage quick action.
• Make the content mobile-friendly to promote a seamless experience.

4. Deploy Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)

In 2025, DCO will revolutionize Instagram advertising. This strategy utilizes AI to test and optimize multiple ad variations automatically in real time, ensuring your audience views the optimal combination of images, information, and calls to action. It optimizes ad spend effectiveness while driving engagement and conversions. Here’s how you can deploy DCO in Instagram ads:

• Upload various images, videos, headlines, descriptions, and calls to action to build various combinations.
• Allow AI to optimize ads in real time and present users with the version that performs best.
• Use carousel ads, reels, stories, and standalone images to find out which one drives the most engagement.
• Use Instagram's analytics features to monitor the most creative pairings that lead to the best conversion rates.

5. Partner with Nano-Influencers 

Nano-influencers have 1,000-10,000 Instagram followers. They possess engaged, niche followers who have faith in their recommendations, thus ideal for real, high-converting ads and improved return on investment (ROI) for brands. Nano-influencer collaborations make affordable, trust-based marketing campaigns that promote brand credibility and customer loyalty. To collaborate with nano-influencers:

• Select a nano-influencer whose audience is similar to your brand's target market and values.
• Enable influencers to produce authentic content that speaks to their audience.
• Re-purpose influencer-generated content into shoppable Instagram ads.
• Set up affiliate marketing; offer commission or discount codes to nano-influencers to drive direct sales.
• Use nano-influencers' posts in Instagram Ads Manager to expand reach and improve conversions.
• Learn how to evaluate an influencer marketing campaign to maximize ad ROI.

Build a rewarding career in Influencer marketing by joining upGrad’s Influencer Marketing Free Certification Course!

6. Retarget with Personalized Offers 

Retargeting with personalized deals is an efficient strategy for regaining potential customers and increasing conversions. Using AI-based information, companies can use personal ads to reach individuals who have interacted with their products or services but have not yet made a purchase. By offering relevant incentives, personalized retargeting enhances brand recall and stimulates action. Use these tips to win back potential customers:

• Segment users according to website visits, abandoned carts, or past interactions with your posts and ads.
• Provide single-use, one-time offers to build urgency and induce conversions. These offers could include free shipping, bundle promotions, or loyalty rewards.
• Greet users by name (where possible) and personalize messages based on past interactions.
• Utilize Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs) to present products users have seen and remind them to make a purchase.

7. Design Poll-Driven Story Ads 

One of the best ways to promote engagement and learn more about your followers is to use poll-driven story ads. Such interactive adverts motivate consumers to engage with your brand and subtly direct their buying decisions. Use these tips to enhance interaction rates and overall ad performance:

• Include a basic, interactive poll in your story ad to urge speedy responses.
• Keep the poll related to your product or industry.
• Retarget users according to their poll responses with personalized offers or product suggestions.
• Use the "Swipe to Learn More", "Get Yours Now", or "Shop Now" button to encourage action.
• Use high-quality visuals to highlight product options and drive interest.

8. Craft Sequential Carousel Ads 

Sequential carousel ads are a powerful way to tell a compelling brand narrative. By structuring content across multiple swipeable cards, brands can guide consumers on a journey. Such ads can highlight customer reviews, product features, or a step-by-step guide. This format drives better conversion and engages consumers for longer. Remember these points while creating and posting carousel ads:

• Plan a start, middle, and conclusion throughout your carousel cards to tell a continuous story.
• Employ bold visuals or catchy words to entice users and encourage swiping.
• Use each card to highlight a different feature, benefit, or use case.
• Maintain a cohesive visual style for smooth transitions between slides.
• Take advantage of CTA buttons such as "Swipe to Learn More", "Get Yours Now", and "Shop Now".

9. Prioritize Vertical Video Ads 

Instagram will soon be dominated by vertical video advertising, which offers a mobile-friendly, full-screen, immersive video experience. Given the continued popularity of reels and stories, brands must produce engaging vertical content that fits into users' feeds. The vertical format guarantees better conversion rates, increased engagement, and maximum visibility. These tips will help you make the most of it:

• Use the full-screen 9:16 format for a smooth viewing experience.
• Grab attention within the first three seconds through bold text, visuals, or compelling narratives.
• Keep videos dynamic with quick cuts, transitions, and eye-catching effects.
• Use captions and on-screen text to convey your message effectively.

10. Allocate Budget to High ROI Formats

Optimizing ad expenditures in 2025 requires prioritizing Instagram ad styles that yield the highest ROI. Given Instagram's changing algorithm and user preferences, marketers should prioritize ad styles that increase engagement, conversions, and brand exposure. Check out these budgeting tips:

• Prioritize reel ads since they are the most cost-effective ad style and have the most organic reach and interaction.
• Full-screen, immersive story ads drive quick conversions with strong CTA buttons.
• Identify organic posts with strong engagement and amplify them with paid promotion.
• Use Instagram analytics to track ad performance and reallocate the budget accordingly.

With upGrad's free Social Media Marketing Certification, you can become an expert at Instagram advertising. Stay ahead of the curve in digital marketing by enrolling now!

Best Instagram Practices: 10 Organic Content Strategies 

The Instagram algorithm and user behavior have evolved. With the emergence of new technologies such as automation, augmented reality, machine learning, and so on, businesses must adapt to maximize engagement and visibility. Boosting Instagram's organic reach needs creativity, consistent effort, and a deep understanding of the algorithm. Let’s delve into the 10 best Instagram practices to help brands leverage organic, unpaid marketing methods.

1. Post Trending Reels Weekly

Reels have become the most important part of the organic Instagram strategy; the shorter the reels, the more effective they are. Trending reels catch the user's attention faster than non-trending ones. So, you need to be on your toes to find out what is currently trending and recreate it using your brand’s voice.

While posting trending reels, keep the following things in mind:

• Add captions and text overlays to increase accessibility.
• Add fun transitions.
• Use high-quality video that doesn’t lose quality while posting.
• Make reels shoppable by adding CTA buttons.

2. Use Interactive Story Stickers 

Using interactive story stickers can engage your audience, increase participation, and improve your company's image. Instagram offers marketers a variety of sticker alternatives to add creativity and interaction to their stories. To make the most of stickers:

• Use poll stickers to ask questions about audience preferences and collect feedback.
• Educate your audiences by creating fun and interactive quizzes related to your niche. 
• Use emoji slider stickers. This will allow users to express their opinions on a topic or product using an interactive slider with an emoji reaction.
• Build excitement using countdown stickers, and boost discoverability with hashtag stickers.

3. Create Education Carousels 

Education carousels are among the best Instagram practices for providing in-depth content in a visually appealing way. Using education carousels helps improve brand engagement and retention, drives website traffic, and enhances your brand presence on Instagram. To create effective education carousels:

• Choose a relevant topic that aligns with your audience's interests, such as industry trends or expert tips.
• Ask questions or make a bold statement on the first slide to grab attention. 
• Make it aesthetically pleasing using uniform fonts, colors, and good-quality graphics.
• Steer clear of text overloading.
• Add a CTA like “Share”, “Save”, or “View the profile for more information”.

Encourage followers to tag friends who may find the information useful, boosting organic reach.

4. Build a Cohesive Visual Aesthetic 

A consistent and eye-catching Instagram feed strengthens your business identity and makes your content readily recognizable. Maintaining a consistent aesthetic improves interaction and encourages followers to browse your profile more often and for longer. To build a cohesive visual aesthetic:

• Adhere to three to five brand colors that complement your brand personality.
• Maintain a consistent appearance across all posts by using the same fonts, filters, and editing styles.
• Incorporate signature patterns, watermarks, or logos to enhance branding.
• Ensure your videos and photos are clear, sharp, and have high-definition.
• Assure accessibility by making information easy to read, using alt descriptions, and optimizing text intensity.

5. Write SEO-Optimized Captions 

One of the best organic growth strategies in SEO marketing for brands is writing SEO-optimized captions. By adding relevant keywords, hashtags, and compelling storytelling, SEO-optimized captions enhance discoverability, engagement, and audience retention on Instagram. Follow the tips below to write SEO-optimized captions:

• Use targeted keywords like Instagram ads 2025 or caption writing.
• Use high-volume and niche hashtags to reach your target audience. 
• Keep it concise yet informative, and add necessary CTA buttons such as “Like”, “Share”, “Save”, or “Follow”.
• Avoid excessive hashtags and maintain natural keyword placement. 
• Mention influencers or brand partners to expand reach.

Unlock the essentials of SEO and enhance your digital marketing skills by enrolling in upGrad’s free Search Engine Optimization Certification!

6. Launch UGC Campaigns 

1. User-generated content (UGC) is brand-specific content made by customers at no cost. It can be in the form of images, videos, or reviews. These campaigns build credibility because consumers are more inclined to trust endorsements from happy customers than to trust a brand claiming to have the best products. To launch a successful UGC campaign:
2. Make it memorable by creating a unique branded hashtag. 
3. Encourage customers to share experiences featuring your product.
4. Showcase customer posts in stories, carousels, or dedicated highlight sections.
5. Incentivize participation with giveaways or exclusive discounts.
6. Like, comment, and reshare user content to strengthen community engagement.
7. Show appreciation to active participants with shoutouts or exclusive perks.

7. Engage via DMs 

Social media is all about interaction. To inform your audience that you are hearing their questions, ideas, or comments, interact with them through direct messages (DMs). These texts help build relationships, generate sales, and provide one-on-one customer service. By interacting with followers through DMs, brands can establish meaningful relationships and build loyalty. Remember these points to use DMs effectively:

• Respond promptly, address the recipient by name, and personalize the messages according to their interests.
• Set up quick replies for FAQs while still maintaining a human touch.
• Share product links or recommendations based on user inquiries.
• Use AI analytics to learn about user history and make interactions more personal and engaging.

8. Host Weekly Live Q&A Sessions 

Q&A sessions are among the best ways to connect with your audience, build trust, and showcase your expertise. These in-the-moment interactions enhance engagement and set your brand as a leader within your industry. Check out the right ways to conduct successful live Q&A sessions:

• Use posts, DMs, and stories to announce your session ahead of time.
• Select a topic that is relevant to your business or consumer journey.
• Respond to inquiries instantly and give participants credit.
• Use interactive features such as pinned comments, stickers, and polls.

9. Partner with Complementary Brands 

Collaborating with businesses that complement yours is a great way to reach a wider audience, attract new customers, and produce worthwhile content. To avoid engaging with direct competition, you can partner with a company that caters to a similar target market but offers different goods or services.

• Seek companies that sell non-competing goods but have a similar target market and set of values. For instance, a women's clothing brand and a kids' clothing brand can work on a campaign together.
• Plan collaborative competitions to boost interaction and share followers.
• To cross-promote brands, highlight one another in posts, reels, or stories.
• Use UGC strategies to motivate followers to share their product experiences with both brands.

10. Curate Niche Guides 

With Instagram guides, brands can create themed groupings of posts, making it simpler for consumers to find similar content in one location. Guides also organize narratives, improve discoverability, and aid in data organization. To use guides effectively:

• Select a topic that appeals to your readers, such as step-by-step instructions, holiday advice, or product suggestions.
• For variation, utilize a mix of single photos, reels, and carousel postings.
• Incorporate relevant keywords into the guide's title and description to improve discoverability.
• Share guides in reels and stories to increase traffic.
• To keep guides up-to-date, add new posts regularly.

Enhance your organic Instagram growth strategies with upGrad’s Digital Marketing Course. Sign up today to elevate your content game!

5 Must-Know Trends & Tools Defining Instagram in 2025 

Instagram continues evolving, incorporating the latest tools and features that revolutionize social media marketing. Brands and content creators must catch up with the latest trends to remain constantly visible and connect to their audience. The five key tools and trends influencing Instagram in 2025 are listed below.

1. Experiment with AI-Generated Content 

AI has become a global phenomenon. From HR and marketing to agriculture, healthcare, fintech, and e-commerce, AI has greatly influenced every industry. An AI tool that has disrupted the market is ChatGPT. As per reports, visitors worldwide spend 13 minutes and 34 seconds per session on the platform’s domain.

Brands can leverage ChatGPT to write SEO-optimized captions and explore high-performing hashtag tactics for maximum reach and discoverability. The platform also saves time by writing engaging scripts for reels or stories and suggesting content that resonates with followers. Integrating AI into Instagram is one of the best Instagram practices, as it enhances productivity while ensuring innovative and engaging content.

2. Adopt 3D Photo Posts

Instagram visual storytelling is being revolutionized by 3D photo postings, which provide depth-driven images that attract viewers and increase interaction. Brands and content producers can utilize 3D photography in 2025 to differentiate their work.

Use AI-enhanced 3D tools to transform regular images into immersive 3D images. Leverage Instagram’s AR filters to showcase the product from different angles for a lifelike experience. By integrating 3D photo posts into your social media content strategy, you can capture attention, drive engagement, and stay ahead of Instagram’s evolving algorithm in 2025.

3. Maximize Instagram Shopping 

The increasing sophistication of Instagram shopping makes it simpler for marketers to turn fans into paying consumers. In 2025, making the most of shoppable posts with the newest features will improve the shopping experience and increase sales.

Enhance the shopping experience by mentioning and linking products in reels for easy in-app shopping. Link to checkout pages directly from bios and stories, and optimize product descriptions with SEO-friendly keywords. Additionally, lets users virtually try on products with Instagram AR filters.

4. Join Strategic Engagement Pods 

Groups of like-minded influencers, brands, or artists who work together to strategically like each other's content to increase post visibility are known as engagement pods. In 2025, due to changes in Instagram's algorithm, engagement pods have become a successful organic growth method for increasing reach and engagement.

Engage with users within your niche to guarantee pertinent engagement. Instagram's algorithm rewards timely engagement, so immediately liking, commenting, and sharing posts and stories increases visibility. Use targeted hashtags to extend organic reach alongside engagement pod efforts.

5. Track Predictive Analysis

Instagram analytics tools provide predictive insights that help marketers anticipate trends and optimize their content strategy. Companies can identify new trends before others by tracking factors like the "Trend Anticipation Score", which ensures increased engagement and organic growth.

Predictive analysis, using trending data or audience behavior analysis, can determine the optimal time to post and optimize content strategy. With predictive analysis, brands can remain ahead of algorithm changes, optimize content reach, and achieve greater conversions.

Stay ahead of Instagram trends with upGrad’s Advanced Social Media Marketing Course. Join now and get ready to advance your skills!

How upGrad Helps You Build Social Media Marketing Skills

Continuous learning is necessary to stay ahead of the curve as social media marketing changes with AI content creation, Instagram ads 2025, and predictive analytics. upGrad gives professionals the practical training, industry-relevant skills, and career guidance they need to succeed in the digital world.

Industry-Aligned Certification Programs 

upGrad offers industry-recognized digital marketing certificates in analytics, content writing, social media, and more. These programs help close students’ skill gaps and increase employability. Below is the list of programs created in partnership with leading academic institutions and business executives.

These certifications incorporate live projects, practical assignments, and real-world case studies. They guarantee that students acquire the practical experience they need to succeed in their desired fields.

Career Transition Support 

upGrad guarantees smooth career transitions by providing more than just skill training. Our expert team assists learners in the following:

• Resume-Building Workshops: Customize resumes to emphasize social media strategy, AI content production, and best Instagram practices.
• Mock Interviews: Get practical experience in dealing with salary negotiations and interview questions unique to your sector.
• Placement Collaborations: Get access to top digital marketing companies' exclusive recruiting opportunities.

Through a combination of career mentoring, job placement support, and expert-led courses, upGrad equips students to stay ahead in the rapidly changing field of social media marketing.

Conclusion

Staying ahead of technologies like AI content production, reel optimization, and Instagram ads in 2025 is essential for mastering social media marketing. By utilizing best Instagram practices, professionals may increase company visibility with shoppable posts, influencer partnerships, and UGC tactics, optimize content for the changing Instagram algorithm in 2025, and boost engagement through organic growth strategies.

upGrad's industry-aligned certification programs guarantee that students succeed in the cutthroat world of Instagram ads and marketing. Regardless of your level of expertise, upGrad gives you the information and abilities you need to succeed in the digital world of 2025.

Whether you want to further your career or broaden your skill set, upGrad can help you take advantage of new opportunities in social media marketing! Schedule a call with our team to learn more.