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Author
Marilyn Cowley
Let’s start with this - if you have ever put time and effort into your marketing strategy, whether you’re an influencer, a local business, or a global brand, you have probably thought about hosting or doing an Instagram takeover.
What some people don’t realize is that takeovers are actually a great way to get eyes on products, campaigns, and profiles. It doesn’t matter who it is - takeovers can be a great tool - for everyone and when you use it, Instagram rewards you.
IG takeovers can be an effective way to grow your audiences and see real results. It allows you to influence a new target market which in turn gives you more connections and eyes on your content. The best part of it all is that it is free, and it benefits both parties. I mean, who doesn’t want that, right?
So, you may be wondering, “Well, how do I do an Instagram Takeover?” and that is where we come in. We will show you all the tips and tricks you need to have a successful takeover from start to finish!
- The Job
When it comes to takeovers, you are usually asked because you are an influencer or have valuable insight for that business or brands audience. If you are asked, then that’s great, and if not, don’t be discouraged. Go ahead and pitch yourself!
When you have secured the job, make sure to ask about the goals and expectations of the takeover.
- Your Plan
This is where you will receive all the useful information like date, time, and password for your takeover. During this time, it is important to figure out how you want to present yourself. You can do Instagram stories, which is the most popular, or you can take it a step further and do a combination of stories, posts, IGTV, and going “Live”. We encourage you to get creative and use all features!
- Announce Your Takeover
Now, this is where the fun starts. The host usually announces your takeover, so it is vital to start reposting to let your audience know what is happening. For more hype you give it, the more engagement and success it will get! Our idea? Create a graphic that you can post for the takeover. We recommend Canva for this - easy and effective!
- Your Takeover and Posts
It’s finally your takeover day! It’s always smart to make a good first impression, so start with an introduction of who you are, what you do, and your relationship to whoever’s account you’re on. You can even give a little teaser on what you will be talking about throughout the day.
“An Instagram takeover should be fun, I want the viewer to log back into Instagram because they want to know what me and my girls are doing next! I like to ask questions or do polls to get to know the people watching. People want to feel connected, they want to feel a part of your “story” so I do my best to make them feel just that, to let them in on my life and make sure they know I care about theirs!” - Influencer, Annie Papi.
You may be thinking about what to post at this point. Don’t worry, here are some ideas to guide you.
-Take us behind the scenes of your day, from first waking up to finally falling asleep. Post everything that you do during the day. This can be your routine, what you have for breakfast, your workday, and what you do during it, how you wind down after you’re home, and what you’re having for dinner. Don’t be shy!
-You can show your friends, family, pets, your work family, and so on.
-You can give some tips on anything you want. If you want to share tips on skincare or tips on fitness, then that’s up to you!
-You definitely want to use the tools that IG has waiting for you! You can have your viewers ask you questions or use polls. It is a great way to know what type of content they want to see during your takeover. You can even go “Live” if you have something that you want to reveal.
-You want your stories to be engaging, so using Instagram’s gifs, stickers, emojis, boomerang videos, and different filters will make it just that. Try using a location tag to reach a new audience, using the mention tag when talking about others because they may add it to their story, and don’t forget to use hashtags. They’re all begging to be used and to make your posts stand out. This is where you can show your creative side, so have fun with it!
“When doing an Instagram takeover. Make sure you stay true to who you are. Be authentic and really focus on what makes you special. Remember to never compare yourself to anyone. We are all unique and there is plenty of room for everyone to shine!” - Influencer, Norx in the Know.
- Your Wrap-up
Once it is time to sign off, thank everyone for tuning in, and don’t forget to thank your hosts. Make sure to invite everyone to your own channel with your handle in the sign-off. On your own channel, post a thank-you since some of your followers may not have had the chance of watching. This will cause more people to go and watch your takeover. On your post, thank your audience and your host and post the handle to their profile.
Now you have everything you need to have a fun and successful Instagram takeover. Remember that while using social media, you will receive feedback. Always take the feedback you receive and use it to make your next takeover even better. We know you will do great!
