When thinking about growing a brand or business, social media marketing cannot be ignored, as it’s one of the top growth strategies in today’s world.
As Instagram is one of the primary platforms used for social media marketing, the conversation then turns to Instagram automation.
Instagram automation goes hand in hand with Instagram marketing, as automation is a particularly useful tool for business owners. Let’s talk about the ins and outs of this growing phenomenon.
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What’s Instagram Automation?
First things first, what is Instagram automation?
The term refers to using a third-party tool to accomplish various Instagram activities on your behalf.
For example, an automation service may do things like follow or unfollow other accounts, engage with other accounts’ content and profiles (think: like after follow), schedule and publish posts for your account, or send direct messages on your behalf.
Many businesses are drawn to Instagram automation services because these tools allow business owners to prioritize other responsibilities. A business owner or brand manager can spend more time on other tasks when their Instagram is being handled by one of these third-party tools.
Benefits & Risks
As with all things, there are certainly some major upsides involved with Instagram automation and, simultaneously, there are important pitfalls to watch out for when using these tools.
Benefits Of IG Automation
There are three main benefits of Instagram automation that should be kept in mind when considering using this strategy.
First, Instagram automation tools allow business owners to prioritize time management. Business owners have a myriad of tasks on their plate each and every day; while the business’s Instagram account should certainly be seen as a priority for the brand, the owner doesn’t always have time to treat social media as the important marketing tool that it is.
That’s where Instagram automation comes into play—if the business’s Instagram account is set up to be handled by automated tools, then the business owner can focus on other important tasks while knowing that the brand’s social media is under control.
The next major benefit to consider with Instagram automation is that it can provide consistency in posting. As we mentioned before, there’s a lot to take care of in day-to-day life, especially when running a business.
So, remembering to post on Instagram at the same time every day or every week can become a difficult task to manage. However, if a business is using an automated service that’ll schedule and publish posts in a consistent manner, then this eliminates one more thing for a business owner or social media manager to regularly keep in mind and do manually.
Finally, a significant benefit of Instagram automation is that it can provide data-driven insights to users. If a brand is using an automation service to manage or grow its Instagram account, this service will often provide thorough reports regarding the success of the account’s activity and growth.
So, a business owner or brand manager can easily take a look at a dashboard full of feedback and detailed insights to gain a better understanding of the way that their account’s content is performing.
This is a helpful tool that can guide future content and activity on a brand’s Instagram page, thereby making the account more successful overall as a marketing tool.
Risks Of IG Automation
When considering Instagram automation tools, there are certain risks that should be taken into consideration as well.
One potential drawback to consider when it comes to Instagram automation is that these tools can provide less authentic engagement.
Although automation tools can engage with other accounts on the customer’s behalf in a variety of ways, the fact remains that the engagement is coming from an automation tool, rather than an actual person.
At times, this can cause an issue for accounts, especially if an automation tool is being used to leave comments or send messages that were not written by a human.
Hand in hand with the risk listed above comes the potential for a shaky brand reputation. Also, if the source is not reliable then there is a possibility to hack Instagram password.
As we just mentioned, Instagram users may start to notice if an account is leaving comments or sending messages that are obviously computer-generated, rather than crafted by an actual person. It’s important, but tricky, to develop a balance when using an automation tool; they can be great for making life more convenient, but an account’s followers may start to notice if a tool is overused.
This can lead to a loss of followers rather than Instagram growth.
Another notable risk in the realm of Instagram automation is the risk of account suspension. While it’s true that Instagram automation tools have the potential to damage an account’s reputation among other users, the same tools also have the ability to get an account suspended from Instagram altogether.
If automation tools are overused by any given account, that account can be flagged by the app as violating Instagram’s community guidelines. Once the app assesses the situation, the account in question is at risk of being suspended or even banned from Instagram.
Benefits Vs. Risks
Instagram automation tools can be a really helpful aspect to implement into a business’s social media strategy. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that these tools do not come without their share of risks.
This doesn’t mean that Instagram automation should not be used—it simply means that each account needs to find the balance between using automation tools enough to be helpful but not so much that they damage the account in any way.
This can be a process of trial and error, but it’s important for each account to determine how much automation is not enough, how much is too much, and what level is just right.
Best Practices Of Instagram Automation
If you haven’t noticed by now, Instagram automation is a great feature of social media, but it should be used properly.
Here are a few best practices to keep in mind when using automation tools.
Choose Reliable Instagram Automation Tools
While we outlined the risks that can come into play when using Instagram automation, not all risks are involved with all automation tools.
Therefore, it’s extremely important to do significant research on automation options before selecting a tool to use for a brand’s social media account, whether YouTube or TikTok or Instagram.
There are plenty of trustworthy automation tools available, so it’s important to keep an eye out for tools that promote growth labeled as authentic, organic or natural. These tools will provide real account growth or activity that does not violate Instagram’s code of conduct.
Set Realistic Goals
One common pitfall that should be avoided when it comes to using Instagram automation services?
Wanting to see extreme results in the blink of an eye. If an automation service promises customers that it can provide astronomical growth overnight, then this service is not going to be a reliable one.
Extreme growth is one thing that’ll cause Instagram to flag an account and potentially suspend it, so this should be carefully avoided.
Instead, business owners and brand managers should take the time to set realistic goals that they hope to accomplish within reasonable timeframes. Then, organic Instagram automation services can be utilized in order to accomplish these goals in a way that aligns with Instagram’s rulebook and also comes across as natural to followers.
Balance Between Automated & Manual Interactions
Another way to make sure a business’s Instagram account remains natural and free of suspicion is to not overuse automation tools.
It’s important to keep in mind that Instagram automation services are a useful asset that can be of great help when running a brand’s social media. However, they shouldn’t be completely relied upon to run the account.
If automation tools are used in conjunction with human, manual interactions on an account, then that account is likely to see ideal growth. In this case, the automation will help to boost the success of the manually-run account, thereby providing the best of two strategies.
Instagram Automation: The Verdict
Overall, Instagram automation tools can be a great help to any business or brand’s Instagram account. However, it’s important to keep in mind that, as with all things, there are both positives and negatives to consider when using automation services.
When a business account properly utilizes Instagram automation tools and finds the balance between automation and manual interactions, then that account is likely to thrive on social media.
It’s simply a process of trial and error—it requires patience, but will pay off greatly in the end!