ANOTHER WAY

GETTING THE BEST FROM INSTAGRAM

encourage sharing and tagging w An intentional URL link that points to your home page or a specific promotional page w Line breaks to separate the block of text to make it more appealing w Special characters or special fonts to stand out

2 Make sure you are killing it in your Instagram Stories. Although it’s important to have a visually pleasing and cohesive feed, so much engagement happens outside of the nine squares. They’re among the most popular types of content on the platform, where users can’t seem to get enough of the time-sensitive, less polished images or videos you share.

Posting Stories are an engagement booster for sure, so you definitely want to make sure that they are incorporated into your strategy.

3 Produce more video content. Stories are very effective in terms of content, but with the recent addition of Reels (IG’s response to TikTok), you should take advantage of the many ways to use video to connect with your brides.

It’s an easy way to step up your game and enhance the chances of your content being seen. In fact, Instagram’s algorithm tends to give all video content more love, so you can’t avoid it.

Take advantage of IGTV and create a series so that viewers can tap on the name of the series to watch other episodes. 4 Expand your reach with hashtags and geotags. Hashtags are the primary way that users search for content, so it’s important to use them in your posts if you are hoping to gain more followers or connect with more prospective brides.

I know that it can look a bit cluttered when you use all 30 of the hashtags that Instagram allows for every post. So a simple workaround is to place a few of the more relevant hashtags in your actual caption and then put the rest in a comment below your post. 5 Follow your favourite hashtags. I love the fact that Instagram allows users to follow hashtags. It is a wonderful way to discover new feeds as well as get inspiration. (It’s also one of the ways that brides can discover you.) 6 Include a call-to-action in your captions. Rather than post passively, help steer your followers towards engaging with you. By simply asking questions, publishing tag-a-friend posts, and pointing people to your stories or your link in bio, you are encouraging users to engage. 7 Interact with your feed 15 minutes before and after posting. The Instagram algorithm is all about engagement, so the platform is monitoring the initial 30 minutes that a post is published.

A simple trick is to visit relevant hashtags that you will use for your post and interact with the posts that have recently been posted. LIke as many posts with that hashtag as you can, and even post a comment here and there. Then post your content and then continue to engage for

Interact with your feed 15 minutes before and after posting. The Instagram algorithm is all about engagement so the platform is monitoring the initial 30 minutes that a post is published

approximately 15 minutes after.

Instagram is the go-to platform for brides By incorporating these best use practices into your Instagram content strategy, you’ll be sure to see a difference in engagement. I’d love to know what you’ve incorporated into your IG strategy and what techniques

are working best for you!

“Our aim is to make TDT a verb. We want brides to say “I’m TDT’ing my wedding dress!” says Becs. “Our audience wants a variety of options at their fingertips. Whether they are looking for that something special, for example - a traditional wedding dress or something very specific - a sequin mini for their garden party or two-piece suit for the trip down to the town hall – we have the designers to make that wish a reality.

“Our designers very much identify with our brand – slick, simple and modern. Our core aim is to make sure that the brands shine through and that their individuality is noticed. They also love the ease of the site along with our working approach, which is open, flexible and adaptable to their needs.

“Most commonly we receive feedback about their love of fellow brands and collections of designers we carry. We’ve had some lovely messages from brides telling us when they found their dresses because of our site or Instagram as well as countless thank you letters as we helped them track down certain outfits.”

At the moment The Dress Tribe only accepts stockists that carry at least one of the partnered designers to register with the site and, like the brands themselves, retailers have access to independently create their profiles and update their in-store collections.

“Bridal is a small world so often retailers will prompt new designers to have a look at TDT or vise versa,”says Damaris.

Looking ahead

The duo has some exciting developments in the pipeline, including partnering with stockists in a series of pop-ups, the first of which will be in Sweden, where they are working with the Wild at Heart boutique during November and December.

“The pop-ups will bring designers to regions that are not yet represented. Considering today’s reality where travel is limited, we need and are passionate about bringing the designs to the bride,” says Becs. Also on the drawing board is an ambitious plan to strengthen the Dress Tribe’s B2B services to and between designers and retailers and they are looking at the possibility of direct online sales for certain collections.

“Without revealing too much we will be launching a campaign in 2021 with some of our designers that is very close to our heart and really embodies our values for and of real

brides…” Watch this space.

ALENA LEENA

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