How we would launch a brand new Instagram account
When launching a brand-new company or brand on Instagram, establishing a strong foundation from day one is crucial. Instagram’s algorithm favours authenticity, engagement, and consistency, especially in 2025. Below are four strategic tips to help your brand shine, supported by Instagram’s latest trends and SEO best practices to ensure discoverability.
1. Define Your Instagram Brand Identity
A cohesive identity helps your audience instantly recognize and remember you. Start by:
Crafting a brand anthem — your mission, values, personality, and tone of voice.
Sticking to a visual style guide — select a consistent colour palette, typography, imagery style, and filters.
Optimizing your username, @handle, and name field with relevant keywords (e.g., “Edmonton Coffee Roastery | Local Beans”). This enhances discoverability via search, an SEO must.
A distinct identity isn’t just “pretty”—it’s an SEO lever on both Instagram and search engines.
2. Research & Ride Trending Content Formats
Instagram trends shift fast. In 2025, Reels still dominate with higher reach and engagement than static posts. Carousels also continue to perform well for shareable content.
Reels: Create bite‑sized, value-packed Reels (15–30s) that showcase your product in action, your brand story, or fun behind‑the-scenes moments.
Carousels: Share step-by-step guides, Q&As, or visual storytelling across multiple cards.
Content Hooks: Instagram users scroll fast! Grab attention in the first 2 seconds with bold visuals, engaging copy, or compelling questions.
Tip: Track hashtags and features relevant to your niche—like #MadeInEdmonton, #SmallBizYYC, or #EcoFriendly—then align your content to those topical trends.
3. Build SEO-Optimized Profile & Captions
Instagram SEO is now a key discovery channel, much like Google. Brands must thoughtfully integrate keywords into their profiles and captions to show up in both Instagram and web search results.
Bio: Write a crisp bio (150-character limit) that includes 2–3 top keywords, e.g. “Edmonton vegan bakery | Custom cakes & cookies.”
Alt‑text: Always add alt‑text to posts. Describe what’s in the image using your keywords.
Hashtags & keywords: Use a mix of 5–10 broad hashtags/keywords (e.g., #Startup, #YYCBusiness) with more niche ones (e.g., #EdmontonStartupLife). Also, sprinkle keywords naturally in captions, e.g. “Launching our custom mug line in Edmonton…”
This dual strategy fuels both engagement and search visibility.
4. Engage Authentically & Analyze Performance Metrics
Instagram now rewards genuine interaction. It’s not enough to post; you must:
Respond to comments and DMs within 24 hours (even with an emoji nod).
Use interactive Story features like polls, quizzes, countdowns, and question boxes.
Track your analytics in Instagram Insights:
Reach, impressions, and saves for posts
Watch-time and completion rates for Reels
Profile visits and website clicks
Pay attention to which content formats and keywords drive the most engagement, and double down on them.
Why These Steps Matter in 2025
Instagram’s emphasis on Reels, SEO, and micro-community engagement reflects broader digital marketing trends. Brands that invest early in these areas gain traction faster and see long-term growth. By defining your identity, optimizing for search, embracing trending formats, and analyzing results, you're positioning your brand for sustained success.
Final Take
Launching on Instagram isn’t just about posting; it’s about strategic storytelling combined with search-optimized content. A powerful bio, eye-catching Reels, purposeful alt-text, strong UGC, and real engagement all work in tandem to elevate your brand.
