There is more to Instagram than snapping photos on your iPhone and posting them randomly. Business that properly harness Instagram’s power strategize and post with intention. Whether you are new to Instagram or a long time user, here are six keys to instagram success.

1. Consistent branding between your website, bottles, and social profiles.

The first step to building your social media profile is making sure that your social branding matches what you have elsewhere. Upload your logo as your profile image, use a consistent font and color palette in stories, and create story highlights that fit in with your brand. When users come to your page and see that it is thoughtfully designed and visually appealing, they are more likely to follow you.

2. A strong voice. 

Whether you want your social profile to be playful and fun or educational and professional, you should decide which side of the spectrum you want to aim for and stick to it. Having a clear voice will help target your posts to specific demographics, therefore helping your following grow more quickly.

3. Utilize the option to add a link to your profile.

From the start, make sure that you have a link in your profile that leads followers to your shop page. Many times we see brands that link to their homepage, but linking right to the shop page will take steps out for the user and lead to higher conversions.

4. Don’t be repetitive.

When planning out your social media calendar, which by the way is definitely something you should be doing, make sure that your top 9 posts are varied. No one wants to see the same image over and over again with different captions. More often than not, users aren’t even reading your captions. So keep things fresh by varying your content! Stuck on what to post? Images of the vineyard owners, landscape shots, and photos of customers enjoying your wine are all great places to start!

5. Know your target audience.

While it might be tempting to try to attract as many people as possible, what will work better is building a targeted audience. If your account is brand new, take time to decide who your audience is and find out where they live on social media. If your account is already active, there’s nothing wrong with taking a pause to hone in on your strategy. In the long run it will help the growth of your account!

6. Vary your hashtag use.

It’s fine to use a handful of the same hashtags on each post, for example a branded hashtag and a geo-specific hashtag, but you should always add in hashtags that relate to the specific post. For example, if you’re posting a photo of rosé you might use #roseallday, but you wouldn’t use that hashtag with a photo of your favorite red. Additionally, varying hashtags allows you to track which ones work for your brand and which ones don’t! Don’t make the mistake of using the same 30 for every post and missing out on free exposure.

Simon Solis-Cohen is the founder of Highway 29 Creative, a leading digital and creative agency serving the wine industry. He challenges clients to think about the future and constantly innovate. The agency chases data, not fads, and provides one-stop shopping for wineries looking to enter or jolt their direct to consumer sales. Their approach starts by designing and building a website focused on conversion (wine sales, club sign ups & tasting room reservations) and then dives into each digital channel with consistent and effective content and messaging. What to learn more or looking for advice? Shoot Simon a message at simon@hwy29creative.com.