Whether you're in way, home decor, sports equipment, or something in between, chances are that Instagram is among the nearly important social media sites for your business in 2021.

Statistics reveal that l% of Instagram users follow at to the lowest degree one business concern, and the platform helps the bulk of them decide whether to buy a production or service.

There are lots of opportunities for a robust Instagram marketing programme, similar running an Instagram influencer campaign or using paid tactics like a story ad .

Today, we'll await at the art and scientific discipline of the Instagram shoutout. We'll start by answering a common question – What is a shoutout on Instagram? – expect at some examples, and larn how to get Instagram shoutouts for your own page or brand.

Let's do this.

Post Contents

  • What is a Shoutout on Instagram?
  • Instagram Shoutout Examples
    • Shoutout post with product photograph
    • Shoutout post without production photograph
    • Shoutout mail service for more followers
  • How to Shoutout on an Instagram Story
  • Tips to Become Instagram Shoutouts
    • 1. Be picky most who you choose
    • 2. Build relationships earlier pitching them
    • three. Start a chat with a thoughtful message or email
  • How to Find Instagram Shoutout Pages
    • Instagram shoutout apps
  • Should you buy Instagram shoutouts?
  • Terminal Thoughts
  • Want to Larn More?

Don't await for someone else to practise it. Rent yourself and commencement calling the shots.

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What is a Shoutout on Instagram?

An Instagram shoutout, as well colloquially called Insta shoutout or IG shoutout, is essentially when one user promotes another user on their ain Instagram account.

An Instagram shoutout ordinarily takes the grade of User A creating a post or story that contains a photo or @ mention of User B.

If it'southward a business shoutout, User A'southward post might contain a photo or video of a specific product or service that User B sells.

In many cases, shoutouts fall under the umbrella of influencer marketing – a massive trend that has more than doubled in the past couple of years and doesn't evidence signs of stopping anytime soon.

instagram influencer marketing growth
Source

Note: If you're not familiar with influencer marketing or what a "social media influencer" is, check out this comprehensive influencer marketing ebook.

An Instagram shoutout can happen in a few ways:

  • Paid shoutouts: These shoutouts are a classic influencer marketing tactic. This is when you pay a user to promote your brand, typically with cash or via an commutation for a free production or access to your service.
  • S4S (shoutout for shoutout): S4S is a uncomplicated merchandise – they agree to give you a shoutout on their page if you give them a shoutout on yours.
  • Voluntary shoutout: The Holy Grail of shoutouts. This is when someone is merely and so darn happy with your product or customer service that they give your brand a shoutout without you fifty-fifty having to ask or pay.

Aside from the type, your Instagram shoutout can vary based on the goal you're looking to achieve.

Practise you want more than followers for your photography business relationship?

In this case, you tin inquire your shoutout partner to post a photograph of yours and include a simple call-to-action (CTA) request their followers to follow you.

Exercise y'all want more sales for the cat litter mat you're selling on your dropshipping store ?

You might transport a free mat to your shoutout partner and ask them to post a photo or video of their cat using information technology, with a CTA that encourages their followers to visit your store to buy their own.

Instagram Shoutout Examples

Permit's look at a few examples of successful Instagram shoutouts.

Shoutout post with production photo

In this Instagram shoutout example, Carl Thompson from men'south clothing brand Hawkins and Shepherd ( @hawkinsandshepherd ) gives some honey to the Chelsea boot from ECCO Shoes .

We tin can run across that the purpose of this blog is to sell some shoes, equally Carl's CTA is to head over to his blog to learn more nigh the visitor.

As you can come across past the #ad hashtag, this was a paid shoutout.

ECCO either paid him in cash, sent him some complimentary shoes, or both, depending on how much Carl charges for shoutouts and influencer campaigns.

instagram shoutout post with product photo

Shoutout post without production photograph

Because Instagram is a visual platform, photos are recommended to give people a shot of your offerings in action. But you don't take to have a photo-based mail service for your IG shoutouts to be successful.

In this shoutout, traveler Angela Liggs ( @angelaliggs ) used a photo of her Patagonia trip as the backdrop to a explanation-based shoutout for a Safedome bluetooth tracker.

She described her experience and how it benefited her trip, then dropped a CTA telling her followers to check out the company's Instagram folio.

Shoutout post without product photo

Shoutout post for more than followers

In improver to promoting a brand that sells products or services, another pop use for shoutouts is getting more Instagram followers .

This is particularly popular for certain niches like photography.

Canon ( @canonusa ) is a corking instance of this. Photographers who apply a Canon camera can include the hashtag #MyCanonStory in the caption of their mail service.

Catechism regularly reposts some of the about captivating shots, as well as a quote from the photographer and shooting details similar the camera model, lens, and exposure settings.

This brilliant marketing strategy is a win-win for both Canon and its loyal users, who go serious boosts in their brownie and following.

Shoutout post for more followersShoutout post for more followers

How to Shoutout on an Instagram Story

The great thing about Instagram – especially Stories – is that yous and your partners have a lot of leeway to go creative with your approach.

Choosing the best Story way really boils down to knowing your audience and what they're most interested in seeing.

If you lot're not familiar with Instagram Stories , here's a quick refresher:

  • They can be photos or videos with a maximum elapsing of fifteen seconds
  • Users accept the option to overlay text and graphics, too every bit clickable hashtags and @ mentions for other accounts
  • They last for 24 hours, so they disappear forever into the ether

Jess Fay, the fashionista mom of @lipstickheelsandababy , gave The Pink Lily Boutique a shoutout past shooting an Instagram story video of herself wearing 1 of the company'due south blouses.

In the video, she explains the blouse and how it feels, and offers her followers some fashion tips like which types of jeans would become well to complete the outfit.

If you have a women's wear store , I strongly recommend that you send your partner free samples of the items you'd like to promote. Because Jess's story video was tagged every bit an #advert, we tin assume that's what The Pink Lily Boutique did.

This is something of a status quo in the earth of Instagram women's fashion.

how to shoutout on instagram story

Jenni and Mimi of @naughtynutrition.co , a food and nutrition brand, gave Crock-Pot a shoutout by showing a video of a recipe they made using their Crockpot Express Crock.

The shoutout is simple: no sound or narration, only a beautiful close-upward of some pineapple jerk chicken.

If your company sells cooking gadgets or ingredients, having your partner showcase a recipe is a tried-and-truthful Insta shoutout tactic.

IG story shoutout tactic

Tips to Get Instagram Shoutouts

While in that location'south no single correct style to get an Instagram shoutout, there are some guidelines and best practices that can increase your chances of getting some action.

And in that location are certainly some things you but shouldn't do.

Permit's become over a few tips to get Instagram shoutouts that actually work.

1. Be picky about who y'all choose

A lot tin can go wrong when you don't vet your options carefully.

For example, if you're selling gardening tools, you lot're probably not going to take much success trying to get a fruitful shoutout from a loftier-way Instagrammer.

To brand sure your potential partners are compatible, look carefully through their profile, posts, and stories so far.

Look at things similar:

  • How many followers they have. Unless y'all already take a lot of clout, stick with " micro-influencers ," or people with audiences of roughly v,000 to 50,000. Proceed in listen that the more than followers they have, the more information technology'll cost you to purchase Instagram shoutouts. If yous're taking the S4S (shoutout for shoutout) route, wait for users with similar numbers to your own and so there'due south common benefit.
  • The content, tone, and feel of their profile. What kind of content practise they post? Would their followers be interested in your brand too? Also, expect at the general vibe they requite off to see if it aligns with your own.
  • How many likes and comments their posts get on boilerplate. If they take 50,000 followers, but only 50 likes and 1 comment per postal service on average, those followers might be fake or purchased.
  • The types of date their posts are receiving. Are their followers truly engaged, or are the comments empty, generic, or spammy? This can be another sign of false followers.

Taking a few extra minutes to do some detective work tin make a huge departure in the quality of IG shoutouts yous end up with.

It tin can also save you some valuable time and coin in the long run.

And who doesn't desire more dispensable time and money?

2. Build relationships earlier pitching them

Before you inquire a stranger to vouch for your integrity, give them a taste of it authentically.

In one case y'all decide that a person or make is a good candidate, follow their account. If they have other social media accounts like Facebook or Twitter, follow those too. Subscribe to their blog if they have one.

Then periodically engage with their posts by liking and commenting on them. (Just don't go overboard… there's a fine line between engaged and desperate.)

Follow the rules of tip #1 higher up: leave comments that add real value.

Give them personalized compliments, bring up relevant word topics, or ask them meaningful questions that show you're really paying attending.

This way, they'll be familiar with your profile when you lot bulletin them to ask for your shoutout.

iii. Start a conversation with a thoughtful bulletin or email

As you embark on your search for awesome Instagram shoutout partners, you might come across posts that are littered with spammy comments like "S4S?"

outreach for instagram shoutouts

Don't be that person.

When the time comes to actually reach out to your prospects, do it via an Instagram Direct bulletin or an electronic mail (if they provide one in their profile info).

Your pitch will have a lot more weight if it comes every bit a split up advice.

In your message or email, be transparent about what you're looking for and how you lot'd generally like it to pan out.

Hither's a little Instagram shoutout template for your bulletin:

  • Become personal: Introduce yourself and mention something about their account. You can tell them how much you enjoy it, or become equally granular as telling them their dog is cute.

"Hi [their name]. I'm [your name] from [your company]. I've been following your page, and I love/capeesh/admire your [insert personalized compliment or observation]."

  • Land your offer: What's the purpose of your message, and what value volition it evangelize to them? If you're looking to give them a freebie in exchange for a shoutout, or a shoutout for shoutout (S4S), become right to it.

"I call up my followers would really enjoy your folio. Likewise, I retrieve your followers would bask mine. Would you like to merchandise a shoutout for shoutout mail service or story?"

  • Give them a next step: What do you want them to do after they read your message? Direct them to your store or profile to learn more, or ask for their thoughts.

"If you're interested, let me know which i you prefer. And then we can work out the details. Looking forward to hearing from you lot!"

Here's an example of a freebie-for-shoutout bulletin:

freebie-for-shoutout insta DM

How to Detect Instagram Shoutout Pages

Your first stride for finding relevant Instagram shoutout pages should be good ol' fashioned research.

I'm non going to saccharide coat it: when done right, this will take several hours of excavation (unless you have the upkeep for a specialized Instagram shoutout app, which we'll discuss shortly).

Start with manufacture-specific hashtags. You can find trending hashtags on sites like Best-Hashtags or TagsFinder .

For example, if you're selling men'due south wearable , some adept hashtags to boot off your research might include:

  • #menswear
  • #mensfashion
  • #fashion
  • #style
  • #mensstyle
  • #streetwear
  • #menstyle
  • #streetstyle
  • #menwithstyle

find instagram shoutout pages

You can also brainstorm your ain or become ideas every bit you practice searches. I recommend keeping a list handy so you have a "database" to reference.

Once you lot have a proficient list, type your hashtags into the Instagram search bar and browse through profiles until you find some good candidates.

hashtag research for insta shoutouts

Clicking the hashtag in the dropdown will show you top posts from accounts that used the hashtag recently. Put your detective glasses on and skim away.

researching instagram for shoutout partners

For more than juicy tips on how to find quality Instagram shoutout pages, cheque out this article on how to discover influencers in your industry .

Instagram shoutout apps

If you have the budget, consider a specialized Instagram shoutout app that's designed to connect brands with the right Instagrammers.

An Instagram shoutout app like Shoutcart or NeoReach has its ain database of pre-vetted influencers that yous can sort through based on manufacture and keywords.

Instagram shoutout apps

If you're interested, you lot're able to bulletin them securely through the platform to handle all of the details.

Platforms similar these can exist a existent lifesaver if you don't take the resources or bandwidth to spend hours sorting through profiles on your own.

Should you purchase Instagram shoutouts?

In a world where social media is a marketing commodity, you have loads of opportunities to buy Instagram shoutouts.

While some people have a articulatio genus-jerk reaction that any blazon of paid promotion is worse than getting them organically, this isn't always the example.

When you're careful about who you lot work with and how you approach the situation, paid Instagram shoutouts can be a great way to gain exposure, build trust with your target audition , and ultimately boost your sales.

And to be honest, you'll have to put in a lot more time and try to become the same results organically as y'all could go through paid Instagram shoutouts like giving away freebies or paying cash.

Simply make sure you keep it kosher and avoid the trap of shady or simulated opportunities – the ones we discussed in tip #1 most being picky over who to choose for getting shoutouts.

Not only do you hazard getting ripped off financially, merely you can also harm your brand's reputation.

Final Thoughts

That's it. Now you know everything you need to go started with Instagram shoutouts.

With the help of this Instagram tactic, you can quickly abound your followers almost without investment.

It might take a while to become things going, but once yous crack the code about the type of outreach you should be doing and the sort of accounts you should exist reaching out to, it starts to get fun and your results should start improving.

And think, shoutouts are merely one manner to get followers on Instagram – there are several other tactics that you can utilize to gain traction on this social network.

Have y'all used shoutouts in the past? What'due south your go-to Instagram strategy? Let usa know in the comments section beneath.

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