7 Must-Dos Before Your Company Posts on Instagram

Instagram isn’t just a place to post pretty pictures anymore — it’s one of the most powerful tools for building brand awareness, driving sales, and connecting with your audience. But posting without a plan is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks.

If you want your Instagram content to actually work for your business, here’s a checklist of must-dos before you hit that “Share” button.

1. Know Your Goal for the Post

Every post should serve a purpose. Ask yourself:

• Am I trying to increase engagement?

• Drive traffic to a website?

• Promote a product or service?

• Educate or entertain my audience?

  
  

Without a clear goal, you’re just adding to the noise.

2. Use High-Quality Visuals

Instagram is a visual platform — blurry photos or cluttered designs can instantly turn off potential customers. Use:

• Well-lit, high-resolution images

• Clean, on-brand graphics

• Consistent filters or editing styles

  
  

Pro tip: Design in Canva or Photoshop to keep your visuals professional and aligned with your brand identity.

3. Write a Strong, Scroll-Stopping Caption

Your caption is where the connection happens. Include:

• A hook in the first sentence to stop the scroll

• A clear message or story

• A call-to-action (CTA) telling followers exactly what to do next

  
  

4. Add Relevant Hashtags

Hashtags are Instagram’s search engine. They help you get discovered by people who don’t follow you yet.

• Mix popular, niche, and branded hashtags

• Avoid spammy or irrelevant tags

• Keep them organized in a list so you can easily copy and paste

  
  

5. Tag and Geotag Strategically

• Tag any featured products, collaborators, or relevant accounts

• Use location tags to appear in local searches (great for brick-and-mortar businesses)

  
  

6. Optimize for Timing

Posting at the right time can make the difference between a post that flops and one that takes off.

• Check Instagram Insights for when your audience is most active

• Test different posting times and days to see what works best

  
  

7. Double-Check Branding Consistency

Before posting, ask yourself:

• Does this match my brand’s tone and style?

• Is my logo, color scheme, or brand font consistent?

• Would my audience immediately recognize this as my post?

  
  

💡 Pro Tip: Companies that consistently follow this checklist see stronger engagement, better reach, and more sales opportunities.

And if you’d rather have professionals handle it all for you, Oak Street Creative is known as one of the best agencies for helping businesses master Instagram strategy and content creation — all at a level that actually delivers results.