Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
I’m a fan of using social media to boost one’s self as a freelance writer, blogger, or author. It’s all about getting your name out there to build an audience and create a community. Can Ingramer help you do this on Instagram?
I admit, I’m not all that active on Instagram. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that I created the official account for WriterSanctuary. However, I am an expert in general online marketing.
And the more platforms you can engage, the wider of a net you can cast onto an audience.
Today, I’m taking a look at the paid version of Ingramer.
What is Ingramer?
Ingramer is a social marketing platform that gives you tools to boost your Instagram engagement. This includes things like a hashtag generator for Instagram, profile analyzer, stories viewer, downloader application, and using font types to set your account apart.
Some of these tools also work with Facebook and Twitter.
Ingramer also offers several services to help take the workload off of yourself. For instance, you can set up customized auto-replies for DMs or categorize certain clients with labels.
How Well Does Ingramer Work for Instagram?
Ingramer has a lot of tools and services you can take advantage of. With that being said, I’m not really sure how many of them I would actually use. Especially since my account is so new with very little content.
However, I can see how some of these services would be greatly beneficial for larger accounts or businesses.
For this review, I’m actually using Ingramer to set up a few things on WriterSanctuary’s Instagram account.
Meet Minimum Requirements
Once I authorized and connected my account, the system showed a few minimums that I need before I can actually use Ingramer. I’m getting flagged for:
- Minimum of 12 photos (which I only have 7)
- Add and verify email (which I already did through Facebook)
- Add and verify phone (which I already did through Facebook)
So, in the beginning, I was thinking that Ingramer was flagging the Instagram account as not being verified through Facebook. It turns out, however, that you need to verify the account in your Ingramer profile.
This could probably be worded a bit better to help prevent confusion.
Scheduling Instagram Posts
Using the scheduler was a bit of a tricky process. Setting the location wouldn’t recognize the traditional city/state format here in the US (Denver, CO). And, it took a bit of time before the system gave me the option to enter “Denver, Colorado” as the locale.
When I entered the date, it would flag red because the default time was off. But, once I scheduled the correct time, everything was good to go.
While it takes a moment to get used to, this would probably be the most utilized tool for me. That is as long as I can think of something to take a picture of as a writer working from home.
Since I usually don’t have a lot of time at my disposal, being able to schedule things in advance saves me a lot of headaches.
Perhaps if Ingramer used geolocation to help new accounts by assigning current locations, that would be beneficial.
Hashtag Generator
Next, we have the hashtag generator for Instagram. When you put in a keyphrase you want the account associated with, Ingramer delivers quite a list of similar terms.
The system will show the most used terms first according to how frequently they are used on Instagram. Just keep in mind that not all hashtags are going to fit your specific needs.
For instance, I see terms like #SingerSongWriter in the list when I’m clearly not making music.
In Ingramer, you can click the checkbox next to each term you want to use and then copy the entire list. Then, you can paste the hashtags into any word processor or text file you wish.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t copy over the numbers associated with each term. For example, the #writer tag has 21.33 million uses, but it will only show the tag itself when copying.
If you’re into following trends, Ingramer can show you all of the most popular hashtags today, the last seven days, last month, or of all time.
If you’re a bit creative, you can try to work one of these into your freelancing profile or posts.
Use the hashtag #nature if you’re taking a pic of yourself outdoors to promote your book.
Another aspect to consider is how you can generate hashtags from photos for Instagram as well. Though, some of the results may be less than ideal. I analyzed a picture of myself and the top result was #shoulder.
Fonts Generator
One of the curious add-ons for Ingramer is the use of fonts for your profile. You simply type the text you want to use, copy the font you select, and then paste it into Instagram.
Out of curiosity, I copied the font into WordPress and it worked perfectly.
It was just as easy to choose a font in Ingramer and paste it directly into Instagram. Though, in the premium account, you have a much larger selection of fonts you’re probably more likely to use.
Then again, it’s all up to the Instagramer, I suppose.
Using the Downloader
The downloader is simple enough. By using the source’s URL, you can save all kinds of things. This doesn’t just work for Instagram. You can also download images and gifs from Facebook and Twitter.
There is an option for Twitch available, but it seems to be greyed-out and inaccessible.
At any rate, the downloader can help you archive a variety of mediums whether for safekeeping or to utilize at a later date. Perhaps someone shared a meme you’d love to incorporate or save for your own enjoyment.
Though, I would suggest only saving your own photos. You don’t want to run into the problem of copyright strikes unless you get the original owner’s permission.
The Profile Analyzer
Another feature I kind of like in Ingramer is the Profile Analyzer. It will show you the engagement rates of your photos, average user activity, posts per day, top hashtags you use in your posts, most popular caption words, and the user’s interests.
This analyzer works on any profile on Instagram. This means you can take a look at what other, more successful, Instagramers are using and how they engage their audiences.
When trying to build up your own audience, this information is extremely valuable. Simply find someone in the same niche or industry as yourself and click, “Analyze.”
Auto-Replies and Automated Messaging
If you’re exceptionally busy, you can always make use of automatic messages and replies. This is where you customize Ingramer to reply to users based on their input.
For instance, you can set up a basic hello message after someone follows your account. Then, you can set up messages based on specific keywords people use to message you.
This can save quite a bit of time if you have an exceptionally active Instagram account or sell goods or services. It’s kind of like having a chatbot on your eCommerce site, should you have one.
Flexible Pricing for Modules
What if you only want specific services from Ingramer? Well, you can pick and choose which elements you want. Then, the pricing adjusts accordingly.
For example, you can select just the Hashtag Generator and pay $22 per month. Or, you can add the Scheduled Posting service and pay $40 for both services.
This is probably the more realistic option for what I do with WriterSanctuary and promoting myself as a freelance writer. However, I can see how you can take it quite a bit further by offering writing services directly on Instagram through Ingramer.
Is a Hashtag Generator Necessary for Instagram?
One of the things that puts Instagram over Twitter in terms of hashtag use is how Instagram shows the popularity of tags. As soon as you start typing one in, Instagram will start to show relevant tags according to what you’re typing and how often they are used.
However, it doesn’t give you a complete list of relevant terms. You may be missing some that are more appropriate and effective for what you’re creating.
For instance, I knew that #AmWriting would be a popular tag. It’s also popular on Twitter. But, I had no idea the impact of #WritersOfInstagram.
A properly timed hashtag can easily get your content in front of more people. But without knowing which to use, you might be shooting in the dark.
This is when an Instagram hashtag tool such as Ingramer can be of benefit, whether you’re an avid user or creating your first-ever account.
Being able to copy the results and paste them into a doc file lets you save them for future social media marketing strategies. Though, you want to be aware of trending tags. They may not be as productive later on.
In reality, I often put tags into spreadsheets along with the content so I know which I want to use when promoting blog posts and videos.
Would I Suggest Using Ingramer?
As a freelance writer trying to make his way into the blogging and novel-writing sphere, some of the tools in Ingramer pique my interest. However, not everything is going to be ideal unless I become a massive success.
For example, I have no need for the auto-responder at the moment. But, I can see how it might be useful to someone much larger than myself on the social platform.
The schedule aspect was a bit worrisome, though. I scheduled a post more than an hour ago and it hadn’t updated. I wasn’t sure if this was because I didn’t meet the minimum requirements or not.
The Profile Analyzer and Hashtag Generator are definite bonuses for me. And the pricing scheme for just those elements is comparable to other Instagram tools on the Internet.
From a newbie’s perspective, the best value is behind the analyzing and hashtag tools. And since you can choose to select just those services, you won’t have to pay for something you don’t use.
But if you have a larger business, Ingramer is definitely one you might want to consider.
Finding the Right Tools Can Boost Your Reach
The right tools can do wonders for any social media account. And when promoting yourself as a freelance writer, blogger, or novelist, you want as large of an audience as possible.
Sometimes it takes an investment in yourself to really take your profile far. But, if you’d like to try it for yourself, Ingramer does have a limited capacity as a free hashtag generator and a few other tools.
You won’t have to create an account to use some of the features.
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