One of the features that so many people take advantage of on pretty much every social media site is sharing. Whether it’s sharing something on Facebook or LinkedIn, retweeting on Twitter, or pinning on Pinterest, sharing is something we commonly do. Sharing is caring, right?!

But Instagram doesn’t inherently allow for this function (yet… I predict we’ll see this feature in-app soon). There isn’t a sharing feature, and even if there was, what you share? It’s not like we’re sharing links and articles on Instagram. We’re sharing photos and brand content. It can all seem a little confusing.

So I want to take the time today to share with you how you can actually share – aka regram – on Instagram and what you should be doing to take advantage of this tactic.

How to Regram

First of all, how do you regram?

As I mentioned, the Instagram app doesn’t allow this function. So you have to use a third party app or take a screen shot.

For third party apps, there are a number of them available in your app store but I recommend Repost for Instagram (available for both iOS and Android). I like this app because of its simplicity but also because it automatically inserts a watermark on the image with the original user’s username.

It also copies the original caption and the username so that you can post the original caption into your post caption if you choose to.

I have to stress that it’s really important that you use the original user’s username to give credit. Remember that when you share an image, you are posting copyrighted content and you do NOT want to portray content as your own if it is not.

I’ve written more about the legalities of this and how to get permission to share others’ content in this previous post, which I encourage you to read.

Screen shots also work, but I don’t like them for most people.

Because a screen shot doesn’t apply the watermark, it can look like you’re posting other content as your own. We don’t want this to happen! But, if you use your caption effectively to give credit to the original user, it’s ok to use this method.

GoPro is an example of an account that uses the screen shot method and do it well. They give credit to the original user, create their own caption that stays on brand voice, and they stay true to their brand style. We’ll talk more about this in a minute.

What to Regram

Now that you you know how to share content, it’s important to know what you should share. Remember that you are sharing other people’s images so you want to be selective in what you share.

You also have to think about your audience. Is what you’re regramming of value to them? Does it provide more information, insight, entertainment, or support?

If it does this, you have to determine if what you’re sharing stays true to your brand. You have a style, voice, and brand impression on Instagram. Does sharing someone else’s post enhance your message and align with your brand? If it doesn’t, you shouldn’t be sharing it!

Here are a list of things you can regram to support your Instagram account:

• Customers posting images about your products or services
• Tips or tutorials from leaders in your industry that benefit your audience
• Motivational quotes that are industry related
• Products or services from other brands aligned with your business (not competitors but complimentary businesses)
• Posts from brands you support or endorse
• Content that matches a theme or style for your brand

Sue B. Zimmerman is an example of account that shares other content because it stays true to the color scheme of her account but the accounts also align with her business.

How to Find Content to Regram

Of course, it’s not always easy to find quality content worth sharing!

If you’re planning to share content that your customers are posting, encourage them to post with a branded hashtag that you can easily track. You can also look for posts where they’ve tagged you or @ mentioned you. And, if you have a location-based business, you can also search your business location on Instagram for the content tagged at that location.

But if you’re not looking for content from your customers, you’re gonna have to get more creative.

Again, you might want to follow certain hashtags that align with your industry or niche. Find hashtags that follow a theme or style that align with your brand style on Instagram.

Follow complimentary brands or industry leaders on Instagram so you always see the content they’re sharing, making it easy to know what’s worthy of a regram to your account.

Benefits of Regramming

While you may think this all sounds good, you may be wondering why you actually want to regram on your Instagram account.

First of all, it alleviates you having to create more content. Sharing someone else’s content means the hard work of creating it is already done!

Secondly, it adds another perspective to your account. While you want to keep brand aligned content, it’s nice to have another perspective, voice, or style to compliment what you provide. This keeps it fresh and interesting and allows you to connect with a wider variety of people in your audience.

Regramming other content takes the focus so much off of you and allows you to shine the light on others. This is a very powerful way to build your brand and the trust your audience has in you. We know this and it’s part of the reason we share so much on other platforms! So use the same mentality to build that presence on Instagram.

If you’re showcasing your clients or customers, regramming is also a hugely beneficial way to connect with them and reward them. If they’re using your hashtag(s) or tagging you, they want you to notice them. So when you do, they’re happy and you build that community strength in your audience.

And there you have all my tips for successfully using regram tactics on Instagram! What about you, do you regram on your account? If so, let me know in the comments below why you love it or the tips you recommend to get good results.