If you’re a business owner, it’s time to stop thinking of Instagram as just another social network that teenagers use. With over 1 billion monthly users and 500 million daily users, Instagram is now the largest social media platform in the world.
If you’re not using Instagram marketing to grow your business, then you are missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new customers.
In this article, I’m going to show you how easy it is for small businesses to get started with Instagram marketing so that you can start getting more likes, comments and shares on your posts (and ultimately make more sales).
To help you get inspired and learn from other companies that have been successful on Instagram, here are some examples of brands who use #InstagramMarketing effectively for their businesses:
# Further work
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| Takeaways |
|---|
| Utilize Instagram’s visual nature to showcase your products or services effectively. |
| Craft engaging and authentic content that resonates with your target audience. |
| Leverage relevant hashtags to increase discoverability and reach. |
| Interact with your followers through comments, likes, and direct messages to build a strong community. |
| Explore Instagram ads and collaborations with influencers to expand your reach and attract new customers. |
| Monitor and analyze your Instagram Insights to refine your strategy and achieve better results. |
| Consistency is key – maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged. |
Add Links To Your Bio
You can add links to your bio by following these simple steps:
Add your website URL. If you’re a new business, this should be the most obvious link to include.
Link to landing pages. For example, if you have an online course or a product with a website, use Instagram as an opportunity to get people into those platforms and start generating leads for yourself!
Link to blog posts or other content that will help inform and educate potential customers about what it is that makes your business unique.
This helps build credibility and trust with potential customers it shows them that there are real humans behind the company who have real insight into what makes them tick.
Link to social accounts for friends or colleagues who are also running businesses (or even other brands) to increase their visibility on Instagram as well!
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Post-User-Generated Content
Instagram allows you to add hashtags in the caption of your post. These hashtags are clickable and can help you get more exposure for your content.
When using hashtags, use Instagram’s native hashtag search feature to make sure that it applies to your business and not just a random hashtag like #photooftheday or #instagramers.
You can also use this feature to find relevant hashtags from other people who are posting about similar things as yours on Instagram!
If a tag is already being used by another user, try adding another word before or after it so it becomes unique for your page. For example, if you want “#Instagrammers” then try adding something else such as: “#InstaPeople” or “#IgersUK”
Mention Influencers
Mention influencers in your posts.
Make sure you mention influencers in your posts, whether it’s a direct mention or a subtle nod to their work. If you’re discussing a particular topic, for example, mentioning an influencer who is active in that niche can be helpful for both parties.
This can also help strengthen your relationship with the influencer and make them more likely to support future projects of yours as well.
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Post-High-Quality Photos And Videos
For your Instagram photos and videos to be successful, they need to be high-quality.
Use the Instagram square format. The best way to achieve this is with a smartphone app like VSCO Cam or Snapseed, which allows you to easily crop your images into a square shape.
Enhance the look of your photo by using filters that can give an interesting and unique look while still keeping the image clean and clear.
Use hashtags when posting on Instagram to increase visibility within other users’ feeds, but make sure they are relevant hashtags that will get people interested in your content (and eventually come back for more).
Write captions that provide information about what’s happening in the photo or video without being too wordy so as not to distract from what’s important – good photography!
Tell A Story With Every Post
The best way to share your story is through Instagram because it’s visual. And if you want to create great content, one of the best things you can do is tell a story. Stories are so powerful because they’re easy for people to relate to and remember.
When we hear stories about other people’s experiences, we feel like we’re getting inside their heads and that makes us more likely to care about them (and buy from them).
So how do you tell stories? The first step is making sure every post has a caption that adds value or context.
If possible, keep your captions short no longer than five sentences or 150 words so they’re easy for others to read on their mobile screens while scrolling through their feeds quickly!
You can also use emojis, hashtags, and links as ways of adding value by helping people connect online; these are all things that will make your posts stand out in a crowded landscape where there are always new photos being uploaded every second!
Add Location Tags To Your Posts
Now that you’ve filled out the rest of your profile and uploaded some photos, it’s time to use these tools to start growing a following on Instagram.
In addition to hashtags, Instagram also allows users to add location tags within posts. Location tags are another way for people to find and follow you on Instagram, so make sure you include them in all of your posts!
This will help get more eyes on what you have to offer and who knows, it might even lead to new clients or customers!
To add a location tag, click the “Add Location” button located underneath your post’s caption (this button is only visible if you’re publishing an image). This will prompt an option box where users can enter their preferred city or state.
You can also enter additional information like countries or regions if they apply better than cities/states do when describing where someone might want to access our service
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Use Hashtags And Trending Topics
Hashtags are a great way to connect with people who share the same interests as you, and they can help make your posts more discoverable. Here are some tips on how to use hashtags effectively:
Use hashtags that are relevant to your post, but don’t overdo it. If you’re posting about a specific topic, choose one or two relevant hashtags and stick with them throughout the campaign don’t change up every single day!
That will just confuse followers who might be trying to figure out what this new hashtag means.
Always check out other users’ posts using similar hashtags before posting yourself so you have an idea of what kind of content they’re posting (and how often). The more engaged their followers seem, the easier it will be for us!
Run A Contest Or Giveaway
A giveaway or contest is a great way to get people to engage with your brand. It can also be used as a way to get people to like your page, like posts, and comment on them. This allows them to see the content that you are creating and hopefully follow you back!
To run a contest or giveaway on Instagram make sure that it’s easy for users to enter by having them follow the page they want to enter and then tag three friends in the comments section of their post.
This will ensure that they have all of their information correct when entering and make it much easier for us as well!
Host A Webinar To Your Instagram Audience
If you have an audience, why not use it? Host a webinar where you can share your knowledge and ideas with the people who follow (and engage with) your account.
A webinar is just one more way to post instructional content on Instagram and help customers grow their business or learn more about a product or service you provide.
This can also be done through live video on Facebook, YouTube, and Periscope, but we recommend using ClickMeeting for its ease of use.
Ability to record videos for later viewing by those who missed them in real-time and easy integration with social media accounts like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook!
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Comment On Other Users’ Content
Commenting on other users’ posts is a great way to interact with your followers and build more engagement. When you comment on someone else’s post, they’ll be notified of your comment, and they are likely to check out what you have to say if they follow you back!
When commenting on other people’s posts try to make sure it’s relevant to your business. If you’re selling women’s clothing then don’t comment on a man’s fitness account just because he has the same number of followers as you do.
Instead, look for accounts that may be followers of yours or accounts that have similar interests with regards to fashion/clothing/accessories, etc., This will increase interest in what you have to say while also allowing them to share their content on their feed!
Engage With Your Followers In The Comments Section
It’s not just about posting, you should also be engaging with people in the comments section. This is a great chance to ask questions and get feedback from your followers.
You can also answer questions that have been frequently asked by previous customers and make sure that others benefit from the answers as well.
You can use this as an opportunity to promote your business or products, but don’t do it too often or it’ll come off as spammy. For example, if someone asks for recommendations for a certain product or service, you could respond with a link to one of your listings.
This will help them find what they’re looking for while letting them know that there are other options available through your company if they want more information on any of those items (and maybe even selling some!).
Try Out New Features As Soon As They Come Out
One of the best things about Instagram is that it’s always evolving. New features are constantly being added and old ones changed, so keeping up can be tricky.
If you want to get the most out of it, you need to stay on top of these changes so you can keep your marketing as fresh and appealing as possible.
One way to do this is by trying out new features as soon as they come out. Don’t wait for others to try them out first; just go ahead and jump right in so you get a feel for how they work in real-life situations.
Don’t be afraid of experimenting it’s better than standing around wondering what would happen if…
The other thing to keep in mind when using new features is that sometimes they don’t work quite like we think they will (or should).
That’s okay! When something doesn’t turn out exactly like we thought it would, that means there’s room for improvement;
Maybe there was an oversight or misunderstanding somewhere along the line? No matter what happens during your trials with new features, remember: no failure ever equals no success!
Reply To All Messages And Comments On Your Posts
Don’t just leave those comments on your posts unanswered! Make sure that you reply to all of them, whether they’re from customers or prospective customers.
When replying to a comment or message, try to be personal; say something like “thanks so much for the compliment!” or “I’m glad you enjoyed it!”
It’s also important to remember that people want a response pretty quickly (within 24 hours), so don’t wait too long before responding.
Use Instagram Direct Messages To Grow Relationships With Prospects/Customers/Followers
Another way to use Instagram Direct Messages is to communicate with your followers and prospects. You can use them as another form of communication to help you grow relationships.
For example, if someone leaves a comment on one of your posts, don’t just reply with a singular response. Reply with “Thanks!
I appreciate it!” Or if they ask a question, try responding with “I’m glad that’s helpful 🙂 Thanks for the question!” You can do this even if it’s just one-word responses like these:
- “Awesome post!”
- “Thank you so much :)”
When you reply like this, it shows that you care about the people who follow your account and that they’re not just numbers on an app or website.
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Track, Analyze, And Optimize Your Posts’ Performance With Tools And Analytics Software
Once you have a baseline understanding of how your target audience interacts with your Instagram feed and posts, it’s time to take the next step: tracking, analyzing, and optimizing your posts’ performance.
Here are some tools that will make this process much easier:
Social Insights – A free tool that lets you track how many likes, comments, and shares each post receives. You can also see when people engage with your content in real-time.
Iconosquare – A paid social media analytics software for Instagram. This tracker makes it easy to understand what works for others so that you can apply those same tactics for yourself! It also helps identify influencers who could be worth taking advantage of down the line.
Interact With Your Instagram Posts’ Comments
You can interact with your Instagram posts’ comments. This is a great way to get engagement on your posts and also answer questions that may be asked by followers.
You should respond to people who make comments on your posts, as this will help them feel valued and appreciated by you.
You can also reply to messages that are sent via direct message, or use the @tag feature so others can see what they have to say about something you mentioned or showed in one of the images posted.
You should always go through the comments on all of your posts so you have an idea of what people are saying about it, especially if any questions need answering.
Post New Photos Every Day. Inform, Educate, Entertain And Engage Your Followers By Posting New Content Every Day
Post New Photos Every Day. Inform, educate, entertain and engage your followers by posting new content every day. Like any social media platform, it’s important to keep your audience engaged with new content on Instagram.
Post 2-3 Photos Each Day: Post 2-3 photos each day to keep your followers interested in your brand and give them something new to look at throughout the week or month.
Use Hashtags To Increase Engagement: Include hashtags that are relevant to the post you are making so that people can find them when searching for those keywords in their feed.
Create A Schedule And Stick To It: Create a schedule for when you will post each week so you don’t forget anything; this way, everything is already planned out and there aren’t any skipped days where no posts were made because they weren’t planned ahead of time!
Conclusion
With over a billion monthly active users, Instagram holds huge potential for brands that want to reach a wider audience. But simply posting images and hoping for the best is not going to help you grow your business.
On Instagram, you need to create engaging content that is relevant to your target audience so you can build relationships with them, drive traffic to your website, generate leads, and make sales. But this requires some time investment and effort on your part.
Further Reading
Buffer’s Guide: Instagram Marketing for Small Businesses Learn how small businesses can harness the power of Instagram to drive growth and engagement in this comprehensive guide from Buffer.
Hootsuite Blog: How to Use Instagram for Business Explore practical tips and strategies on effectively utilizing Instagram as a business platform, as outlined in Hootsuite’s insightful blog post.
Instagram for Business Dive into the official Instagram for Business resource to discover tools, features, and best practices for promoting your business on the platform.
And here’s the “FAQs” section with semantic-based questions and answers:
FAQs
How can Instagram benefit my small business?
Instagram can greatly benefit your small business by providing a visually engaging platform to showcase your products, connect with customers, and increase brand awareness.
What types of content perform well on Instagram?
Visual content such as high-quality images, videos, stories, and reels tend to perform exceptionally well on Instagram, capturing the attention of your target audience effectively.
How do I optimize my Instagram profile for business purposes?
To optimize your Instagram profile for business, ensure you have a clear and compelling bio, a recognizable profile picture, and include relevant contact information and a link to your website.
Are there any advertising options on Instagram?
Yes, Instagram offers various advertising options, including photo, video, carousel, story, and explore ads, allowing you to reach a wider audience and promote your products or services.
What are Instagram Insights and how can they help my business?
Instagram Insights provide valuable analytics about your account’s performance, audience demographics, and content engagement. These insights enable you to refine your marketing strategy for better results.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.