If your business isn’t on Instagram yet, it’s time to seriously consider adding it to your social media marketing strategy.
Next year, Instagram is projected to reach 104.5 million active users in the United States each month. That’s a lot of targeted and engaged fans right at your fingertips. Whether you are brand new to Instagram or you’re looking for a way to update your social media strategy, here are seven tips for using this visual platform to reach your customers.
1. Understand how Instagram works
Instagram has a wealth of resources on their business blog. They deliver insights into how to best utilize the photo sharing platform with everything from the latest news, API examples, brand spotlights, and helpful tips specifically designed for businesses. Follow their blog to keep up with all the latest tools and trends that will help to make your company’s Instagram account successful.
2. Create a Winning Profile
You only have 150 characters to sum up everything your company is about. So, focus on your most important USP, service or product. Your bio is also the only place on Instagram that allows a clickable link. Don’t just add the link to your website and forget about it. Update it frequently, linking to whatever it is your business is doing—things like registrations, purchases, app downloads or events. Then create a post about those things with a note letting fans know that the “link is in bio.” Check out the platform’s blog post on creating an Instagram Business profile. With this profile you can utilize their extensive analytics tools as well as their paid advertising.
3. Cultivate a Following
Connect your Facebook account to Instagram. Then, pick your most relevant Instagram images and cross-post them on your Facebook page, letting your fans who don’t know you’re on Instagram that they can find you over there.
4. Collaborate and Mention Others
Another way to grow your audience is by collaborating with like-minded companies and charities through campaigns or events. Helping promote each other’s businesses provides more exposure for both of you. Or share your customers’ successes, mentioning and tagging them in your posts.
5. Inspire Potential Customers
Get creative with your images. This is a visually focused photo sharing platform—aesthetics play a major role. And it’s essential to show that you add value to your customers’ experience. Go beyond hawking products by showcasing the solution you provide. Share images that show your company’s mission. Use Instagram Stories to share behind the scenes videos. Show your company working hard and having fun.
6. Use Trending Hashtags to Expand Your Reach
Your hashtags can be specific to a particular campaign that you’re running, or they can be general, like #tbt (Throwback Thursday). Whatever you use, though, make sure that the hashtags are relevant to your post. Include your main company hashtag—this helps customers easily find you and any related content. Also, be sure to use any hashtags that are relevant to your industry. While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, it’s best practice to use three to five in a business post.
7. Analyze Your Growth and Use it for Future Marketing
Be sure to analyze the data! Otherwise, all this effort means nothing to your social media marketing strategy. This is how you’ll find what works for both your audience and your company. In addition to Instagram’s own analytics, mentioned earlier in this blog post, you can also use analytics tools in social media management sites like Sprout Social and Hootsuite. Monthly social media reports help to track audience numbers, find the best times to post, track most popular posts, etc. Armed with this information, you can hone your strategy and make it even more successful going forward.
If you’d like to learn more about growing your business’s Instagram following, we’re here to help. Drop us a line to set up a free 30-minute consultation.
