Instagram is a leading video- and photo-sharing platform that belongs to Facebook. It includes many business-friendly features, including ads, analytics, business profiles, tagged products, purchase page links, shopping lists, support for e-commerce purchases, and more. Instagram is characterized by more engagement and less competition than other social media titans such as Twitter or Facebook. That means you can market your offerings at reasonable ad rates. Check out the following tips to extract maximum value from your commitment to Instagram.
1. Let Your Creative Juices Flow
To start with, concentrate on solutions rather than products. If you’re a service organization, discuss the processes underlying your offerings. Remember, Instagram is a visually-oriented platform, so you have to look good as you explain the value you provide. Like it or not, you’ll sink or swim based on your visual content. Liberally sprinkle your presence with photos and videos that celebrate your company’s mission, culture, and ways you help your customers.
2. Optimize Your Entries
You have limited space per posting, so don’t try to cram in too many ideas. Rather, give a single focus to each posting, such as a special promotion, a new product, or a company event. Frequently update the single clickable link (in the Bio section) to point to new content on your website or elsewhere. Use Instagram Business Profiles to give out your phone number and collect comprehensive analytical data.
3. Make It Meta
You can use Instagram to give viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your company. You can show them how you build your products or deliver your services. Highlight special characteristics of your offerings, such as sustainability and fair trade practices. If you are a manufacturer, show each step in the fabrication process, from raw inputs to production to distribution. Get creative by showing pictures of brainstorming whiteboards and other inside information. As you get feedback, sharpen your postings to reflect the types that work better than others. And to prevent clutter, archive your older posts.
4. Use Hashtags
Hashtags can increase your reach. You can tailor them to specific campaigns or topics, but always keep them relevant to your content. Set up your main hashtag (e.g., #yourbrandname) and use it occasionally on Instagram and other social media sites such as Twitter. Hashtags help folks find the content they desire. Don’t overuse hashtags — three to five are a good number, even though you can add 30 per post. Also, try some popular ones like #instagood or #tech. Vary where you work hashtags into your postings, from inline to comments to the end of your post.
5. Share Customer Success Stories
You can @mention others to showcase successful customers and clever collaborators. After all, you can let their excellence reflect back upon you. It’s good marketing (and just good) to support a charity or two, and you can tag them to show your commitment to a worthwhile cause that aligns with your company’s values. You don’t have to be an “official sponsor” of a charity in order to tag them. This technique supplements hashtags, which aren’t necessarily monitored by some visitors. Also, use reciprocal unpaid “shout-outs” to and from your partners. If you prefer, you can use paid shout-outs if your marketing budget permits. Typically, these require payments to a popular brand or influencer in return for their shout-out to you. This can increase your viewership quickly and efficiently.
6. Offer Exclusive Content to Loyal Followers
Give your Instagram followers first access to exclusive content and upcoming promotions. Let them know that they are being singled out to early information about new events, services, and products. You can even tease upcoming events with enticing photos to build anticipation. Satisfy their curiosity about new offerings, offices, or stores. Try to make your Instagram followers feel special.
7. Use Analytics to Build Success
You won’t know whether your marketing is successful unless you can measure results. You can use Instagram’s analytics and/or those available from third-parties to measure followers, click-throughs, and engagement. Integrate your Instagram analytics with that from other social media sites.
Conclusion
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