Instagram is one of the most popular social networks, and with over one billion active users, it’s still growing. And thanks to all of the features it offers, Instagrammers are among the most engaging social media users.
This is why it’s becoming more and more useful for businesses to find the right way to use it to their advantage. With a good strategy and some tips and tricks, it can soon become a powerful fuel for your business.
Table of Contents
1. Post Only Quality Content
Visual content is proven to be the most effective when it comes to marketing, and the most memorable. However, to have such a strong effect, your content must truly speak to your Instagram followers. This is why you shouldn’t post photos or videos of poor quality. Also, make sure that whatever the subject of the post, it’s relevant, it offers value to your customers and it’s share-worthy.
2. Find the Right Way to Share Your Content
Quality content alone isn’t enough for a successful account. This is why you must know when is the best time to post on Instagram, how often you should post, which format appeals most to your target audience, and what problems do they have that you can solve. This will help you create a content calendar and schedule posts.
Instagram was developed as a photo-sharing app but it has grown into so much more. Nowadays both videos and images (including photographs, drawings, memes, infographics) are popular among Instagram users. Use various formats to make sure that you are getting your message across. Also, try to always be consistent. And remember that your Instagram account should be an honest reflection of your business.
3. Humanize Your Brand
Thanks to digital marketing, among other factors – like the growing environmental issues awareness, the consumers of today expect to know the brands they choose, their values, and their philosophies, and to build a real connection to them. They want to see the human side of your business and get familiar with the faces behind your brand. This is why you shouldn’t only promote what you are selling but also post less professional content, such as employees and testimonials and behind-the-scenes videos and photos.
4. Publish Stories, Go Live, Use Hashtags
Stories are among the most popular Instagram features, with over half a million users using them daily. They are short but, if done right, they can have a big impact on your already engaged followers.
Live streaming is ideal for making a more direct connection to your audience, showing some of your working processes, the atmosphere in your offices, the manufacturing of a product, or any other aspect of your business. Going live is also the perfect way to inspire engagement.
Hashtags are another important feature on Instagram, and if you use them right, they can help you increase your reach significantly. The trick is to use only relevant hashtags, preferably popular ones, but not to overuse them and to avoid hashtags that are becoming annoying to users. You should also create a branded hashtag, and use it on every post.
5. Find Useful Instagram Tools
There are many tools available that can help you grow your Instagram account, some directly – by bringing you more followers –, and others by helping you measure your results, schedule your posts, improve the video and photo quality, and many other functions. However, avoid using tools meant to create an illusion of popularity, by bringing you fake followers and fake engagement.
6. Support Your Account on Other Networks
Even if your social strategy is mainly focused on Instagram, it’s not a bad idea to create accounts on other major networks. Not only will this give you access to a wider audience, but it will also allow you to cross-promote your accounts. For instance, you can ask your Facebook audience to follow you on Instagram, you can include your Instagram URL in the “about” section, and so on.
7. Use Paid Ads
Using Instagram is free but to find new followers and improve your conversion rate, you can use paid ads. The platform allows you to target specific audiences, based on characteristics such as age, gender, location, or interests. This way you can make sure that your ads will reach real people who may be interested in the products or services that you offer.
Conclusion
Instagram has become such an important part of many people’s lives, that an engaging account can be the thing that grows your profit. But to achieve this, you must manage it using clear tactics to achieve clear goals. These seven tips and tricks can help you create a social media strategy that will make your Instagram account a real asset in your endeavor to run a successful business.
