You’re probably a member of the Instagram community. But is your account contributing to the growth of your company? It should be!
Instagram isn’t merely a platform for linking with acquaintances, sharing vacation pics, or uploading silly cat videos. The social networking site is a powerhouse marketing channel, and companies from across the globe are using it to link with prospects and grow their brands.
If you’ve considered maximizing your Instagram presence or marketing your brand on the site, this post is for you. Let’s jump straight into the basics of Instagram marketing.
Debunking Instagram Marketing
An Instagram marketing strategy relies on the social networking site to sponsor a brand. This approach requires you to create and share visually engaging stuff with your followers on the site. You’ll be aiming to:
- Maximize your following
- Build awareness
- Engage with your current clients
- Dive sales
A well-implemented Instagram marketing campaign requires you to familiarize yourself with the preferences of your target audience. You’ll then use these insights to create relevant content. The strategy includes learning the videos that appeal to your client base and creating meaningful and appropriate captions.
The Power of Instagram Marketing
Instagram hosts about two billion active users every month. Users browse the site for about 53 minutes daily, ranking it second after Facebook in terms of daily visits. These numbers make it a suitable platform for brands seeking to appeal to a massive audience.
Companies not utilizing Instagram marketing are missing out on huge business opportunities. Here’s why:
The Platform Fosters Customer Engagement
Social media marketing primarily aims to boost engagement. Instagram allows you to engage users by providing avenues for sharing sentiments and feedback. They can also like their favorite posts, leave comments, or even share the content. The site provides simple engagement-fostering methods like the use of quality images and hashtags or leveraging brand partnerships. Create time to learn about these methods by designating your academic work to a paper writing service Masterpapers.com.
The Site Accommodates All Business Sizes
Instagram hosts many people with unique interests and needs. Therefore, brands from all sectors can thrive here. Of course, the platform doesn’t guarantee overnight success. But this giant social network lets you quickly get your company on the map. The site lets you build brand awareness, engage with your audience, and keep them active.
Your Company Is Probably on the Site Already
Most of your clients are on Instagram, even if your company may not have an account on this platform. Chances are one of these customers has already talked about your company, especially if you have a physical location. The site allows users to post with location tags. So, if a customer has ever posted while at your premises, your brand likely has an Instagram tag.
A Visual Site
This might sound obvious. But Instagram stands out from other social networks because it’s exclusive to videos and picture posts. This is a huge brand advantage, considering users find visual content more engaging. Savvy marketers use pictures to deliver compelling messages instead of directing followers to their physical location. Image posts allow you to highlight your offerings, while videos can perfectly showcase your services or organizational culture.
Instagram Business Profiles Offer Extra Features
Instagram users can create personal or business accounts on the platform. A business account gives brands an edge by unlocking promotional features. For instance, you can create a call to action button, view account insights, and promote your posts through Instagram ads. In addition, the account notifies your users that they’re browsing a business page. These extra perks enable your brand to maximize the benefits of the social site.
A Glance at the Site’s Notable Marketing Features
The following elements make Instagram a potent digital marketing tool:
Influencer Brand Awareness
Instagram has numerous influencers with substantial followings. These high-level users could be celebrated personalities or famous merchandise and brand promotions experts. A reliable influencer can grant your brand access to hard-to-reach demographics. Moreover, they can increase your marketing ROI by introducing your brand to thousands or millions of users.
Product Launches
Checkout-enabled business accounts can leverage product launches to reveal new products and build anticipation. Savvy organizations generate buzz and interest by teasing their upcoming products, sharing sneak peeks, and posting countdowns to the launch. This feature engages your audience and provides direct selling opportunities.
Hashtags
Companies looking to magnify their online presence and acquire new customers can find immense value in Instagram hashtags. This feature helps users identify and filter matching posts. If someone searches for a hashtag you’ve already used, they’ll come across your brand account and probably engage with the page.
Reels
Your Instagram marketing strategy isn’t complete without Reels. This feature delivers a higher engagement level than the standard social media posts. Your brand will earn 42% more likes on the reels, and users are more likely to share your content over typical posts. That’s why creators everywhere are coming up with community-driven content.
Instagram Stories
There’s no better way to showcase your brand in action than using Instagram stories. About 50% of Instagram users acknowledge making purchase decisions after encountering a product in the Stories section. This is a great opportunity for your brand to maximize sales. Companies share different forms of content in this section, including:
- Still pictures
- Videos
- Live footages
- Plain text
- Ricochets
The Stories menu also includes location, hashtag, and weather stickers. You can use questionnaires and poll stickers to engage your audience and gain feedback.
How to Get It Right
These practical Instagram growth hacks will help you get your strategy right:
- Publish quality, relevant content – Great content is the driving force of your Instagram strategy. So be sure to share valuable insights if you want your Instagram page to beat the crowd.
- Choose a great hashtag – Research relevant and popular hashtags in your niche using the site’s search and explore features.
- Steal your rival’s followers – Your competitor’s followers can relate to your content. Draw their attention by liking their post, commenting, and following them.
- Post consistently – Consistency is powerful. The most successful business accounts post twice or thrice daily, while the average ones post once per day.
- Use a strong call-to-action – Sometimes, you have to give users a hint so they can do what you want. So, include a convincing CTA in all your Instagram posts.
- Buy shout-outs – Quickly grow your following by paying Instagram users to mention your page in their posts.
Instagram marketing has great brand-building potential. The site has the second-largest user base and features vast tools for savvy marketers. Organic growth may take time and effort, but the above strategies will put you on track.
