Instagram is one of the most commonly downloaded apps and, for many companies, an untapped marketing tool. Here are some tips on marketing through Instagram.
With over 1 billion monthly users and more than 500 million daily users, Instagram is now the second most engaged social platform after Facebook! The photo-sharing app reached the 1 billion mark at the end of 2018, overtaking Twitter by three times is now trailing apps like WhatsApp and Facebook at a close pace.
In other words, Instagram is now one of the most commonly downloaded apps. For many companies, it’s an untapped marketing tool.
If you’re among the companies which are yet to establish a presence on the platform, then there is no better time to do so than now. Here are some Instagram marketing tips to get you started.
1. Have a Well Optimized Instagram Bio
First impressions matter! Therefore, the first step towards product marketing through Instagram is to have a killer bio. Your bio is the first thing that potential clients will see when they come across your Instagram account. Therefore, ensure they are captivated from the word go.
In respect to that, create a bio that explains what your brand is all about and why prospects should care. Keep in mind; you only have 150 characters to do so. Hence have a clear, concise, and compelling bio.
In addition, make sure you use a memorable profile photo. Don’t forget to include a link to your website, as this is where clients can shop after going through your account, thus increasing your conversion rate.
2. Switch to Business
While still working on your profile, don’t forget to switch to a business account. At a glance, the switch might not seem necessary, but in reality, having a business profile packs a list of perks. For instance, it makes it much easier for your followers to reach you as they only need to click the contact button on your profile.
It also makes it possible for you to create and post Instagram ads without using Facebook advertising tools. Also, it opens up a world of free tools such as Instagram analytics tools which offer stats about the impressions each of your posts gets.
In a nutshell, while it’s possible to market yourself on a personal account, a business one has unparalleled benefits for your entity.
3. Maximize on Hashtags
At first, hashtags can be pretty boring, but once you learn their essence, you’ll never miss an opportunity to use them. For instance, hashtags help organize and categorize your account’s content, ensuring that it is delivered to the right audience. This, in turn, attracts new followers to your site, helping you build your following, increase engagement as well as conversion rate.
Nevertheless, while hashtags can help scale your business to new heights, they can quickly become a bother if used too frequently. Ensure you have a well-crafted strategy so you can accomplish the goal of using them in the first place.
4. Repost with Permission
Another important digital marketing Instagram strategy you should maximize is the repost feature. Whenever one of your clients purchases your product and they happen to post it on their feed or stories, ensure you repost it.
However, do so only if you have their permission. There are several reasons to so.
It makes your clients feel more appreciated. Thus they’re more likely to stick around and even recommend your account to other users.
User-generated content has been proven to be more memorable and more trustable. Therefore, other prospective clients are more likely to start following and even purchase from you when they see that other customers are happy and impressed with what you offer.
Also, when customers share images and videos of them enjoying your products and services, they’re practically offering you free marketing. Hence, don’t feel shy to ask your clients to post their experience with your products and services.
Other than customers, also repost posts by your employees. This adds a human touch to your business.
5. Have Great Visuals
Instagram was created as a photo and video-sharing app. Therefore, the aesthetic appearance of your posts is quite essential. To have great visuals, you first need to adopt a particular style and theme to establish visual consistency. This is incredibly important as customers tend to associate you with a specific pattern, hence making your posts instantly recognizable even on the explore tab.
The good bit is that due to the diverse array of filter options that Instagram offers, creating this consistency is not hard. You can also use third-party photo and video editing apps to achieve the effect you want on all your photos.
6. Use Instagram Stories
With over 100 million Instagram users watching and sharing Insta stories, this gives you an even better avenue to promote your brand. Additionally, you can tell more through Insta stories than written posts. Also, these stories boast excellent features such as polls and direct links to your site.
You can use these features to learn more about your audience preferences and increase conversion rates. For instance, you can use the poll feature to find out what kind of posts your clients prefer.
However, keep in mind that Instagram is a social media platform and not a business promotion site. Therefore, strike a balance by ensuring that while your stories help promote your business, they’re at the same time fun for your followers.
7. Partner with Relevant Influencers
Influencers are considered the kings of social media marketing for several reasons. First, they boast a large following, providing a great platform to market yourself to a bigger audience. Also, they tend to influence buying habits, as most buyers tend to go with whatever they say is good.
If you want to reach prospective clients on this platform, the fastest way to do so is through them. However, don’t just partner with any influencer you come across. First, identify a few who are relevant to your niche.
Next, consider how influential they’re; you can determine this by the number of likes and responses they get from their posts. Lastly, consider the cost and payment plan as their services don’t come for free.
8. Be Interactive
The goal is to build and keep your followers. All the strategies listed above will go a long way in attracting new prospects, but retaining them is the hard part. Being as interactive as possible is the secret ingredient to ensuring they not only remain your followers but also become long-term clients as well.
Therefore, follow them back, respond to their comments on your posts, comment on theirs, repost them, go live, and tag them whenever relevant. If they have an issue, address it personally through direct messaging. Follow up on them by making calls or texting them as a way to ensure customer satisfaction.
Also, on that note, don’t rely on digital marketing Instagram alone. Ensure you incorporate alternative marketing methods.
Scale Your Business to New Heights Through Instagram Marketing Today
Gone are the days when you had to pay for expensive mainstream media advertising to generate and convert leads for your business. Today, you can reach the right audience for your business through Instagram marketing. However, this will only happen if you play your cards right.
Still, wondering how you can easily reach your target clients through social media marketing? Check us out to learn how you can do that today!
