As social media continues to grow and impact our lives, many companies realize how important an online presence is. If you do not have a successful website, blog, and social media accounts, you are far behind the curve. However, not all social media websites are perfect for every business. Which platforms you should use depends on the industry you work in and what you offer.
One social media site that is known for being a bit underutilized is picture sharing platform Instagram. A big reason why Instagram is not used as much by companies as other social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn is because it is primarily a visual platform. Every Instagram post must contain at least one picture, while you have the option to create posts without pictures on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Some brands disregard Instagram immediately because of the requirements for a post. Instagram can also be considered complex, but it can be a very good marketing tool regardless. Instagram is improving at a rapid pace with new features being integrated constantly to the surprise of many. According to Instagram, there are over 2 million business accounts on the platform and 90% of user accounts follow at least one business. It is obvious that you should get started, so here are some tips for using Instagram as a marketing tool!
Instagram tips
Utilize a business profile
On Instagram, there are two different profile types. There is a personal account, which is mainly used for fun and does not come with any analytical features. There is also a business account that allows you to choose your industry and use basic analytical tools. It is important to use a business profile so users know that you are the actual company they’re looking for. The analytical tools are a nice bonus and can help you measure customer engagement with your posts and stories. This is an essential first step when creating a new account or modifying an existing account for business use.
Enhance your profile
When using Instagram, your account should look crisp and clean and present your business in a positive light. Choose the perfect handle and write a quality error-free bio that gives customers a good first impression. Another wise bit of advice would be to add contact info such as your email, phone number, and address in addition to your website. You should also have an accurate profile picture, one that is easily identifiable. Play around with the other features of your Instagram profile, but make sure it is in tip-top shape for your own sake.
Develop your aesthetic
There are many examples of companies on Instagram that have no sense of aesthetic design, and it shows very noticeably. It is crucial to choose what kinds of content to post, what colors to use, and what tone to right your posts in. These are all important and factor into customer decisions to follow you, purchase from you, visit you, and interact with you in general. You don’t want a random collection of posts on your feed that look ugly, so make sure to develop the all-important aesthetic sooner rather than later.
Take advantage of Instagram ads
Like all other social media platforms, Instagram has the capability to create your own ads and get them in front of interested people. Before making your first ad, set your ad budget as to not spend too much. These ads are highly customizable and can do wonders for your brand, as long as you choose the right content for them. Best practices for Instagram ads are to choose your most visually pleasing and persuasive content so that users navigate to your profile and interact with you. There are many options with Instagram ads, so make sure to look around in the settings before deciding on one.
Post user-submitted content for a change
Sometimes in your business you may find that social media content ideas can run dry on occasion. To combat this, create a post asking for users to submit their own photo content with your brand via a hashtag, direct messages, or email. Once you get these photos, begin sharing them with your audience and tag the user that submitted them. Authentic content is very popular these days and your followers are sure to appreciate a change in pace. Even if you have plenty of content ideas, mixing in user-generated content is always a positive.
Contact us
The tips for using Instagram as a marketing tool that we provided should give you a good head start in your efforts of using it for your business. If you still find yourself confused or in need of additional help, contact us for a FREE audit of your business’ marketing strategy. We also offer services including local SEO optimization, social media automation, online review cultivation, content creation, and much more. Contact your local digital marketing agency Focused Engagement today!