Instagram as a social media platform has been in use for just over a decade. Introduced in the middle of 2010, the growth in its popularity amongst users has been phenomenal. Today it has over a billion users worldwide every month. As a marketing tool, no modern business should ignore it. Its great popularity means it provides businesses with a ready medium to market their products and brands. Instagram currently has the second highest count in the world after Facebook, which incidentally owns it, (Instagram was acquired by Facebook in 2012)
A few statistics show why no business should ignore this platform. The decision to buy Instagram accounts is entirely up to you.It has more than 100 million active users in the US alone. Studies show that worldwide more than half of the active users say they have started buying at least one product after hearing about it on Instagram.
So how do you make the best out of it as a business?
No serious business implements such a potentially useful tool without some serious thought on the best implementation strategy to use. This article outlines some tips that have proved useful for other businesses.
This probably is the first step to take. It is no use to haphazardly post ads on your platform if you have no idea who is going to look at them. It is a fact that almost three-quarters of active Instagram users are 35years or younger. So it is logical that if the business markets several different brands and products, those likely to appeal to this age group should be the ones posted on Instagram. For those not likely to appeal to this age group (wigs for elderly ladies) consideration should be given to the use of other alternative platforms.
Instagram Insights
Still, on the issue of finding out who your target audience is, use should be made of Instagram insights. This vital Instagram tool can provide some interesting insights, like impressions that indicate how many times your posts were viewed or how active your followers were daily. You can even use it to find out the number of people who saved your content. Another application of this tool is getting information about the demographics of followers and users. This includes information about their gender, their ages, and their physical location.
However, Instagram insights have a limitation. They provide information about existing users or followers. Businesses obviously want to attract new followers. This calls for different methods. There are listening tools to follow what users are saying about your brands or products and brands in your industry or similar to your own. Or look at the content posted by your competitors who have brands that are doing well. The idea behind all this is, that you want your posts to be read or viewed by an interested and responsive audience. Potential clients who are likely to respond and get hooked.
Promote Engagement
What is meant here is that, try as much as possible to post content that encourages feedback and comments. Do not bombard followers and potential followers with pure sales talk. People are not likely to become interested by being talked to, like in a lecture for example.
People respond and become more interested if they feel that their views are being considered important. So show appreciation and real interest in what followers post in their comments. This two-way interaction goes a long way in building a community. It is also important in that it helps you to recognize any weaknesses and shortcomings in the content you are posting. You are therefore able to make any necessary corrections and adjustments.
Sometimes users enjoy using your brands and products so much that they post comments expressing their appreciation and satisfaction. Repost these comments. They are free advertising. These comments will have a very favorable impression on other potential followers and customers.
Images and Videos
Make use of great photos and interesting videos. Instagram is primarily a platform for photos, videos, and illustrations; with accompanying text in the form of captions of course. Photos and illustrations should be original and eye-catching. It has been shown that photos created in such a way that one color dominates generally receive more likes. Also, those that show a larger background space compared to the actual photo perform better.
Use Consistent Logos
Logs come in different forms. They could be the actual brand name or could be a picture of a part of this business premises- the front office, the manufacturing plant, or even a picture of a group of employees. Whatever form it takes, make sure it’s attractive and eye-catching.
Instagram Videos
Your videos should tell a story, rather than merely giving information and facts about your brand or services. For example, if you are marketing a cold beverage avoid posting a video that merely extols the benefits. Rather, it is more effective if for example, the video shows a group of college students rushing to buy a beverage in the canteen during break time. That’s more effective.
Such great visuals are vital. People notice and remember more of what they see than what they hear or read about. In fact, some studies suggest that over 90% of buying decisions are based on visual images.
Hashtags
Make effective use of hashtags. It is more effective to use targeted hashtags than broad general ones. Examples of a general hashtag are ‘toys’ or ‘lotion’. Users are likely to pass over these and move on. They do not grab attention. It is better to use hashtags that are brand specific and targeted to a particular audience. Some hashtags have become so overused that they are useless as attention-grabbers. #Love comes to mind.
Use a Clear Concise Bio
The bio should be brief but revealing. It should be couched in attention-grabbing language and also bring out in a few sentences what the business is about. This includes your products, company history, and physical location. A link to the business site should never be left out.
The username chosen should be one that helps link your business name and your product name in users’ minds. Put another way, select an Instagram handle that matches as far as possible, the trade name of the business.
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