Instagram is the #1 social media platform in the world right now, with massive user growth, hundreds of millions of active monthly users, and a big youth movement. Attract customers through Instagram digital marketing, create conversation, and turn engagement into revenues. Here’s how.
Who’s on Instagram?
More than 35 percent of Internet users have an Instagram account. The majority of Instagram users are women between 18 and 29. A lot of Instagram accounts belong to users from outside the United States as well, which makes it an ideal platform to reach local and international audiences alike. That said, not everyone is on Instagram. Older audiences aren’t. Business professionals aren’t. Instagram is a specific platform, with an audience of under-30, visual-driven users. If this is the audience you are targeting, you’re in the right place.
Use Instagram software
Instagram apps, software, and tools exist to help you get posts out, grow followers, and get attention. There are tools to craft high quality images and video, editing them quickly to a professional level. There are content management software that allow you to post or time out postings. There are also media management programs that keep all your images and videos in one place. This is just where to start. There is a lot of other software and apps that do amazing things with social media platforms like Instagram. They’re well worth checking into.
The use of hashtags
Do you know how to use hashtags on Instagram strategically for marketing? Users can follow hashtags. If you use a hashtag that’s trending, that immediately puts your brand in on the conversation. Now hopefully you choose hashtags that are relevant to your brand. Choosing wrongly can have very negative consequences or make it appear as if you’re just creating spam.
User-generated content
Coming up with new content to promote your Instagram account can occasionally hit a wall. Frequently posting, you’re going to run out of things to talk about eventually. Being repetitive or going forward with low-quality posts can damage Instagram presence. User-generated content is a way around it. For example, ask your audience to post using a branded hashtag, use a promotional campaign to encourage likes and shares, or occasionally re-post a customer comment or customer story. By tapping into your user base, you get others to generate content on your behalf.
Running an Instagram contest
In an effort to boost likes and followers, if you have a brand building momentum and already popular, launching a contest will encourage existing followers to engage and hopefully get your brand out to others. If you choose to launch an Instagram contest, be clear about the action a customer’s expected to take, the prize, share your contest as far and wide as you can, ensure a short time window, and arguably most importantly, encourage people to tag their friends in comments.
Launch a hashtag campaign
In favor of a cause or charity you like, why not launch an Instagram hashtag campaign – they work! Campaigns that are not sales-centric foster engagement, connection, and through meaning. Create Instagram buzz without ever mentioning your products or brand directly. Create custom hashtags that push a charitable contribution commitment you’ve made, such as donating 10 percent of proceeds to a cause or pursuing a local charitable act. Encourage others to add the same hashtag to their posts and to make a contribution or do something kind in line with your cause.
Follow your analytics
Look at user behaviour and pay attention to what’s receiving the most attention. Even among Instagram’s best accounts, not everything they post is a hit. It’s no secret, some Instagram posts receive more clicks than others. Go forward with what’s working. Stop what isn’t. Revise your Instagram marketing strategy if you have to, based off the data that comes in. Ongoing improvement can pay off big-time as you see your numbers go up and up and up.
Do I really need to post this?
Ask yourself again, before you post something on Instagram, does it have enough meaning to warrant posting it – if the answer’s no, scrap it. If the audience thinks you’re a spam company, you’re going to lose them. Post content that’s high-value, unique, purposeful, and which capitalizes on a user’s pain points or interests.
Conversation, not sales
Like all social media marketing, Instagram marketing for business is about creating conversation rather than simply telling someone to buy your product. If all you want is an Instagram to sell, you’re going about it all wrong. It’s conversation that leads to conversion. By being honest and authentic on social media, this benefits everything from brand perception to cash flow. Your marketing strategy should be thoroughly informed with this.
Instagram isn’t just for young users
The statistics on Instagram show us more and more older people are using it. While Instagram is nowhere near Facebook in terms of engagement on older generations, it’s still a platform with a growing user base. According to estimates, 93% of Canadians born before 1996 use Instagram compared to 86% of millennials born between 1981 and 1995, 66% of people born between 1965 and 1980, and 69% of baby boomers born before 1964. Instagram’s on the rise in key older demographics which means we could be talking about it being a premiere platform to reach seniors come a couple years down the road.
Partner with other Instagram accounts
Asking permission to use other people’s photos, joining forces with a complimentary brand, promoting someone else’s Instagram on yours with their permission, or using an influencer encourages collaboration between accounts. A huge following awaits for brands that are available and open to fostering partnerships with others. This way, you share audience with you benefiting from exposure to their followers and vice versa.
Is it relevant?
From the posts you’re making to the hashtags you’re using, the audience and attention you’re receiving, and everything else, ask yourself, is it relevant? If you’re a hardware store and you’re using hashtags aimed adolescents and teenagers, you’re probably wasting effort chasing audience that isn’t going to purchase or be interested in what you’re selling. Always ensure you aren’t wasting time, effort, or money on accounts that aren’t relevant to you.
Incentive-driven likes
Launching an incentive-driven Instagram likes campaign provides a reward in favor of liking a brand. This could be a discount, a free product, an entry into a contest draw, or something else. Free stuff is something we all get excited about. For Instagram users, they’re no different. When someone likes your brand, it gives you free publicity and that’s worth something for brand new accounts. If you’re lucky, you can build enough of an Instagram audience here within a few weeks or a month to really give yourself a strong footing on the platform.
Fill out your Instagram bio in full
It may seem obvious but some businesses starting out don’t always fill in their Instagram account. Include a link to your website, useful information, and contact info. The easier you make it for a user to connect with your brand, the higher likelihood they will. Also, stay recognizable with the same photo and name at all times. Choose a permanent name and permanent photo. The consistency of this simple branding strategy creates awareness, legitimacy, and authority.
Instagram video marketing with a sense of urgency
On the first day Instagram allowed users to upload videos, more than 5 million were made and shared. Video is very, very popular. How to use Instagram video marketing to increase follower count is to do it with a sense of urgency. What we mean by this is have your videos be time-sensitive, have music and writing that adds to the urgency, and with your brand name obvious within the first few seconds of the video. Create a video with a clear call-to-action and that eliminates any moment that isn’t directly contributing to engagement or motivating action.
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