Have you considered creating a profile on Instagram for your business? This post includes eight Instagram marketing tips for business to help you get started and to get the most from the time you invest in Instagram.
If you haven’t yet, then perhaps it’s time to join the 300 million monthly active users. Setting up an account on Instagram is pretty simple (you will need to set this up via the mobile app).
To keep things easy for you just use the same username as your Twitter handle, add a profile picture whether that’s your company logo or one relevant to your business and remember to add a link to your website.
Connect your social accounts and let your fans/followers know that you’re now on Instagram!
The use of Instagram is not limited to large brands – smaller eCommerce stores can also take advantage of its many benefits.
Here Are 8Â Instagram Marketing Tips for Business:
Build a Consistent Image Brand
People like consistency which is why branding images is vital for your business. As consistency equates to trust, it means that people will more likely view your brand as trustworthy and will be more likely to purchase from you.
We’ve summarised the tips covered below, however for more in depth advice on how to use Instagram to boost your brand don’t miss the video: Instagram Marketing Tips to Boost Your Brand
Easy Inspiration
If you’re not particularly creative then thinking of fresh new ideas can be a struggle. Take inspiration from your competitors.
If you search for a few businesses who do well in selling similar products to you then take a look at they they’re up to on Instagram. Have a look through their visuals and see which ones are getting the most engagement and which aren’t.
Think about how their images speak to their customers and then think about how you can implement that into your own Instagram post.
Use Hashtags to Maximise Your Reach
One of the great things about Instagram is the search function. Instagram (similar to Twitter) uses hashtags which can be used to easily search for the images you’re looking for.
When you want to follow a specific hashtag you will find two areas where images will appear:
- Top Posts (the ones with the most likes and comments)
- Most Recent
If you can create an image that stands out among the rest in that hashtag then you can get more likes from organic search and more followers.
When thinking about which hashtag to use you’ll want one that is popular enough to get searches but not so popular that you get pushed out of the results page.
However if you decide to use no hashtags then you will never show up in a search because Instagram will have no way of categorising your image.
Even though you might think the more hashtags the better, just keep in mind that you don’t want to appear spammy so just keep to ones that are relevant.
Use Filters For Those Special Moments
So you know which hashtags to use and you’ve already got some awesome photos but before you upload them straight to Instagram consider adding a filter.
Some studies have shown that filters tend to get more likes and higher levels of engagement.
If more likes and followers are what you want then try using filters when posting a picture. Play around with a couple of different ones so you know which one works best for you.
Post Your Pictures at The ‘Perfect’ Time
If you regularly post to Facebook and Twitter then you’ll know that every audience and platform is a bit different so it’s hard to judge when the perfect time to post actually is.
There are many articles online who all recommend the best time to post to Instagram but they’re also all different so who will you choose to believe?
If you really think about your audience then imagine when they will most likely be checking their Instagram. Once you’ve worked this out then post depending on these time.
For example:
- If they’re working professionals then they will most likely check their Instagram account in the morning before work, during their lunch breaks, and in the evening after work or during rush hour commutes.
- Students will probably check all their social media account on their way to school/college if they’re on a bus, during lunch breaks and whilst they’re on their way home. They tend to be on most evenings after 7pm.
- Parents who are unemployed will most probably have time to check Instagram after school starts so any time after 9am and then a few times throughout the day till around 2:30/3pm.
If you’re still unsure then test a few different times and days to measure how well those do and then cut out what’s not working and stick to what is.
Show Behind The Scenes Photos
Not every image you post has to be focused on products. Let your customers go behind the scenes and show them what really goes on everyday at your HQ. This will allow people to build a personal bond with the company and really get a sense of personality and culture.
I find that online fashion stores do really well when posting behind the scenes photo-shoot images as their audience tend to love knowing what goes on behind the images such as hair and makeup prep.
Engage With Your Fans
Search through the hashtags you’re using and see who else is using them. Go through other people’s images and Like or Comment on them.
If you go through a Like people’s pictures then chances are they will click through to your profile and if they like what they see then they might even give you a follow from one simple Like.
People on Instagram are highly and easily engaged but sometimes you will have to make the first move.
Run Competitions and Giveaways
If you’re an eCommerce store then running a competition is a great way to gain more followers. In order to run a competition you need to put up something in which your audience would be interested in winning. It doesn’t matter if it’s a specific product or voucher.
Once you’ve decided what you can afford to give away then create a great visual for your post which will make people want to reshare it. Then explain to them how you want them to enter the competition.
Here are a few examples of competition enter ideas:
- Like and Repost this image with an @mention to enter.
- Post an image and use # (make up a hashtag) to enter.
- Tag a friend in the comments section to enter.
There are lots of other ways you can do it but these have been the most popular. If you are going to run a competition then make sure that once you’ve picked your winner you announce on Instagram and get their prize to them as soon as you can so people don’t think it’s fake.
You don’t have to always run the giveaway on your own account. You can also work with influencers and get them to do Instagram shoutouts promoting the giveaway. But make sure you only work with the right influencers. They should be relevant to your brand and have high levels of engagement.
Still Unsure
Unlike Facebook, getting followers on Instagram is much easier and engagement levels are generally much higher. If you’re still struggling to build your Instagram account up then you could try using Instagram Ads to get your posts in front of your target audience.
Should you be doing more on your Instagram account but would like some one-to-one help, then our digital marketing training courses could help point you in the right direction. If you do however have just a quick question then please share in the comments section or send us a tweet at @TeamTillison.Speak with a SpecialistLearn Social Media with a Pro
