Quick Tips: Instagram for Business
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Serious social media marketers know that Instagram can be a game-changer in the business world. With 1 billion+ users, Instagram’s mobile-first philosophy allows the company to engage with target audiences to build brand awareness, debut products, drive website traffic, and sell online. Engagement on Instagram is high, its users are brand loyal and extremely hashtag and trend-savvy. Key demographics for this social media channel are 18-24 years olds, with most users under age 35—all with money to spend. 80 percent of all accounts follow businesses on Instagram, making it worth the time and energy for companies of all sizes to utilize this social media channel!
GETTING STARTED
The Instagram audience is 70 percent more likely to buy via mobile and nearly 40 percent of online users utilize Instagram. Instagram makes it easy to create and maintain a FREE business profile, but it’s not enough just to set up an account. While business accounts are automatically set to “public,” allowing billions of potential likes, views, and visits from around the globe, smart marketers build their profile section, do their research and study their competition.
Build Profile: Include contact information, physical location, website address and utilize business-only options like corresponding buttons. Be sure to select your category, giving you a leg up in reaching out to potential customers searching for your business type. Make sure you offer clear branding for your company allowing your business to reach new audiences.
Research: Determine who your customers are and who currently follows/buys from you. Age, socioeconomic background, interests, region, etc. You can gain a lot of infor from audience insights on your other social media channels, too. Keep in mind the under 35 demographic.
Study Your Competition: Don’t be afraid to get nosy. Various apps and websites exist to help you hone in on keywords and hashtags. Follow your competitors and take advantage of the “similar accounts” page recommended by Instagram to expand your audience and grow your page followers.
Each of these points will help you as you set Key Business Requirements and Key Performance Indicators for your business and Instagram account. Make sure you establish upfront the type of metrics you will follow to measure success.
BUILDING AN AUDIENCE
Unlike other social media channels built around groups and friends, Instagram offers an explore feature, additional search options and advanced insights for business accounts to further build a following. Here you can see your content rated from most viewed posts, activity insights (like interactions, discovery, reach and impressions,) as well as an audience tab. It’s important to note here that Instagram only measures your audience insights once you obtain 100 followers, so this is an important threshold to reach.
Engage with the right people through the right hashtags. Select hashtags relevant to your product/service/brand.
Take advantage of “suggested” accounts. Follow and engage with these accounts for audience growth.
Use the “places” search option to zone in on key event venues, cities, and regions where your target audience can be found.
Utilize the explore feature to browse by categories—this one is BIG. Find related categories, influencers, and accounts and tag them in your own posts expanding your audience reach.
Capitalize on established connections. Instagram offers ready-made audience builders through the setting tab. Choose Close Friends, Discover People, and connect through Facebook options.
Throughout this audience building process “like, follow, comment” and “message” personal and business accounts to grow your own following. Statistics show that the more you engage on the platform the more opportunities you have to grow your account.
CONTENT CREATION AND AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
Now that you’ve found your audience, create content that will pique your audiences’ interest, meet customers' needs, tell a compelling story, entertain, and otherwise build your brand. Instagram is mobile and visually driven. Audiences respond to aesthetically pleasing photography (think Kylie Jenner,) infographics, and videos. This social channel moves fast and caters to a young demographic, so it’s important to make sure your content is captivating from the get-go! You’ve researched your audience, tapped into their passions and further established relationships between brand and audience. When it comes to engagement, take advantage of the best Instagram features.
Posts: Compelling images with catchy captions that can quickly tell a story. Include hashtags.
Instagram Stories: Creative and longer interactive narrative via the stories feature. Stories run from one image to the next. Use this for product demos, to ask questions, to create polls, share music, go live, and draw your audience back to your website with Call to Action buttons.
IGTV: IGTV is connected to the Instagram platform and offers new opportunities to connect with your target audience. The video is in the vertical format, making it eye-catching and different from other social media channels. Businesses can use up to 60 minutes of video. Apps allow for editing and text options, as well. A great option for how-to videos, to showcase feature products, and hosting FAQs.
AUDIENCE ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS
Finally, evaluate your audience growth and engagement. Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Are you growing your number of followers, utilizing the right hashtags, consistently engaging with the audience, and posting relevant content for the 35 and under crowd on a daily basis? Instagram offers helpful Insights to analyze success. Your business account keeps a log of Feed Posts, Stories, Promotions and an Archive allowing you to review your best efforts and explore audience participation allowing you to grow your business.
