There are over 25 million companies across the world using Instagram for their business and over 200 million users visit at least one business profile every day – but how can you make sure your business is in the mix?
While Facebook has been busy refocusing its purpose as a content sharing hub for family and friends, Instagram has nudged into its spot as the home for businesses on social platforms. And you don’t have to be a huge international company like Adidas, Lego or Chanel, to get real results.
Here are our top tips for polishing your business presence on Instagram.
A business profile is a must on Instagram
First up, make sure you have an Instagram Business account which will give you access to Instagram Insights. This easy-to-use analytics tool provides you with essential data about your account and followers plus it tracks how your posts perform.
Having a business account also allows you to add a very useful contact button to your profile. When a user clicks the button you can set it so they can email or call you, or open up maps with your location.
Other great benefits of having a business account include the ability to show your industry in your profile and to add links to your Instagram Stories.
Don’t worry if you already have a personal account. If it is filled with brand-appropriate content and an established following, it’s easy to convert it to a business profile and won’t cause any upset to your followers.
When it comes to your bio, keep in mind that Instagram is not LinkedIn, it is more casual. In other words, keep the jargon to a minimum and opt for a more lighthearted approach. While you need to state what your company does, think of your ideal customer and what would appeal to them.
Pro Tip: Consider using emojis in your bio – they are a great way of conveying a lot of information in one character!
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Connect with your target audience
Finding your ideal customers on the Gram is a pretty easy task. The best thing to do is to take a look at the users who are following businesses similar to yours and give them a follow. Chances are they are going to be interested in what you have to offer too.
For example, if you’re in the wedding business, take a look at wedding venues, cake makers, people who make invitations – you can be sure prospective brides and grooms are following them too.
Of course, not everyone will return the follow. But of the ones that do, it’s likely they will engage with you if you are posting interesting content. Make sure you respond to any of their comments or if they tag you in any posts. However, don’t dive in and send them a direct message right away, give it a little time to build a relationship and to allow them to get to know your brand.
It’s really important that any interaction is tailored to each user. Generic responses to posts or a one-for-all direct message annoy people and it could end in them unfollowing you. If you take the time to build a genuine relationship with your audience you will reap the rewards.
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Think strategical on Instagram
It’s very important that you know why your business is on Instagram – otherwise, you will end up posting a mishmash of content that is likely to go under the radar with your followers.
Take the time to not only think about how you want your Instagram to look but also what you want from Instagram. A visually beautiful Grid will really help gain followers but if you are looking for sales, or to boost your bookings, you need to ensure it reflects what your business is about.
When developing your strategy you should also take the time to collect and curate relevant content, create a library of beautiful pictures, research when the best time to post for your business is and build an editorial and planning calendar.
It’s also a good idea to create a hashtag library of generic and niche hashtags. Unlike Twitter, it’s ok to include more than 2 or 3 hashtags in your captions. In fact, you can use up to 30, although that might be overload! As hashtags are searchable as opposed to captions, this how your posts can be found.
Pro Tip: Think of Instagram as a launchpad to move people from your profile to your own platforms like your website or online store.
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Be influenced by the influencers
Partnering with influencers has become a very powerful way of accessing a highly engaged and loyal Instagram audience. And it’s not just for the big guns, small businesses with limited budgets can use influencer marketing by working with micro-influencers with a smaller, localised and dedicated following.
When considering working with an influencer, make sure you do your research. Is their content and visuals of a high standard? Do they have an engaged audience? Are they creative with their captions? Do they use the correct hashtags?
Prices vary from person to person and depend on followers, engagement and what the project is. When contacting someone make sure you are thorough, giving them all the information about your brand and/or product and spell out exactly what you want them to do.
Pro Tip: Be sure to negotiate a story along with the post and to have your business tagged in the clip. It’s important you use every point of contact with your audience during the campaign – this includes you using your own stories and posts to share the collaboration.
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Instagram Ads are more affordable than you think
While Instagram can provide fantastic organic results, it can be time-consuming, especially when starting out. And when you are a 1 or 2 man show, sometimes it can be tough to find the time.
While it can be hard to justify spending money on social media advertising when budgets are tight, it is worth considering investing in Instagram Ads. They are a surprisingly affordable way to get your content in front of a very targeted audience.
Instagram Ads also give you the opportunity to include call-to-action buttons which will bring your users directly from Instagram to your website or online store.
Pro tip: You can link your Instagram account to your Facebook advertising account as they operate on the same platform. But make sure you redesign your graphics to fit Instagram’s dimensions.
If you would like some help with getting our business started on Instagram we offer social media management and social media training. Get in touch to find out more.
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