A Guide to Using Instagram For Business

Get started using Instagram with our helpful business guide...

Ever wondered how some businesses seem to generate a massive following on Instagram? Use this guide to start finessing your Instagram marketing techniques today.  

In the past decade, social media has become an essential part of digital marketing, especially for small, young businesses. If you are the owner of a brand new business, it’s crucial that you establish a strong foundation of followers for your social media platforms. More and more millennials are using social media to find the products that they choose to buy. In fact, 56% of customers use social media to research their products. When it comes to using different platforms, Instagram is an excellent place to start for most businesses. It’s an excellent platform for reaching new customers and growing your brand. If you are struggling to create a strong business presence using Instagram, here is a guide to using the platform as a business.

1. Get an Instagram Business Account

Make sure you register for a business account. This will allow you to use a much wider range of Instagram’s marketing features. If you already have a personal account that you’d like to use for business, head to the ‘Options’ page and select ‘Switch to Business Profile’. With a business account, you will be able to include business contact information and your website link in your profile. You’ll also be able to create and post Instagram ads without having to make use of Facebook’s advertising system. Finally, this type of account will give you access to all kinds of analysis, called ‘Insights’. These metrics can help you to assess how successful your various Instagram marketing campaigns have been.

2. Research Your Competition’s Feeds and Create an Instagram Strategy

Before you begin posting, come up with a marketing strategy for your Instagram page. This should include information about how often you’ll post, what kind of content you’ll post, and what types of posts you’ll make. The best way to come up with a quick and effective campaign plan is to do a little research into what’s already working. Take a look at some of your biggest competitors and find out what types of posts they tend to create. Which of their posts get the most traction? Do they have a noticeable aesthetic or brand voice? Use this research to discover what works and what doesn’t in an Instagram marketing campaign. Use other business profiles as a guide, then begin to find your own unique brand aesthetic and voice so that your posts stand out from the crowd.

3. Post Regularly with Professional Images and Content

People enjoy following social media profiles that are frequently updated with varied, interesting content. Plus, frequent updates will make your profiles far more visible. Each post you make gives you another chance to reach a new group of consumers through likes and shares. Finally, by posting frequently, you are more likely to reach consumers who will be reminded of your product having come across it once or twice in the past.

4. Perfect Your Brand Voice and Brand Aesthetic

Establish a unique, well-rehearsed brand voice and use it in captions and in your replies to comments and private messages. By corresponding with customers on social media, you will build a lasting relationship that will encourage these customers to continue to engage with your brand and purchase your product. It will also help to boost the popularity of your posts, which, over time, will lead to a boost in the numbers of followers you have.

5. Use Best Practices to Grow Your Following

Once you’re up and running, put your focus on building a large following. Use the following best practices to encourage people to follow your account.

• Partner with relevant influencers. It has been shown that influencers help to build brand trust, with 49% of consumers claiming that they rely on influencer recommendations. Try to find people who are followed by your target demographic. Reach out to these influencers and establish a business relationship. Then run a campaign with this influencer.
• Make a point of replying to DMs and comments. Not only will your replies help to build a relationship with customers, it will also boost people’s trust in your brand. Customers are far more likely to shop with a brand that is accessible and easy to reach.
• Know your hashtags. Do your research on relevant, popular hashtags. By using good hashtags in your posts, you will automatically reach a larger portion of your target audience.
• Run a promotion. Many businesses are able to quickly expand their following by running an Instagram promotion.
• Offer a giveaway for a lucky customer who follows the page and tags a few friends. Hopefully, the friends they tag follow suit and follow you too!

Summing Up

Instagram is a fantastic marketing tool for all sizes of businesses. Use it to reach your demographic, publicise your products, and create lasting customer relationships.