Did you know there are now over a billion people on Instagram around the world? So, if your small business isn’t on this popular social media platform then you’re missing out on a vital part of your digital marketing potential.
Digital marketing on social media isn’t the wave of the future. It’s the wave of the right now, so if you’re not on Instagram yet, then you need to get started now. Keep reading to learn our top seven keys to success on Instagram.
To sell your products and watch your engagement statistics, you will need a business account. You need to set up a business account so you can utilize all the features that come with it.
If you already have a personal account, resist turning that into your business account. Unless you’re Kylie Jenner or The Rock your personal account shouldn’t be your business account. So, set up a new business account today.
You can’t create your profile without first doing some homework. You only get one chance to make your first impression. So, the next time someone new comes to your profile they need to be able to see at a glance what your business is about and who your ideal audience is.
This way they can know if they should stick around or pass. When you’re crystal clear on who you’re attracting you will find your perfect audience every time. Here are four ways you can be strategic with your Instagram profile:
There are thousands of profiles already created. But you need your profile to be recognized immediately by anyone who comes across your images or profile. So be sure to choose your username carefully so that your audience knows it’s you.
You only have 150 characters available in your Instagram bio, so be strategic here. You need to be able to get across what you do and who you want to reach quickly. This is not the place to profess your love for cats, unless you run a pet-focused business, of course.
You need to succinctly explain who you help and exactly how you help them in a short amount of space. You can use emojis and hashtags to help condense your bio.
Finally, remember this isn’t your high school English class, sentences and paragraphs aren’t necessary. Use separate lines to separate your sentences and write in short phrases to get the most from each character.
You only get one link in your entire Instagram account, so be sure to include your website in your bio. This will be your main link to your business and how you’ll convert your followers to potential customers. So, don’t skip this important step.
People want to follow people not logos, so don’t use your business logo for your profile picture. Be sure to include a recognizable and professional image for your business. If you’re a small business or solopreneur use a professional headshot.
Creating the right branding for your business is imperative to success online. Your audience needs to be able to recognize at a glance who posted which image. So be sure to use a recognizable image for your profile.
You need to stand out in a very crowded and noisy room. This isn’t an easy task when most users on Instagram are scrolling quickly through their feed. You need to use images that will catch their attention and convince them in an instant to stop scrolling and pay attention.
You can’t wing it when it comes to your hashtags. You need to have a few that are branded and will be in all your posts. Additionally, you need to know what is trending and what you have a chance to rank for.
You don’t want to “talk at” your audience, you want to have a conversation with them. So be sure to engage with your audience to build your followers and increase engagement.
Additionally, you can’t just drop your posts and run. You need to be present on Instagram if you want to build an engaged audience. Come back to your posts and respond to your comments, answer people’s questions, and follow anyone who comments and isn’t already following you.
This will build your audience and increase your reach for your Instagram account. The beauty of social media is that you can have conversations with people near and far from you physically. You need to engage with your audience if you want to have a successful Instagram marketing strategy.
Don’t just expect your audience to know what to do after they read your post. If you want them to click the link in your bio, then tell them to do so. And if you want them to share or like your photo, you need to ask them to do this also, so they know what to do.
People have too many decisions to make each day, they didn’t come to Instagram to think, they want to relax and share with their friends. Create an account that allows them to do this and you will have a winning strategy.
Your followers will appreciate it when you skip the click-bait titles and instead genuinely share how they can help you. People love to be helpful and this will give them an easy decision at the end of a long day at the office and carting the kids to yet another soccer practice.
As you create more content you want to track your results. This way you can continue to create more content that gets the most engagement.
Do your bright images get more likes? Do your quotes get the most comments? Watch which types of images get the most engagement with your audience and then give them what they like.
Now you know how to set up a winning Instagram account and what to post. So, you can start building your marketing plan accordingly and grow your audience on Instagram.
If you have questions about how to create a marketing plan or how to figure out who your target audience, then reach out to us. This is what we do every day. We help small business owners just like you every day and we look forward to speaking with you to see how we can help you too.
