Instagram can be counted as one of the most popular social media platformstoday and can also act as a valuable marketing tool for your business. In 2020 it was recorded that nearly 113 million people use Instagram. And you can reach that entire clientele base by first switching your Instagram account from a personal to a business account.
How to make the most of your Business Account:
Once your account is converted, Instagram gives you the power of analytics. You can see how your posts are performing, which group of people are responding to your posts etc. This is great for tweaking your marketing strategy according to what is most beneficial to you.
Instagram is, first and foremost, an image sharing platform, so regular photos are going to go far here. Take the time to take high resolution photos, edit the size to suit Instagram specs, take advantage of the filters Instagram provides, tag people or other brands, add a location. Make your posts informative and attractive.
When you keep making posts on Instagram, on your profile, your posts are shown in a grid format. It is not necessary but could be beneficial if you try to maintain a connect in that grid, where it feels like the next post is in continuation with the previous post. This strategy may or may not align with your Product/Brand, and you have to make that decision.
Try and post a ‘Story’ regularly. You can record a short video or use a still photo, add text and location. Stories also give you the option of adding a question or a poll. Once a week, try hosting a poll, or try the popular ‘Ask me anything’ strategy. Since stories disappear in 24 hours, if you are posting interesting content in your Stories, your audience will be compelled to check back each day out of curiosity. As for the best Still Photo Stories that you do, you can add them to your Story Highlights, making it something people can constantly come back to.
Once your Followers have increased in number a bit, you can try going LIVE once in a while. A good strategy to make sure that people know when you will be Live is to leave a post mentioning the time and date a day or two days before. Do a short Live video where you take your audience behind the scenes, introduce them to team members, talk about your product. This entire time your audience can comment or ask you questions, which again, is a great method of interacting with them.
Remembering the basics:
Instagram works on hashtags. Your product will be put in the feed of the people who are looking for products akin to yours or searching a particular hashtag that corresponds to your product.
Use the most relevant hashtags with your post. Instagram gives you popular hashtags the minute you start to type in one, choose wisely and use the ones that are relevant to your product. Start a hashtag with the name of your Brand and use it regularly on your posts as well.
You also have to engage. Potential customers will like your post or leave a comment. It is important to check in at frequent intervals and reply to these likes and comments. This is how you build and expand your clientele base