Instagram is powerful. It was initially introduced as a social platform made to share photos and explore visual content using hashtags. Now, Instagram has developed into one of the most lucrative social media channels for businesses. With over 1 billion monthly active users and 4th in the list of most downloaded mobile apps, Instagram can be a great marketing tool for small businesses.
As a small business owner, it would be difficult for you to compete with big giants in terms of engagement and results. However, you can do smart work to get value from Instagram. If you haven’t yet configured an instagram account for your business, it’s time to begin utilizing one of the most popular social media channels. From increasing your revenue to growing following, Instagram is an incredible marketing tool for businesses of all size.
Small companies have found it difficult to gain considerable traction due to the novelty of Instagram marketing. Here are some quick tips that will help you understand how to effectively use Instagram and get the most out of it:
1. Set up your profile the right way
When you see brands with thousands of followers, it may seem like Instagram is a tough battle. To make things easier, set up your account the right way. Defining goals and build a profile in accordance with those goals, this will set the foundation for an effective Instagram presence.
It’s always recommended to integrate your company’s social media accounts. If you have profiles setup on other social media channels like Facebook and Twitter, make sure all of your company social media profiles are linked to your website.
Writing a short and engaging bio is an important step when setting up an Instagram account for your business. It must briefly introduce what your small company is all about. You can also have a clickable URL in your bio.
Related: Instagram 101: A Complete Walkthrough for Businesses
2. Get creative with your Instagram stories
Companies that are just posting pictures to their feeds without paying due attention to Instagram stories are missing out on a great opportunity to attract new audience members. You can use this feature to string together images and video into a story. Companies that learn fast and come up with creative and exciting content reap the biggest benefits.
3. Track your performance
If you really want to step up your digital marketing efforts, you need to continuously measure your performance and improve. Evaluate your Instagram posts which get the most engagement and hashtags that perform the best. You should use a reporting tool for analytics.
You can have multiple Instagram analytics tools on deck to track your metrics. Account metrics and individual post metrics are two broad metrics you should consider on Instagram. The right set of tools and data will help you develop content that resonated with your audience.
4. Influencer marketing can help
Influencer marketing is one of the most effective techniques to quickly beef up your Instagram following. It will allow you to connect with people with a healthy fan following and gain more exposure with your target audience.
It used to be very costly in the past to have a celebrity endorse your business or products. Small businesses couldn’t imagine spending a huge budget on a single marketing effort. Fortunately, social media has completely reshaped the entire marketing landscape; influencer marketing has become a lot more affordable and companies with small marketing budgets can easily connect with non-celeb influencers with millions of engaged followers.
Related: The Beginner’s Guide to Influencer Marketing on Instagram
5. Get familiar with hashtags
On social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, a user can search for “shoes” and see all content containing that keyword. In the case of Instagram, a user has to search #shoes to find relevant content. Therefore, get familiar with hashtags and use them wherever needed. Your posts will show up in the app’s search when you use hashtags. Use the right hashtags, not just random hashtags, to increase your visibility and reach your target audience who aren’t already aware of your business.
If you’re not sure how to develop a successful Instagram marketing strategy for your small business, feel free to consult a digital marketing agency.