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On Instagram, brands generate four times more engagement than on Facebook. There are 95 million posts and 400 million Stories per day. Since the beginning of 2017, the investments of small business on Instagram has quadrupled. Also, Instagram mobile ad revenue jumped more than $3 billion in just one year, hitting nearly $7 billion in 2018. Some brands seem to entirely focus on leveraging Instagram to get to their potential buyers. Instagram is an all-visual platform, and as we know, visuals play a crucial role in marketing - as they boost engagement and appeal to customers of various profiles. We are here to show you how to run a successful visual campaign and grow your business with Instagram. A well-built and managed Instagram account can transform your following and grow revenue.
Optimize Your Instagram Profile
Don’t start by just opening an account and start sending out ads. That’s why businesses often fail with Instagram. Your profile is made up of several components, and you need to address them each.
- Account name. Your company name would be just fine, no need to try and change that.
- Add the right profile photo. And by that, we mean your company logo. That’s how potential customers can identify your brand quickly.
- Username should be your account name. As spaces aren’t allowed in usernames, take them out, or replace them with commas. So, if your brand is called “My Brand,” your username could be mybrand or my.brand.
- Complete your Bio. Explain who you are and what your business is about. Present your products or services and value proposition. Also, tell your ideal customers about how they can reach you.
- Website URL. You can add a link that will send people to the page with your special offer. If you don’t have that, use your main URL.
User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content is created by customers who love and are passionate about your brand. You don’t pay them to do it, which makes it even more authentic. Also, people who enter an Instagram competition create UGC due to competition requirements. That makes the users indirect advertisers for a product or brand. More than 70% of those aged 18-24 use Instagram as well as 35% of adults over 25. Meanwhile, millennials are also more likely to trust content coming from their peers than from traditional sources. That’s where the power of UGC lies. It is more trusted by young people, and they make up most of the online audience. User-generated content works powerfully on Instagram, helping brands boost their engagement (likes and comments) and appear more trustworthy to their audience. All this helps your content flourish and stand out from the other images and videos in the main feed. Also, your users can discover it via the “Explore” tab and by typing in your branded hashtag.
Promotional Posts
As long as you get creative, you can make many promotional posts on Instagram. The point is to have fun and be unique instead of making generic shots. Include pictures of fans or influencers using your products. Stage your products with panache. Use Instagram’s grid layout to showcase them. See what your competitors are doing with their promo shots. Don’t copy them, of course, but use them for inspiration for your material. With unique and well-designed visuals, you will boost engagement, and grow your business with Instagram.
Use Instagram Stories to Grow Your Business on Instagram
Instagram Stories are active for only 24 hours. The number of Stories’ users is an astonishing 400 million. They are popular, but importantly, you can build a story there. Brands who can tell stories with pictures are the ones enjoying Instagram success.
When creating a story, you need to make sure that it’s related to your brand. It can show the purpose of your company and convey your brand’s message. For example, if you’re selling gym gear, your brand is concerned about equipping people for their exercises. You want to help them enjoy their training sessions while burning those extra calories. Use that as the foundation for your Instagram story. Upload photos that show the joy of a safe and smooth training program.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags can help you gain more traction when you use them right. They are an excellent tool for expanding the reach of your content as well as boost your Instagram presence. Create a branded hashtag and start adding it to your existing and future content. Add it to your bio, and let your audience know that they can use it when talking about your brand. To see all the posts associated with that hashtag, people only need to click on it. Also, you can create different hashtags for different campaigns. Measure the results, analyze the data, and compare them to see which hashtags are performing better.
Partner Up with Influencers
Another way to extend your reach, build a more considerable following, and grow your business with Instagram. Every industry has its influencers. You can reach out to them to help you promote your brand and offering. There are three ways to do this: First, you can go with the free option. It does require extra time and work, but it will build trust and help you get official endorsements. Follow your influencers, comment on their photos, and @mention and tag them in the content you post. Next, you can pay for shoutouts. Being an influencer is a profession today, and influencers charge fees for promotion. The last thing to do is to offer them a free product sample. In case they like it, they can endorse you in return.
