Instagram is one of the most downloaded apps around the world. From being a photo sharing app, it has evolved to become a global platform for brands to add a human touch to their content, showcase their products/services, inspire the audience and boost sales.
Studies say that on an average, users spend 53 minutes per day on a daily basis on Instagram – the second most visited social media platform after Facebook. It has become a great platform for brand promotion and awareness. However, since Instagram is a little different from other channels, it requires a distinctive marketing strategy for businesses to leave a lasting impression.
Here Are Some Marketing Tips to Help Your Brand Grow on Instagram –
Ensure To Have A Business Account
Before starting off, as a first rule make sure that your brand account on Instagram is a business profile. It is easy to switch a current account to a business account through the Instagram app.
There are a lot of benefits of having a business profile. For example, followers will be able to connect with you directly through the contact button on the page. You would also be able to create and publish ads without using other advertising tools from Meta. There will be easy access to analytics, to help you understand how your content is performing. Lastly, it also helps you gain trust and establish credibility as a brand.
Make Use of Free Instagram Marketing Tools
Instagram gives you free access to analytics, which is termed as Insights on the app. In this section, you can view data like impressions, reach, engagement, etc. Apart from this, you can get demographic data of your audience, segregated based on age, location, gender and most active hours and days. Moreover, the platform also allows you to get specific insights for a particular post, check the top posts of the week and the impressions earned.
These free Instagram tools are great to understand how the audience is interacting with your posts, their preferences and interest, which in turn will help you make changes in your content to boost engagement and growth.
Crosspost Instagram Content
Your Instagram posts should not be limited to just one app. You can also cross share across other platforms – Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn – and invite your followers to check out your Instagram account. Your audience is already following you on these channels as they are interested in your content, so guiding them towards another channel will be just one another way for them to remain socially connected with your brand.
One point to remember is every post you upload does not necessarily reach every target audience. Some people may have moved away from a particular platform, while others may be more active in one channel and less active in another. That is why it is important for brands to stay connected with their audience on all social media platforms.
Sponsored Ads
When it comes to Instagram sponsored ads, there are two major advantages for every marketer. One is you can be in full control of the amount that is spent, by setting up an ad budget. Secondly, you can run one or multiple ads based on your requirement by using the carousel feature.
These features give businesses the opportunity to expand their reach and target more potential customers. Use relatable and appealing content in your sponsored ads to attract more leads. You can also use previously published posts as ads, especially if they have performed well organically. Instagram also offers various formats to explore ads such as photos, videos, reels, carousel and stories.
Make Use of Instagram Stories
Instagram stories are a good way to generate leads.
According to Hootsuite, “ the potential ad audience on Instagram Stories is 996 million.”
Instagram stories come in a slideshow format which is easy to navigate for an user. Even though they can be viewed for just 24 hours, stories can be saved in highlights for viewing later any time.
One benefit of Instagram stories is the fact that it comes at the top of the screen, which most users look at on a daily basis. Moreover, stories need not be always aesthetically appealing like the rest of the posts on the feed and can include content like behind-the-scenes, a work day scenario, snippet of a new product launch, etc.
Influencer Marketing
“92% of marketers believe that influencer marketing is an effective form of marketing.” – Hubspot
Influencer marketing can be considered to be the fastest way to reach out to a wider audience, given the fact that influencers already have a great follower count.
People trust influential people, and are more likely to make a purchase after they see a particular product/service on an influencer’s feed they follow. Authenticity is an important factor to keep in mind for brands to connect with the audience. When people see the influencers vouching for a product/service, they will trust the recommendation and opt for making a purchase.
Use Interactive Hashtags
Interactive hashtags can be a good option if you’re looking for instant engagement on Instagram. Your audience can use the same hashtags to post user generated content, which can get your brand trending organically. Moreover, users will also be able to find all your posts by searching with the branded hashtag.
Creating an interactive hashtag will encourage followers to post content about your brand, in the hope of getting featured on the brand page. Secondly, every time a user is using your brand hashtag, he/she is exposing your brand to new followers – which is like free advertising and increased brand awareness.
With around 1.3 billion users worldwide, Instagram is not just a social network but also a great marketing platform to reach your target audience at any corner of the world. With so many brands trying to make a mark on this channel, a good strategy and marketing plan is important to stay ahead of competition. At FCS, our team of experts are here to provide steadfast assistance in strategizing and executing Instagram campaigns that can take your business to new heights. Get in touch with us today!