Instagram Marketing - A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses

Posted by admin on May 17, 2021

Instagram Marketing - A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses

With over 1 billion users, Instagram has become one of the most popular advertising and sales channels. Having a good strategy and dedication can allow you to enjoy the many benefits the platform offers. Instagram marketing is a form of social media marketing where marketers use Instagram to accomplish their business goals. These business goals may include marketing your products, connecting with clients, and increasing your social media following.

You can use Instagram marketing by utilizing established influencers or relying on ads to market your brand. Alternatively, you can create original content such as Instagram stories, posts, and comments and grow brand awareness organically through the platform. This platform is employed by many businesses worldwide to deal with the "Promotion" part within five ps of marketing.

Examples of Instagram Marketing

Below are some common examples of how to leverage Instagram marketing.

Organic Content

Organic content is a general term that covers unpaid content such as stories, photos, and videos that you post. When creating strategies for your Instagram marketing, ensure you always post organic content because it will increase your sales.

Instagram Ads

Instagram ads are a direct way of selling your products. These Instagram ads include story ads, image ads, carousel ads, video ads, and shoppable ads.

  1. Image and video ads: an image ad involves an image, and a video ad features s video. These ads consist of a call-to-action button that encourages you to take a particular action such as place your order now, contact us, book now, and many others.
  2. Carousel ads: These types of ads appear in user feeds just like image and video ads. It permits you to post up to 10 photos or videos at a time. Interestingly, you can add links to each image or video to allow the users to reach out to you.
  3. Story ads: This is often said to be the best way to market your products on Instagram. When users Instagram stories from the pages they follow, these story ads pop up in between. Story ads also include a call to action button that will encourage the users to do what they want.
  4. Shoppable posts: Instagram released this feature in 2018, and it allows users to make purchases using the Instagram app. Also called Instagram shopping, this feature will enable you to tag your products while making Instagram posts. When users tap on these products, they will be automatically taken to a product page to make purchases. However, you can only tag your products in your posts when Instagram has verified you as a seller. If you have a Facebook business account, you can connect it to your Instagram account to use a feature to create an Instagram shop.

Influencer Marketing

Another way of marketing your business through Instagram. Instagram influencers are those people who have managed to accrue a large number of followers by posting organic content for many years. No matter your type of business, you can always find Instagram influencers who operate in a similar industry and are willing to market your products. If you find the right Instagram influencer for your business, it will increase sales, followers, and brand awareness. However, you must ensure you find the right Instagram influencer for your business.

How to Create an Instagram Business Profile

You can't use your usual Instagram account for Instagram marketing. That is because you won't be able to access certain features that will allow you to market your business effectively. Before creating your business profile on Instagram, you must have a personal Instagram account with your business name and a Facebook business page. By following the steps below, you can create your own Instagram business profile. One thing to take note of is that you may need to rely on 3rd party analytics tools to create an Instagram dashboard to monitor marketing performance.

  1. On your device, log in to Instagram with your account.
  2. Go to the bottom right corner of your screen and tap the circular icon. When you do that, a menu will pop up.
  3. On the pop-up menu, tap "settings." This will lead to a settings page.
  4. Click on the "switch to business profile" option, which you will find when you scroll down the settings page.
  5. You will be made to link your account to your Facebook business page.
  6. The last step is to update your business contacts such as location, phone number and email address.

Tips for your Instagram Business Profile

After creating your Instagram business profile, you must know that consistency is key in the world of Instagram marketing. You must always use the same fonts, colors and images across all your social media accounts - synergize the content. Using your brand logo as a profile image can help to create awareness about your brand. Below are some tips that will help your business profile.

  • Place more emphasis on your customers: show them how your business can improve and better their lives instead of focusing on your business alone. If you allow them to see the various ways your business can be of great benefit to them, they will have no choice but to patronize you.
  • Promote other events or contents: You can use your Instagram business profile to discuss other events or contents you are offering. It may be a free masterclass to learn one skill or the other. However, you should ensure that the event or content you're offering will greatly benefit the users. This way, they will have no choice but to engage with you and your brand.
  • Ask them to tag your brand: Most brands on Instagram ask their users to post photos relating to their business and tag them. These brands also share the photos on their page. This is also another Instagram marketing tip for your business. That is because it will encourage the users to engage with you and your brand.
  • Include a link in your bio: When writing a bio for your Instagram business profile, it is advised that you include links. This may be a link to your website, a product page or content. However, ensure you look for ways to shorten the URL if it is too long.
  • Use emojis: Emojis are very common to brands who use Instagram to market their business. Using an emoji shows that you are keeping up with trends, and it is an easy way of passing across a message.

There are multiple paths you can make a whole lot of difference with your Instagram business profile. By following the tips above, you are on your way to achieving your business goals.

Important Instagram Features for your Business

There are many unique tools and features on Instagram that helps to connect brands to users. Below are the features that make Instagram marketing easier.

Instagram Hashtags

Hashtags are a common feature on the internet. When you attach hashtags to your posts when marketing on Instagram, it indicates to the users that you have what they are searching for. Do you know that many users use hashtags to search for content they want? If your posts on Instagram have to do with a trending topic, be sure to use a hashtag. It will help you to reach the people who are interested in your content faster and easier.

Want to know what hashtags are trending? You can use the Instagram search bar to do that. Alternatively, you can use Keyword Tool to generate your hashtags. Using a keyword tool, you can create a hashtag for your brand or an event you're planning.

Instagram Stories

Do you know over 500 million people used Instagram stories in January 2019? This is because it is a great way to share short content by following your page. In addition, any content you share on your Instagram story is only available for 24 hours and won't be seen on your main page. Want to make short posts that will boost your brand? Instagram stories are the best tool for your Instagram marketing strategy. Below are some of the tips you will find useful when using Instagram stories for your marketing.

  • Use Instagram stories to answer questions people often ask about your brand or products.
  • Post "behind-the-scenes" content to show the users how you come about the product and services you offer.
  • You can use Instagram stories to uplift your contents which can be information, a new product or an event.
  • Have a day dedicated to allowing your staff or your brand influencer to post their stuff.
  • Use Instagram stories to ask your followers to give you feedback about your brand and the products or services you offer. You can also organize a survey by asking an important question and allow everyone to air their different views and opinions.
  • Organize a competition or giveaway and allow your followers to win amazing gifts by tagging your brand in their posts.

Instagram Live

This is another feature on Instagram that allows you to engage your followers in real-time. If you want to discuss or pass on important information or attend an event, this feature will be quite helpful. When you are living on Instagram, your followers will receive a notification. However, ensure you are only broadcasting useful content in order not to waste their time.

IGTV

If you don't like Instagram stories because you can only post short content there, then IGTV is for you. IGTV allows you to post video content ranging from 10 minutes to an hour. Users can search for videos they want to watch, and Instagram can also recommend videos to users. You may not find this feature important if you are just starting with Instagram marketing.

How to Create the Best Instagram Marketing Strategy

You can create an effective strategy that will help with your Instagram marketing if you have clear goals you want to achieve. What sales goals do you wish to achieve with your Instagram marketing? If you can answer this question, you can create the best strategy that will help you achieve these goals.

Know your goals and objectives

To help you know your goals and objectives, you should list them. After making a list of your goals and objectives, choose the ones you can achieve easily and within a short time. Ensure you're realistic when choosing your goals. In addition, make sure your goals and objectives align with your brand and what it stands for. After you have completed that, give yourself a timeframe to achieve these goals.

Create an Instagram marketing strategy

Now that you have known what your goals and objectives are, it is time to create a strategy that will help you. Follow the tips below to do that.

  • Be consistent and ensure every content you post aligns with your brand and what it is known for.
  • Research other brands in the same niche as you.
  • Create a social media schedule. It will remind you when to post and what to post.
  • Use Instagram insights which is a free tool on Instagram to keep track of your performance.

How to Grow your Instagram Following

Now that you have known all there is to know about Instagram marketing, it is time to discuss how to grow your following. Followers are very important in Instagram marketing as they help to make your brand or business more popular. Below are the ways you can grow your Instagram following.

  1. Partner with a similar brand to host giveaways.
  2. Repost content from other brands on your Instagram page.
  3. Allow people to tag you on their contents while you tag them too.
  4. Use an Instagram influencer with a huge following to promote your brand.
  5. Use a compelling caption on all the videos and images you post.

Conclusion

Instagram marketing is a good way of promoting your brand as there are over 700 million people on the social media platform. However, the process of marketing your brand on Instagram can be quite difficult if you don't have the right guide. All you ought to know about Instagram marketing and the various features that can help you achieve your business goals have been discussed in this guide. With this comprehensive guide, you can now market your brand on Instagram and see positive results.

blog comments powered by Disqus