When we talk about the holy trinity of social media, we think of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If your business is not on Instagram, it’s time to rectify this, and we mean now.
While Instagram is pivotal to promoting anything these days, it’s not easy street as soon as you set up your profile; once you get onto Instagram, you will need to work hard to keep up with this popular platform. Instagram is an integral part of our lives which means that for businesses, this could be one of the biggest keys.
When you think about the fact that it is in the hands of your buyers and wherever they go, they are promoting their lives; you need to get in on the ground floor to promote your business. But what are the best tips for businesses looking to promote themselves on Instagram?
1. Get a Business Profile
It’s important to get a business profile, not a personal one. If you set up a business account, it gives you access to features you cannot use with a personal one, such as Instagram Shopping, Instagram Ads, and Instagram Insights.
A business account is crucial, and even if you set up a personal account, you can turn this into a business account to get the most out of the numerous Instagram features.
2. Use Free Tools
From Instagram Insights to tools like Buffer, there are a wide variety of options to grow your following and can help you to ensure your profile is consistent.
After all, the importance of something as simple as scheduling posts on a regular basis will mean the difference between you and another business gaining access to an important customer.
3. Try Sponsored Ads
One of the best ways to drive traffic on conversions is to use sponsored ads. If you need to reach people who do not follow your account, you can set up your ads using targeted advertisements.
A sponsored ad looks exactly the same as a regular Instagram post but apart from the fact that the word “sponsored” is where the location tag would be, and with a CTA button at the bottom.
Sponsored ads are not annoying like pop-ups and blend in with the rest of the content the user is consuming. While it can be costly, it is certainly worth it if you want to set yourself apart from businesses that are using the many free tools.
4. Use Instagram Stories and IGTV
Instagram Stories are a key component of a fantastic Instagram marketing strategy. Many businesses are using them and getting fantastic results. While Instagram Stories disappear after 24-hours, they are a perfect way to connect with followers.
The best strategy to use Instagram stories for your business is to tell a story, be consistent, and use a call to action. IGTV is also another approach to engage your followers, but the difference between Instagram Stories and IGTV is that it’s built for long-form content.
5. Use Hashtags Wisely
Hashtags are a fantastic way to increase your visibility, and while many personal users fill their content with hashtags, it’s important not to over-egg the pudding.
If you put too many hashtags on a post, it looks like you are spamming, but if you also use repetitive or irrelevant ones, this can also turn users away. Choose hashtags that are relevant and specific to your business, and you must be minimal with them. Between 5 and 9 hashtags per post is the magic number.
6. Find the Best Times to Post
There are a wide variety of times to post based on your industry. If you are a retail business, the optimum times are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 12 pm (yes, really). Those that work in education should only post on Thursday at 4 pm or 5 pm. There really is an ideal time to post on Instagram.
Read: Agony Aunt: When Is The Best Time To Post On Social Media?
7. Track Metrics That Matter
To improve your Instagram performance, you need to understand it. Having the right results will give you clarity, but this is where knowing the right metrics will help you get the most out of your campaign.
The three you need to track are CTR (click-through rates), engagement rates, and follower growth rates. By monitoring these metrics, you will market your business far more effectively.
Read: 11 Social Media Metrics To Track in 2020
8. Get to Grips With the Infamous Instagram Algorithm
As Instagram grew in popularity, the chronological feed was replaced with an algorithm in 2016. The purpose was, in theory, for people to see more relevant content, but this can result in difficulties for businesses to optimise their posts.
But Instagram has now revealed how the algorithm works and the key factors that will determine how well a post performs, including interest timeliness, the relationship frequency, following, and usage.
9. Experiment With Captions
Instagram is a predominantly visual medium, but captions are just as important when you are promoting your brand voice. Instagram captions can be up to 2,200 characters which provide a wide variety of options to tell your story.
But only the first two lines of text appear in the news feed, which means you need to make a significant impact in those lines. But that’s not to say you should neglect long-form content. If you can tell a great story and make the caption compelling and relevant, you should go for it.
10. Cross-promote Instagram posts
Cross-promotion is one of the most effective ways to increase your reach. As Instagram is part of the holy trinity of social media, there are so many other platforms that you can take advantage of.
If you have followers on Twitter or LinkedIn, you could invite them to follow you on Instagram, as this will generate more exposure to your Instagram content and improve your brand all for a reduced cost.
Conclusion
If your business hasn’t got into Instagram, now is the time. With over 1 billion active users, it is behind Facebook but ahead of Twitter, making it the middle child of the social media world.
Promoting your business via the holy trinity of social media is essential, and Instagram marketing will increase your audience and benefit your business further.
