This may be set to change, however, as brands and businesses discover the benefits of using this photo sharing platform – in fact some research suggests that users on Instagram are far more likely to engage than on other social media outlets such as Facebook or Twitter.
Get to know the
platform
If you are new to
Instagram then it pays to get to know the site. As with other social media
platforms it has its own little quirks and online etiquette. The platform
provides some clear guidelines for businesses who are looking to promote themselves (including
how to advertise) and it’s a good idea to check out what other brands are doing
to leverage online influence.
Hashtags are important
As with other
platforms, hashtags are important on Instagram and you need to find the most
relevant ones your target audience is using. This allows you to cast your net
wider and reach potential customers beyond your current following. Whilst you
can put up to 30 hashtags in one post, it is sensible to restrict yourself to
about 3 – too many can make your descriptive text difficult to read and too
sales orientated.
Interesting images
with good descriptions
The core of Instagram
is in its images and it’s a great opportunity to bring some personality to your
business. There’s an old adage in business that has remained true over the
years, even in this digital age: people buy from people. The more you can put
your personality across, the more you are likely to engage current and
potential customers. Mix high quality images with videos that tell the story of
your business including how customers interact with it.
Don’t be selfish
It’s not just about
you and that goes for all other social media platforms as well. People don’t
care too much for businesses that continually push their own products and
advertise themselves. Engage fully with other users and followers, respond to
good content and pass on messages if you want to pump some life into your
account.
Run a contest
Everyone loves to win
a prize and social media, particularly Instagram, makes it easy to run a competition. Get followers and customers to share their
videos of themselves using your product and offer a good prize for the winner
and you could seriously boost your online visibility. It’s a cheap and
effective way of getting your product out there without appearing too pushy.
Link to other social
media
You can link your
Instagram to platforms such as Facebook and Twitter if you are on these too.
When you post something on Instagram it immediately appears on your other feeds
and reaches a wider audience.
Do what works for you
Marketing on social
media such as Instagram comes with its own set of rules but there will be
things that work for other businesses that don’t necessarily work for you.
Having the right metrics in place to show how a particular line of attack works
or doesn’t is vital if you want to build the best strategy for your business
and leverage the potential of this or any other platform.
If you have any questions on how to use Instagram or any other social media channels to market your business then email us at info@hoopla-marketing.com and we will be happy to assist. You can also take a look at our full range of social media services at www.hoopla-marketing.com.
