In 2018, Instagram has grown to dominate the social media world as the go-to place for video and image sharing, with over 800 million monthly users. Those hundreds of millions of users share billions of likes on each other’s post everyday on Instagram, so businesses need to do their part to capture their share of the market by joining the conversation.
As a business, the very first step is to set up an Instagram Business Profile if you haven’t already. This will give you tons of free tools and insights on your account, content and your audience. Once you have done this, you should be able to switch between your accounts easily and effortlessly. Here’s a quick video that we’ve created to show you how you can accomplish this.
Social Post Mix
Next, take advantage of Instagram’s insights to figure out your social post mix. Check out your audience’s demographics, like their age or top locations.
Include relevant and engaging hashtags in your captions to reach your target audience and get more user interactions out of your posts. Instagram allows you to use up to 30. However, the more hashtags may not necessarily be better. There are also various types of hashtags and hashtag strategies to use. This is something you have to test out to learn what your magic number is and what your strategy needs to be to accomplish your goals.
Post product teasers to urge people to buy your products or services without being overly pushy. They’ll be more likely to buy if they do not feel pressured.
You can even turn your posts into sponsored ads to reach target audiences that may not be following you yet. One great post might just have them hooked.
Since social media is a two-way conversation, respond to your comments to help build good lasting relationships with your audiences. You just may get a lifetime fan that champions your brand.
Use Instagram Stories to post behind-the-scenes photos or videos. Followers will appreciate the insider posts that show what your true and honest character is, which helps to further build your relationship with customers.
Partnering with Influencers
Partner with other high profile businesses and/or influencers that have a wide reach in your industry. Their followers trust their recommendations, which will help you boost your reputation if they see that you are partners with them.
Be sure to leverage the power of user-generated content by reposting images that your customers share. You can turn this into a contest with an interactive branded hashtag. Use apps like Repost to share other user’s content.
Among the many types of posts you will include in your social posting mix, make sure to throw in a photo to share every week or every month that aligns with your brand’s message. This helps tie in your posts with your overall identity.
Metrics!
Keep track of your metrics so you can see when are the right times to post. At the same time, avoid overposting so that you do not overwhelm your audience, get flagged for spam or have your reach lowered by Instagram’s algorithm. Post one to two times every day and check out when your followers are most active. Schedule posts to go live during those days and times. You can also use your metrics to follow your Instagram marketing efforts and see if they are paying off. Keep an eye on follower growth rate, engagement rate, and your URL click-through rate.
Finally, don’t forget to have fun!
If you are seeking marketing for your business or want to improve your social media strategies, look no further than Presentation Multimedia! Contact us today to find out how we can take your business to the next level. Call now (914) 236-1522.