Instagram is really nothing more than a massive photo album with content from users around the world. Instagram has more than 750 million members that are active on the site, which is more than Twitter. This means more and more brands are discovering how to use Instagram to gain more followers and share their brand message.
If you’re not convinced that Instagram would benefit your company, consider this, users of Instagram are buyers. There have been numerous studies done that show them in the last five years alone, Instagram’s network has grown in purchasing power by customers, and it will only increase more.
When you put images and pictures on Instagram, you can pitch sales to them without much effort on your part. Customers head to Instagram and other social media sites for a variety of reasons, what you need to focus on with your business is purchasing power. When you focus on this aspect of Instagram, it can help you convert uninvolved customers into sure clients.
As opposed to the other social media sites that you can utilize for your business, Instagram is wholly comprised of the visual appeal element. Exploring the use of Instagram to grow your brand will force you to think about the visual component to your brand.
Many businesses overlook this aspect and rely on stock photos to share their visual story. While this might work when you are first starting, as you further define your brand, it may end up deterring you from your goals.
If your brand is built on authenticity, you need to consider budgeting for a few professional photo shoots that capture the true essence of your brand. Photos that are unique to you and your company will only reinforce what your brand is to your target audience.
Growing Your Brand And Business With Instagram
While Instagram might be a newer way for businesses to promote their brand, it has already become a favorite platform for many.
Whether it’s from an exciting interaction point of view or promoting one’s brand in a more straightforward way, the efficiency of the site shows that both have been grabbing the attention of nearly everyone. If you are making use of social media to reach your customers, Instagram shouldn’t be ignored.
Recent studies have found that Instagram is 15 times more efficient in attracting customers and marketing a business, compared to Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. You can’t ignore the fact that a simple photo sharing application has emerged as one of the critical sales channels today.
Incorporate Your Site Link To Boost Traffic
With Instagram, you have many opportunities to lead more traffic to your company site. Your Instagram profile is the one place where your connections with other members are interactive, directly under your name and description at the highest point of your page. Within this area, you can post a link to your business site or a landing page for your products. Keeping a link to either of these two places can help you boost targeted traffic to your site.
Use Audience-Targeted Hashtags
Hashtags, as we’ve touched on before, are an excellent way to showcase your ideas, concepts, and conversations in a group. It’s also an easy way to look for people who post on topics that you may be interested in exploring further.
By using suitable hashtags in your updates, you can find an easy way to reach people showing an interest in your products. The best way to ensure maximum benefit is to use hashtags that not only give the details of your photos and business but are also famous on Instagram and are actively searched for by people.
To find the most appropriate hashtags for your business, you can use a free online service like Websta or Iconosquare, which provide a list of relevant hashtags based on your individual needs.
You can make efficient use of these types of lists to find the best 10 to 20 hashtags that are related to your brand, business, or products. This way you are able to get the most suitable hashtags for promoting your business.
Ensure You Are Using The Right Filters
One of the most significant issues that people face is not being aware of the way Instagram filters may affect the engagement of the audience. Generally, people post what they find attractive, and most of the times these posts turn out to be nothing more than filters that affect the overall interaction on the site.
A recent study released by TrackMaven showed that a number of images on the site that incorporated the Mayfair or Inkwell filter received more likes and comments.
Since the target audience differs from business to business, it is recommended that you experiment with various filters and use an Instagram management tool to check the filter to see one will be the most popular for your particular business needs.
Post At The Right Time
As will all of the social networking platforms, you need to post your content at the right time. According to SimplyMeasured, an analytics company, the best time to post to Instagram is on Wednesdays between 5 and 6 p.m.
When scheduling your posts; you want to be sure you are aware of when your target audience will most likely be online and on Instagram. It helps you in judging the best time to post and act accordingly. One of the best websites for choosing the peak times for increasing engagement is IconoSquare, which give an optimization report based on one’s participation and posting history in the past.
With IconoSquare, you get a detailed report in which black circles represent the times that you’re posting, and light-gray circles that represent the level of engagement the posts received in the past. The best of times or the peak times to post are shown by the most prominent light-gray circles, which are calculated based on your followers’ engagement on the site.
Engage With Popular Instagrammers
One of the best ways to grow your community on Instagram is to get a favorite Instagrammer to feature your product on their feed. This is a lot like paid advertising on some of the other sites, because you are charged a fee, which can be in the form of payment or by sending products for review.
To find the most influential accounts in your niche, you can use Instagram’s search function, which requires typing in keywords, hashtags, and company names. After finding and following a large account, Instagram will provide you with a list of similar users who can be followed by you to boost your business.
Before you connect with another user, it is always recommended that you check the account profile of the person. In most cases, you can get an idea of and know if the account accepts product reviews or sponsored posts. Plus, you might also find numerous users that have a note displayed in their bio that shows their willingness to work with different companies.
If there isn’t a clear indication that a user is willing to engage with different brands, you can email them directly and ask whether they are willing to do a featured review or sponsored post for your business.
Your popularity on Instagram ultimately lies in your hands to grab the attention of your target audience and showcase your business on the site. Instagram’s continuing popularity will prove to be a great way to grow your business and bring more targeted leads to your company site.