Instagram has proved to be a massive tool for businesses in the current age. It is a platform that is growing exponentially as people get to discover its worth. For the past year, the Instagram community has grown to over 400 million users. This is a clear indication that your business can successfully grow if you have the best strategy.
With the presence of visual media, customers will see all your products with simple clicks on their phones. The engagement rate is also far much higher than other social media platforms, meaning that Instagram is the way to go if you must develop your brand.
Many businesses that overlooked the value of Instagram ended up stalling or recording little profits. If you have a commercial idea, the following brand-building tips will guide you on how to create a vibrant Instagram following and business:
Reach Out to Influencers
Most successful businesses are promoting their businesses through the help of influencers. It is a strategy that you can adopt as well. All you need to do is search for influencer accounts that have a significant following. However, ensure that the influencers belong to your niche because you may be irrelevant if otherwise. Just give them a shout out and see if they are willing to hold your hand. Most of them will not charge you a penny; you will only be required to promote their accounts in return.
Use Hashtags
This is also one of the best ways to improve the visibility of your posts. Whenever you put up a picture or video, use a maximum of 5 hashtags. They will help followers and other Instagram users to find you, hence boosting the search traffic. The internet has several sites where you can find popular hashtags. Be sure to only use those hashtags that are relevant to your business.
Professional Images
You must have understood that Instagram is a visual platform where you can build a brand reputation by having very high-quality images and videos. Most probably, you may not have the skills to take good shots, so, you can hire the services of a professional photographer. To make your content more engaging, you can also use filters to have the photos look trendy. Alternatively, review some of the images posted by your competitors, and you will have an idea what filters can do to your brand.
Host Some Contests
Organizing various contests will boost the level of interactivity on your Instagram account. Talk to some interested followers and request them to post their captivating images and ask them to include captions with hashtags. For the winning parties, give them a set of prizes. For example, select a few contestants and offer them goodies such as tickets for a live event.
Use Instastories
Instagram Stories is one of the latest features that were added on the platform. It entails users adding videos and photos temporarily to their profile. They will appear to your followers for 24 hours and disappear. This is a superb way of informing your followers about new additions in your stock without spamming your profile with too much content. Your customers are guaranteed of a variety of goods as long as you post consistently. Before you post, use some filters to refine your content.
Post Videos
Nowadays, Instagram has increased the length of videos from 15 to 60 seconds. This is a perfect opportunity to record a one minute video about your products and post. For example, your video content can include tutorials and promotional varieties. Again, many people are marketing through Instagram, so you have to cut an edge for yourself by recording high-quality videos that are also appealing.
Use Teaser Posts
Instagram is all about creating a buzz amongst your followers, and they will boost interactivity on your profile. The strategy is to give hints about upcoming events and contests. If you intend to launch a product, keep your followers engaged by asking them to guess what it could be. A teaser also increases curiosity among customers, so they keep checking to see if you have finally released your product. It is one way of keeping them loyal. Sometimes if you have delayed posting for some reason, these kinds of posts will save you from inconsistency.
Promote Your Profile
Many prospective customers are found on other social media accounts. They may not have had a chance to see your profile on Instagram. As you interact on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, ensure that you provide a link that will lead your friends to your Instagram business page.
You can even send the link through direct messages of every individual. Remember that Instagram is a subsidiary of Facebook, so you can easily transfer information between both platforms more comfortably. Most of the suggestions of friends on Instagram are your friends on Facebook.
Respond to Comments of Users
Many of your followers will always put a comment on your posts as they engage with them. Whether the remarks are positive or negative, find time to respond to all of them. This interaction helps you build a strong brand image as well as a lasting relationship with your followers. The negative comments are meant to provide criticism so that you improve on your offering.
Geo-Tagging
This is a feature that lets you include a location when you post images. It is ideal in situations where you are organizing or participating in a business event. If you want followers to know the physical location of your business, geo-tagging is the perfect way to post. Participants in a contest will also prefer this feature to find the business.
Final Thoughts
Take the opportunity to boost your business prospects using Instagram as a marketing tool. The business environment is shifting due to some dynamics like changes in technology. The current trend is to adopt digital platforms of which Instagram is the most suitable.
Successful brands have testified that Instagram was a game-changer in their operations since they were able to find many customers under one platform. Fortunately, you have massive strategies at your disposal to make your business a reputable brand. Grab this opportunity and turn your life around.
