You can use Instagram effectively for business by knowing your audience, creating engaging content, scheduling posts, using relevant hashtags, and leveraging Instagram’s unique features like Stories. Regularly monitor insights and adapt your strategy based on performance metrics.
Are you struggling to get traction with your business on Instagram? Do you feel like you’re pouring time and resources into your Instagram activity without much of a return?
Don’t give up just yet!
Many business owners feel this frustration and become discouraged when they don’t see any return after investing precious time and energy on Instagram. This is usually when companies explore the idea of partnering with an expert that offers social media marketing services. However, there are a few things you can do to ensure your account is set up to provide the insights you need to make informed decisions about your Instagram strategy and features you should know about.
In this article, you’ll discover how to set up your Instagram account for business and leverage the popularity of the platform for your business effectively.
Overview
How to Use Instagram for Business
With over 2 billion active users, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. If your business isn’t active here, you may be missing out.
Whether your business offers a product or service, Instagram can provide the perfect platform for showcasing your offerings and connecting with customers. However, to do it effectively, it requires more than just posting a picture with a catchy caption. It’s about understanding your audience, optimizing your content, and strategically interacting on the platform.
Keep reading to discover how to use Instagram for business effectively.
Setting Up Your Instagram Account for Business
In order to take full advantage of Instagram for your business, you need to make sure your account is set up and optimized for business.
We’re here to help you get started.
Switch to a Business Account
Switching to an Instagram business account gives you access to features not available on personal accounts. These include Instagram Insights, promoted posts, and the ability to add links to your Instagram Stories. It also lends credibility to your brand and allows you to display your contact information prominently.
Add Business Information to Your Bio
Your Instagram bio is prime real estate for promoting your business. Include essential business information like your location, contact details, and what your business does. Don’t forget to include a link to your website or a targeted landing page in the provided field.
Connect Your Product Catalog
If you’re a retailer, connecting your product catalog to Instagram allows you to use the Shopping feature. This enables users to tap on your posts and see prices, product descriptions, and a direct link to purchase.
Turn on Instagram Shopping
Once you have your product catalog connected, turning on Instagram shopping allows you to tag products in your posts, leading potential customers directly to your online store. It effectively shortens the customer’s journey, making it easier for them to purchase your products.
11 Tips for Using Instagram for Your Business
Instagram is more than a platform for sharing photos; it’s a powerful marketing tool for businesses. Here are 10 tips to help your LA-based company utilize Instagram effectively:
Instagram has become more than a social media platform for sharing photos with your friends – it’s become a powerful marketing platform where businesses can increase their brand visibility, reach a large audience (2 billion and counting), and make data-driven decisions regarding their social marketing strategy.
It’s come a long way since the old days, sprouting a ton of cool new features as it’s grown. We’re here to explore some of those features and provide general tips for you to consider as a business owner.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to using Instagram for business or social media marketing in general. There is no right or wrong – there’s only what works for your business. And in order to discover what works (and what doesn’t) for your business, you need to explore!
Okay, let’s explore the following 11 tips for using Instagram for your business!
1. Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience is crucial when using Instagram for business marketing.
This entails knowing who they are, their interests, and the type of content they resonate with. Detailed audience analysis includes demographic information (age, gender, location), behavior patterns, and preferences. Instagram provides in-built insights to help businesses understand their audience better. This information can help you tailor content that appeals to your audience, improving engagement and conversion rates. It’s also important to monitor trends and changes within your audience, as their preferences can evolve over time.
For example, if a fitness center realizes from Instagram Insights that its followers are mostly women aged 18-25, they can tailor their content to resonate with that demographic. They might share workout routines popular among this age group or share nutrition tips for young women.
2. Create Engaging Content
Content is key in digital marketing, and Instagram is no exception. Your content should be visually appealing and value-adding. It should resonate with your audience and reflect your brand’s identity and values.
You can use a variety of formats including images, videos, infographics, and more. Incorporating storytelling into your posts can make them more captivating and relatable. User engagement increases when content evokes emotions or provides solutions. Remember, high quality and consistency in your posts can help build credibility and strengthen your brand image.
A vegan restaurant could share mouth-watering photos of their menu items, accompanied by descriptions of how they’re made. They could also share stories about sourcing their organic ingredients, thereby engaging followers who value sustainability and clean eating.
Related: How to Create Content for Instagram
3. Use Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a powerful feature for business marketing, offering a fun and interactive platform for content sharing. This feature allows you to share short videos and images that disappear after 24 hours, providing a sense of urgency and exclusivity.
Stories are an excellent tool for behind-the-scenes content, limited-time offers, polls, Q&As, and much more. Adding stickers, text, or music can make your stories more interactive and engaging. Since stories are featured at the top of the Instagram app, they can help boost visibility and engagement.
A fashion boutique might use Instagram Stories to showcase new arrivals, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. They could also use the poll feature to engage followers, asking them to vote on which outfit they prefer for the coming season.
4. Schedule Posts
Consistency is vital in maintaining engagement and building your following on Instagram.
Scheduling posts can help ensure a steady stream of content even during busy periods. Regular posting signals to Instagram’s algorithm that your account is active, which can help boost your visibility. Scheduling tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, and Later can automatically post on your behalf at your chosen times. Consistent posting, at times when your audience is most active, can lead to better engagement and growth of your follower base.
For instance, a travel agency may schedule posts featuring top destinations during peak browsing times. By scheduling their posts, they can ensure consistent engagement even during off-hours or weekends.
5. Use Relevant Hashtags
Hashtags serve as a categorization tool on Instagram, connecting posts from different users into one stream. Using relevant hashtags can boost the discoverability of your content, extending your reach beyond your followers. It’s important to use a mix of broad and niche hashtags relevant to your post and industry.
An organic grocery store might use hashtags like #OrganicLA, #HealthyEating, or #SustainableFoods in their posts. These hashtags can help reach users beyond their existing followers who are interested in organic and sustainable foods.
Our social media team here at Sachs Marketing Group often uses hashtags like #socialmediamarketing and #digitalmarketing for @sachs_marketing_group posts.
Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but research suggests 9-11 hashtags generate optimal engagement. Experiment and track your hashtag performance to refine your strategy over time.
6. Tag Products
Instagram’s product tagging feature allows businesses to tag products in posts and stories, creating a seamless shopping experience for users. When users tap on a product tag, they can see the product name, price, and a link to your website for purchase. This feature shortens the customer journey, increasing the likelihood of conversions. It’s a simple and effective way to turn your Instagram account into a virtual storefront.
For example, a jewelry brand might use Instagram’s product tagging feature to tag items in their posts. When followers tap on these tags, they’re taken directly to the product page on the brand’s website, streamlining the purchasing process.
7. Leverage User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is any content (text, videos, images, reviews, etc.) that is created by users about your brand or products. UGC can be a powerful tool for businesses, providing authentic and relatable content that can influence purchase decisions.
For example, A café might share user-generated content such as photos or stories shared by customers enjoying their coffee. Not only does this create authenticity, but it also encourages other followers to share their own experiences.
Sharing UGC on your business profile can boost credibility, foster community, and drive engagement. Always remember to credit the original creator when sharing UGC.
8. Respond to Comments
Responding to comments on your posts is a key part of community management and customer service on Instagram.
It shows your followers that you value their feedback and are willing to engage in conversation. It’s also key to turning Instagram followers into customers.
A skincare brand might respond to comments on their posts, whether they’re questions about their products or compliments on their brand. This not only shows they value their customers’ input but also provides an opportunity for them to showcase their customer service.
This can help build a strong relationship with your audience, fostering brand loyalty. Prompt responses can also stimulate further engagement on your posts, potentially boosting your visibility in the Instagram algorithm.
Remember, you get what you give. If you want to boost engagement on Instagram, you need to get out there and engage with others. You’ve got to put the social in social media!
9. Use Instagram Ads
One of the most significant benefits of advertising on Instagram is the opportunity to reach a wider audience.
With various ad formats available, including photo, video, carousel, and story ads, businesses can choose the format that best suits their marketing objectives.
For example, a comic book store could run Instagram ads to increase its visibility among comic fans. They might run a carousel ad highlighting rare comics they carry, targeting users who follow popular comic creators or clubs.
Advanced targeting options allow businesses to reach their ideal customers based on demographics, interests, behavior, and more. Instagram Ads can boost brand awareness, increase engagement, and drive website traffic or conversions.
10. Monitor Instagram Insights
Instagram Insights is a valuable tool that provides data on follower demographics, post engagement, and more. This information can help businesses understand what’s working and what’s not in their Instagram marketing strategy.
For example, an art gallery in LA may monitor Instagram Insights to understand which of their posts receive the most engagement. They can use this data to adjust their content strategy, perhaps focusing more on posts about new exhibits or artist profiles if those receive more engagement.
Regular monitoring of these metrics allows for adjustments and improvements to be made, ensuring your strategy remains effective and goal-oriented. From discovering the best time to post to understanding which content resonates best, insights can guide your content creation and scheduling decisions.
11. Hire A Social Media Marketing Expert
Managing an Instagram business account can be time-consuming and require specific expertise.
Hiring a social media marketing expert can help businesses navigate Instagram’s best practices and continually evolving features. They can develop and execute a tailored Instagram marketing strategy, create engaging content, monitor performance, and engage with the community.
This can grow your business on Instagram, increase your return on investment, and allow you to focus on other aspects of your business.
FAQs About Instagram for Business
We hear a lot of questions from business owners interested in learning more about using Instagram for business marketing, so we thought it might be helpful to share some of the most frequently asked questions here along with some of our answers.
How often should I post on Instagram for my business?
Aiming for 1-2 posts per day is a good starting point. However, the optimal posting frequency can vary based on your audience’s behavior and engagement levels. The key is to maintain a consistent schedule without sacrificing the quality of your content.
How do I increase my followers on Instagram?
Increasing followers on Instagram comes down to creating engaging, quality content, using relevant hashtags, interacting with your audience, and promoting your Instagram account on other channels. Consider collaborating with influencers or running Instagram contests to quickly grow your follower count.
What’s the best time to post on Instagram?
The best time to post on Instagram varies depending on your audience. Use Instagram Insights to see when your followers are most active. As a general rule, mornings, lunchtimes, and evenings often see higher engagement rates.
Should I start an Instagram for my business?
Yes, starting an Instagram for your business can help increase your brand’s visibility, engage with customers, and showcase your products or services in a visually appealing way. It’s a powerful marketing tool, especially if your target audience is active on the platform.
How do I advertise my small business on Instagram?
To advertise on Instagram, first, create a business profile. Then, decide what type of ad you want to run (image, video, carousel, etc.), set your target audience and budget. Instagram’s ad platform is connected to Facebook’s, so you can set up your campaign through Facebook Ads Manager.
Are Instagram ads worth it for small business?
Yes, Instagram ads can be incredibly worthwhile for small businesses. They provide a way to reach a larger and more targeted audience, build brand recognition, and drive action, such as website visits or product purchases. The key is to have clear goals, a targeted strategy, and engaging content.
Is it bad to buy followers on Instagram for business?
Buying followers on Instagram isn’t recommended. These followers are typically inactive accounts and won’t engage with your content, which can hurt your engagement rates. Instead, focus on building an authentic and engaged following through good content and community engagement.
Need Help Using Instagram for Your Business?
Are you struggling to effectively leverage Instagram for your business?
Sachs Marketing Group offers strategic social media marketing services, designed to enhance your brand visibility and increase customer engagement on Instagram.
With our team of social media experts, we can help craft compelling content, optimize your posting schedule, manage your ads, and monitor your insights to ensure your business maximizes its return on investment.
Connect with us today and discover how we can help transform your Instagram presence and drive growth for your business.
Conclusion
Using Instagram for business marketing isn’t just about posting pretty pictures. It requires strategic planning, understanding your audience, and delivering engaging content consistently. With these tips and tactics, you’re well on your way to effectively leveraging Instagram to grow your business. If you need professional assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to Sachs Marketing Group.
