How to Develop an Effective Instagram Social Media Marketing Strategy
Social media is one of the most effective marketing tools for marketers today. Sharing your products or services on social media platforms, from Facebook posts to Twitter tweets, is a great way to increase brand awareness, engagement, sales, and leads. The ultimate guide to PayPal buy Instagram followers.
However, many people need clarification when it comes to marketing with Instagram.
Many of us use Instagram as a personal account to share photos of our families, friends, vacations, and food, but how does it relate to business? And, more importantly, should it?
Remember to consider Instagram’s value in boosting your brand and marketing efforts, especially given its rapid growth.
It has evolved into a precious marketing platform, and while 18- 29-year-olds remain the most frequent users, older age groups are catching on and catching up quickly.
Sprout Social’s Instagram statistics for 2018 are telling:
• On Instagram, 7 out of 10 hashtags are branded.
• 80% of Instagram users follow a business.
• Products appear in 65% of the top-performing Instagram posts.
If you feel compelled to incorporate Instagram into your social media marketing strategy, here are some starting points:
1. Use Hashtags With Caution
You don’t have to use every hashtag you can think of in one post, but you should use a few.
A hashtag is the # symbol followed by descriptive words about your image, such as #marketing and #ctaconf, which was the conference I attended.
When a user clicks/taps on a hashtag or types a hashtag into the search box, all images that use that hashtag are displayed. The user can even sign up to continue following that hashtag.
The hope is that the user will notice your photo, visit your profile, and, in the best-case scenario, follow you and engage with more of your posts!
However, when hashtags are viral, the competition to appear in the results is fierce. The more popular a term is, the more difficult it is to stay at the top of the search results. As a result, my example of using #marketing could have been more worthwhile if I wanted to get any traction from that post.
Make your hashtags relevant to your business and location and interesting enough that users will type them into Instagram’s search box.
As an example:
• Assume you own a pizza parlor in Vancouver. You take a photo of your Pepperoni pizza and share it with the hashtags #VancouversBestPizza #NicolosRestaurant #DeliciousDeepDish.
• Or you’re a wedding planner in Toronto. You share a photo of a bride and groom performing their first dance with the #TorontoWeddingPlanner #LoveWins #WinterWedding.
Holidays and special events are ideal times to promote your company and gain new Instagram followers. For example, a Black Friday sale, a Thanksgiving-related use for your product, or a product shout-out on National Dog Day are all excellent opportunities to showcase your business brand in a non-sales manner.
2. Thank Your Audience for Attending
You don’t just throw up a bunch of photos and hashtags and hope for the best.
You must invest time to gain Instagram followers, engage with your audience, and increase sales or leads.
See here for an example from video expert Michele Moreno, in which she responds to each of the comments left on her video post.
So, if someone leaves a comment or asks a question on one of your posts, respond and thank them/answer their question.
Check out their profile and follow them if you like what you see.
Businesses frequently follow commenters first in the hopes that they will reciprocate.
You can also look for people interested in your product, then comment on their photos and follow them, but wait to ask them to follow you.
3. Communicate with the Right Influencers
Influencers are Instagram users who can influence your target audience due to their popularity and social media following.
Danielle Bernstein is an example of an influencer who has collaborated with a brand. Her name may not be familiar, but her 1.8 million Instagram followers are.
Bernstein collaborated with FIJI Water to create BodyWoreWhat, a marketing campaign that offers 8-minute workout videos with her and her trainer. That is an extreme case, and you need deep pockets to attract an influencer with nearly two million followers.
But don’t give up. You can always find someone your target audience follows, likes, or admires, from mommy bloggers to local foodies. Use your imagination to see if they want to review your product or take a photo.
4. Do Not Simply Shill Your Products
Instagram is not the place to constantly share product shots. Instead, consider the experience people have when using what you’re offering and the benefits it provides.
Even better, provide real-world examples. One method is to solicit user-generated content from your audience. This means that users will use a hashtag you provide to share their photos.
Wayfair.com, an online furniture retailer, excels at user-generated content. Customers can share photos of their stylish Wayfair-filled homes using the hashtag #WayfairAtHome as part of a user-generated campaign.
Make sure to notify people that their images may be featured on your page, and you can significantly increase your Instagram content for free!
Be authentic to your brand no matter how you use Instagram for business. It is the platform’s purpose, and it will assist you in growing your business, gaining Instagram followers, and attracting sales or leads.
Susan Friesen is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and the founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media. She works with entrepreneurs needing more knowledge, skill, and support to develop their online business presence.
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