8 Instagram marketing tips for business

Social media is crucial to any business’ marketing strategy. Collectively, social media platforms attract 3.48 billion users, so if you aren’t utilising these powerful digital platforms, you are potentially missing out on communicating with a large segment of your target audience.

Instagram alone has a hefty fan base, with 500 million users logging into the photo-based platform every single day. According to eMarketer’s research, Instagram will have overtaken the predicted growth of other social media platforms by almost double in 2020, with an anticipated 26.9 million users set to join the network this year.

So, how should you be using Instagram to get your brand in front of your target audience? Here, we reveal our top 8 Instagram marketing tips for your business:

1. Engage with your followers

The Instagram algorithm is always changing to improve its user experience. The bad news is that Instagram tends to favour organic, personal profiles over business accounts. The good news is that there IS a way to ensure that your business’ content is being seen by your target audience. Instagram recognises and rewards posts that attract engagement. Start by engaging with your audience by interacting (liking and commenting) on their grid posts and sharing their stories to establish your brand. By engaging with your existing following, you will build your reputation and attract new followers who are likely to enjoy your content.

2. High-quality content

Instagram is an incredibly competitive space so you must post high-quality images and video to ensure that you stand-out from the crowd. Try using a decent camera and make the most of Instagram’s filter tool. Filters allow you to add a computer-generated effect and have the ability to make your content pop. Although it won’t gain you followers instantly, it will certainly help in the long run. Ensure that you keep on top of what is trending and topical and review your content regularly to check that it is easily digestible. Follow these tips, and you will be the owner of an appealing and interesting feed that users don’t just scroll by.

3. Post regularly

Post too little and run the risk of limited visibility. Post too much and your account may be considered spam so how do you get the balance right? According to Social Buddy, major brands post on average 1.5 times per day. This is a great strategy to follow when your page is new to help boost your following and engagement. Remember that consistency is key so stick to a posting schedule that is manageable for you.

4. Instagram Stories

We all love to document our weekend activities on our Instagram Story, but what exactly is its purpose for business? An Instagram Story is a picture or video shared by a user to their page and is available to view for 24 hours only before it disappears. It’s a great tool for businesses to use to beat the algorithm. Try promoting your latest Instagram grid post on your Story. This will direct followers to your page so that they can engage with your latest content. You could also use the Instagram Story feature to give your followers a sneak-peak behind the scenes of your business, making your account seem more personable. Try uploading content to your Story every 12 hours to ensure that you always have something for profile visitors to enjoy.

5. Hold competitions

Competitions are a great way to boost engagement on your Instagram page as you are encouraging your audience to like, comment or share your post. Whether it’s to grow your brand presence on Instagram or build your following, make sure that you have a clear goal in mind before you launch your competition. Your goal will determine how you execute the competition, ensuring that the competition is a success.

6. Connect with influencers

Are you looking to shout about your brand far and wide? Do you want to get in front of thousands of Instagram users? You may want to consider partnering with an Instagram Influencer. Considered as social media royalty, these accounts have millions of followers. By partnering with an influencer, you can boost your brand’s credibility and reach thousands of potential followers. Influencers with millions of followers will charge a fee if you wish to work with them so make sure you understand their profile engagement, audience interests and relevance in the industry before you part with your budget. Don’t forget about ‘micro-influencers’ who have thousands of followers as opposed to millions. Their audiences tend to be more engaged with smaller fees involved.

7. Switch to a business account

As opposed to a personal account, with a business account, you gain access to features like Instagram Insights, contact information, and Instagram Ads which can all help to build your brand and improve your Instagram strategy. Insights is a clever tool as it can let you in on the demographics of your audience including age, location and gender. If you already have a great following and engagement rate but are using a personal account, don’t panic! Instagram gives you the option to seamlessly convert your profile to an Instagram business account without losing any of your content. Currently, there are over 25 million business profiles on Instagram so be sure to utilise this tool.

8. Don’t forget to use hashtags

Love them or loathe them, the hashtag plays a crucial role when it comes to the visibility of your Instagram page. We first saw hashtags on Twitter in 2007, allowing users to keep up-to-date on topics and industries that they were interested in. On Instagram, a post with at least one hashtag averages 12.6% more engagement than posts without a hashtag. Ensure that you are using hashtags that are relevant to your industry as opposed to the most popular hashtags that may be completely irrelevant. The sweet spot that Instagram recommends is 11 hashtags per post. To beat the algorithm, it’s better to post the hashtags in the comments section under your post rather than in the post itself. This tricks Instagram into thinking your post is gaining engagement and your content will rank higher on users’ feeds.

We hope you found our top 8 Instagram marketing tips useful. Are you looking to outsource an experienced social media management team? Would you like your Instagram account to make an impact in 2020? Call our team on 01392 680740 or email info@absoluteprandmarketing.com to find out how we can help.