5 Tips on How to Use Instagram for Small Business
It's one of those moments you realize you want to market your business, but SEO could be expensive. Not to mention, big brands take up all the spots for the first page results on Google.
This is where Social Media comes in specifically Instagram.
If you want to get your business in front of people rapidly but don't want to rely exclusively on SEO, social media is the next best option.
Social media channels can consist of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Pinterest, LinkedIN, and Tumblr. What makes Social Media a powerful tool for small businesses is that you can reach more people for free. The organic traffic is quick and almost instant.
You've probably noticed Instagram's power. The platform offers various advantages for small businesses, from customer complaints to a product going viral, leveling the proverbial digital playing field between small and large firms.
Even if you have a unique product to sell online, no one will look for it if they are unaware of it.
That is where social media's power rests.
It enables you to go where your potential customers are, capture their attention, and then inform them about your company or product.
In this tutorial, we'll show you how to use Instagram for your small business, from utilizing the platform's capabilities to specific suggestions for expanding your digital footprint.
Let's begin!
Why Should Small Businesses Use Instagram
Instagram offers a wide range of benefits to small businesses when their presence is well-planned and managed. If you're utilizing Instagram to promote your business, you'll need a documented Instagram marketing strategy. Yes, even if the account is only managed by you. According to Instagram's own research, 81 percent of users say the platform aids their product and service research.
Tip 1: Set Up Your Profile
You might be thinking this is a no brainer. You may scoff at this, but it's an important reminder. Take a look at your Instagram profile once you've set it up as a business account. New features and settings are added on a regular basis, sometimes without warning. It's not a bad idea to see if you have any new features to try out.
Update the business categories, hours, location(s), a contact method, and connect any service or product catalogs, among other basic vital business profile things to consider. Check that your profile features, such as your bio and profile photo, are consistent with your overall social media branding while you're here.
Tip 2: Build a Consistent Brand Image
The branding of a company is more significant than you would imagine. Your brand may appear to be made up solely of logos and colors on the surface, but it is truly your company's full identity. Your brand provides you a sense of self.
Branding has always been crucial in the commercial world, but it may be even more so now. Every day, customers are exposed to new companies thanks to social media.
Consistent imagery on Instagram advertising and posts, as previously said, is a vital aspect of building trust and earning followers.
Consistent images can be achieved in a variety of methods.
A great example of branding is Nike. Nike's Instagram feed is customized with a range of color overlays, filters, and even movies that they've shared.
Every photo, on the other hand, is crisp, clean, and well-focused. Anyone could tell this is Nike just by glancing at those six photographs.
Nike is a sports and fitness company, but they also share images that provoke emotion or attributes such as mental focus, strength, and happiness.
One of the most obvious reasons for a company's branding is to make it easier for customers to recognize them. People will automatically notice your business if it has good branding, much more so than if it does not. A company with a lack of unified branding is unlikely to stick in someone's mind for very long.
I'd recommend you checking out your favorite brand Instagram to see what their branding is like.
Tip 3: Use Hashtags to Maximize Your Reach
With Instagram, it's all about the hashtags.
Instagram hashtags may make or break your marketing campaign on the platform. If you use them properly, your postings will be noticed by more individuals who are likely to be interested in your items or business.
However, if you use the wrong one, you risk offending potential followers and being penalized by Instagram's algorithm.
To utilize hashtags effectively on Instagram, you must first grasp how they function and then devise a strategy.
Hashtags are a great method to grow your Instagram following and reach more people. When you use a hashtag, your post will show up on the hashtag's page.
It's important to remember that the most popular Instagram hashtags aren't always the most effective.
A huge number of posts may indicate that many people use that hashtag, but it also indicates that there is a lot of content on it, and your postings may get lost in the shuffle. Instagram recommends combining popular and specialty hashtags to reach a variety of audiences, ranging from wide to targeted.
A standard post can include up to 30 hashtags, while a Story can have up to 10. Your remark or caption will not post if you try to include more.
Here are some tips I'd recommend for finding the right hashtags for your business:
Check Out Your Competition
See What Hashtags Your Audiences are Using
Use Instagram's Related Hashtags Feature
Create Branded Hashtag
Mix It Up
Tip 4: Focus on Engagement
You could have 20,000 followers and have no engagement. Engagement is a big deal on Instagram.
Instagram engagement is more than just a number of followers; it also considers how your audience interacts with your material.
Engagement occurs when one of your followers takes an action on your profile or in reaction to one of your posts.
Some of the most common Instagram engagement metrics are as follows:
Post engagement metrics:
Likes
Comments
Saves
Shares
Other engagement metrics include:
DMs
Link clicks/swipe-ups
Mentions
Hashtag usage
Stories sticker interactions
Engagement is important. Why is it important?
For starters, it displays how people are responding to your material. Your engagement will be stronger if your audience can relate to your material. This is a strong indication that your social media plan is working.
Second, one of the most crucial ranking variables for Instagram's algorithm is engagement. When Instagram loads your feed, the algorithm strives to reveal the posts you're most likely to interact with, so posts from accounts and subjects you engage with frequently will likely show at the top.
Tip 5: Post Consistently
It's no secret that Instagram wants you to be active. Instagram algorithm rewards active users for posting frequently. It will help content reach a larger audience. Experiment with your posting schedule to find the optimal time for your brand to post on Instagram.
Additionally, consistent posting boosts your Instagram engagement. When users interact with your content, Instagram knows to present it to them more frequently. It's important to remember that more isn't always better. Businesses post roughly once a day on Instagram on average and don't experience a boost in interaction when they do.
Final Thoughts
This list is a wonderful place to start when it comes to Instagram marketing strategies that small businesses may utilize to boost their presence on the social media platform. Adding strategies like using Stories Highlights and using Instagram Live on a regular basis to your Instagram strategy can help you develop a relationship with your clients.
Are you starting from scratch with your Instagram brand strategy? With our in-depth resources, you can create a tailored Instagram marketing strategy. Learn how to set objectives, develop a content strategy, and more.