8 Powerful Instagram Marketing Tips

Instagram has gone a long way since its launch in 2010. It’s practically taken the world by storm with its more than 850 million monthly active users. It’s trendy in the business world, proven by the more than 25 million business profiles on it.

This photo and sharing app has proven that pictures are stronger than words, making Instagram marketing a must and an essential part of any business’s advertising campaign. An increasing number of marketing agencies use these top 8 Instagram marketing tips to help small business owners compete and stand out against their competitors.

1. Create a business profile

Having an Instagram business profile makes it so much easier for users to contact you. It promotes your content while providing you with vital insights into your business. The only thing required to switch to one is a Facebook business page. Just log onto your FB page and connect it to your Instagram profile. Instagram will then automatically import your relevant FB page information, which you can edit.

2. Instagram profile optimization

It’s not enough to just create an Instagram profile. It should also look well organized. Your profile should include not only your name, contact information and website links but also your skills, the right keywords, and most importantly, your username and hashtag links.

3. Identify your target Instagram audience

Once you create an appealing business Instagram profile, you next have to decide the audience you plan to target. Think about the targeted buyer persona and what content they are most likely to engage with. Think of the hashtags they are most likely to use and the communities they are a part of. If you still can’t identify your target audience, your competitors will help. Just visit their profiles and click on, and identify their followers. You can consequently find out which hashtags your competitors use.

4. The right Instagram content strategy

The typical Instagram content strategy is comprised of various types of posts:

·    Photo posts

These are the most popular because of their versatility, and because they are easily created and edited. You can share landscape, square or portrait formats in different aspect ratios and dimensions.

·    Video posts

Instagram video posts are each now a minute-long! You can create engaging long-form videos just by using your phone’s built-in camera and some video editing apps. Instagram businesses popularly use them for relating complex stories.

·    Shopping posts

Instagram shopping posts make it easier for people to shop for Instagram products by ‘tagging’ products in photos. Followers who tap the shopping bag icon on an image are then taken to a URL for more information. Here they can find out more about the product and how to buy it.

·    Educational posts

These posts are built using photos or video that include easy to follow instructions. Allowing you to teach your audience how to do or make something. Other popular types of posts can be user-generated content, motivational posts, and news posts. Whatever posts you share, make sure you space them out, maintain consistency while editing posts and photos and curate with user-generated content.

5. Join hands with influencers

The fastest way to reach potential Instagram customers is through influencers having large audiences following them. These followers trust influential people when making decisions about buying specific products or services. Just make sure you select influencers with an audience relevant to your product or services. Building a strong relationship with influencers will help develop long-lasting brand awareness for you.

6. Create and use interactive branded hashtags

It is through hashtags that you reach and engage followers. So the more interactive and branded you create hashtags, the quicker the engagement. Get more tips on engaging on social media here. Customers use the tag to post user-generated content and to search through brand-related posts. It also helps filter through and find images to repost on your page. This allows a company or business to use hashtags as free advertising. Once people post a photo with your hashtag, they automatically promote your company to their followers. When researching and coming up with relevant hashtags, remember to go as micro as possible.

7. Don’t over-post but do post on time

Though it’s tempting, over-posting doesn’t help with Instagram marketing. It turns off existing followers. Consistent posting, on the other hand, lets you remain in your followers’ news feed regularly. It’s better to post only during peak hours and when other followers are online. Aim to schedule your post to when your followers are active because these posts may only show up in their feed for an hour.

8. Perform an Instagram audit

Periodic Instagram audits can help assure you that you are on the right track. These audits include taking a critical look at whatever you’ve done so far and assessing if it’s serving your purpose. Everything about your profile should have a purpose, including the photo, feed, captions, hashtags, and bio. You also have to assess if the accounts you follow are inspiring, relevant, or helpful to your business. Reach out to professionals for help, if you feel you need it!

Instagram is really a powerful tool. Carefully planning your Instagram posts and content strategy should get you way ahead of your competitors. Keep in mind all the above tips we’ve given so that you end up with more defined Instagram business goals and objectives.

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