Instagram has over 1 billion active users.
It is simply a mobile sharing (photos and videos) social networking site that allows users to take photos and short videos of up to one minute each and then share them on other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. The younger generations seem to be moving away from verbal communication and the majority of people are also more drawn to visual media.
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There are many opportunities for growth for you to reach your target market and convert Instagram users into traffic and subscribers for your business.
Let’s look at five Instagram marketing strategies you can use for your business to promote it on Instagram.
- Create content that is tailored to your intended audience
Instagram is a visual medium that can be used to complement your Twitter advertising and Facebook marketing strategies. You can also increase shareability by using stunning images and graphics to attract people and get them into your sales funnel. Take a look at the top brands optimizing their Instagram spaces.
Filters are a must! Sometimes photos taken ‘on-the-fly’ can look mediocre at first glance. Instagram’s filtering technology allows you to transform your photos into stunning-looking images that grab attention. This is the first step in getting people to take action.
You should also make videos; videos have high engagement rates on Instagram.
- Direct people to your link wisely
You cannot hyperlink in Instagram photo captions (non clickable) or comments. However, you can add a link (maximum 150 characters) to your bio section. This feature is used by most marketers to link to their business home page or to the landing page for their current marketing campaign.
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While you can superimpose URLs across images, it is better to direct users to your bio’s clickable hyperlink. You can also have clickable links if you use Instagram paid advertising.
While Instagram is great for building a following and engaging with your audience, it’s important to drive people to your website to grow your email list and generate sales leads.
- Limit text descriptions and messages to the essentials
Instagram doesn’t have a character limit for posts, like Twitter. It is in your best interest to let images speak for themselves. Your Instagram audience will not follow the trend of shorter messages on Facebook or Twitter, as they are more likely to interact with and draw traffic.
However, captions with meaning can provide additional insight and help increase engagement and conversion rates. If you plan to write longer posts, keep your captions brief and punchy. While most people will read the captions below your photos, fewer people will expand the text to see what is missing.
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- Maximize Engagement Opportunities
Try out hashtags. It is difficult to choose the right hashtags. Look at what other bloggers are using, and consult prolific bloggers who frequently offer interesting word choices.
Follow people who offer interesting photos or teaching points to help you market your business. Make sure to let people know via your newsletters and website that you are using Instagram. You can add Instagram Follow buttons to your website or remind subscribers periodically that you have new content. Your audience will be reached in as many places as possible (emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). The more places you can reach your audience (email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), the greater chance they will see your message and take the steps you desire.
- Continuously Track and Test
Trends and tendencies in social media can change quickly, so be on the lookout for new policies and innovations on Instagram. You can increase your performance and be noticed by more people by trying out new options.
Instagram, like other social media sites, offers analytics tools to help you track your performance. You can use the results to adjust the photos or images that you post. Consider these factors:
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When is the best time to post Instagram photos
- Your posts should be published at the right frequency
- Different hashtags’ success rates
- The best captions and the best action words in captions
- Different campaigns have different call-to-action conversion rates
