Social media marketing has become a common tool for businesses, and many businesses have shifted their operations to social media platforms. With more than 60% of the population using gadgets and apps, the future is online. As a marketer or a business person, you need to have a strategy to capture your target market. In this quest, looking into the future is the noble thing to do. There are many platforms for social media marketing, and Instagram is the second most active platform after Facebook.
Over the years, Instagram has grown exponentially. Currently, the platform rides a market pool of one billion users monthly. Among the billion users, each browses Instagram for approximately 53 minutes a day. There could be no better way to make your business visible. Over 71% of businesses in the United States run an Instagram account. Most of the social media network users are young and below 45 years of age. This, therefore, goes without saying that Instagram holds the future of social media marketing for a number of reasons;
· Instagram is a fast-growing platform; hence it has the required market pool. With 60% social media users on Instagram, the number is deemed to grow in the near future and shift the business will.
· Secondly, Instagram stands out from other social media marketing networks. It has a visual aspect that builds the buyers’ confidence. People forget what they hear but rarely do they forget what they see. Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours. Story highlights document the disappearing stories
· Instagram also holds the future of business because it has a young population. The under 45 years old are the ones who are getting into the business world. If they are the most on Instagram, then after 10 years, businesses will be conducted majorly on the platform.
· From the latest statistics by Instagram, 33.3% of their most-viewed stories are business-related. People are getting more interested in knowing the stories behind established brands. If this is the case, then the future of business on Instagram is rich.
If you are a business owner or intend to run a business, here are some tips to further your business using Instagram.
Table of Contents
1. Start by Creating a business account,
To create a business account, you should first create your business profile.
Why Build an Instagram Profile?
Your profile is what introduces you to your potential customers. As long as you have an Instagram profile, you will create a vast awareness of your products. There are more than 130 million Instagram users who shop on the platform. These users engage with the business networks on Instagram and sample the best. An Instagram business account will help you attract followers. All you need is great content.
2. Once your account is set, have a plan
While drawing down your plan or strategy, you need to have a goal, know your target audience, understand your competitors and create a well-defined schedule.
A. Have an end goal
It is important to outline your main goals for choosing Instagram as a social media marketing network. The main question to ask when setting up your profile is, ‘Why are you doing so?’ What do you aim to achieve, and how long have you given yourself? Also, have some measures that you can use to monitor your business growth. A good example is a Non-governmental Organization supporting cancer patients (The Jimmy Fund). Its main goal is to raise funds for its projects. They enhance their campaign by updating their progress stories.
A definite goal will help you to be precise with what you post and avoid sharing irrelevant content. Followers lose interest on sites that post irrelevant content. If your goal may be to create awareness of your products and let all your time, energy, and resources create awareness.
B. Know your audience
When setting up an Instagram profile, you need to have studied your audience. Conducting market research can help you know your audience’s interests and when they are most active. On this, you narrow down to a specific location, age group, gender, career, or a given social class. Invest in understanding the market dynamics of your audience. Once you have done this, you will be able to serve them better. Additionally, you can even ask them what content they expect or need to see. A perfect example is LEGO. They conduct polls and quizzes to get their audience’s views.
C. Know your Competition
Many people bring similar products to the market, and it is wise to research what they have to offer. Do not hesitate to check out their profiles, what they post and when they post, and which hashtags they use. You might want to do a SWOT analysis. As you do this, you will notice some gaps. Grab such opportunities and fill the gaps. However, you need to be careful not to copy-paste their marketing strategy but build a better one for yourself.
D. Editorial Calendar
As your business advances, you will need to post regularly, depending on your strategy. The advantage of Instagram is that you do not need to be online 24/7 to post items. You can configure a calendar for specific times and post your products. Harvard Business Review has regularly scheduled posts, and this helps build consistency and trust among the followers. Avoid last-minute rush as they will catch you unprepared. This implies that you should have a work plan on what and when you will post.
3. Branding
Branding is what will set you apart. What will you be known for on Instagram? Build your brand by all means. Followers on Instagram get bored quickly with ambiguous posts, and they need to know the specific thing to expect from your Instagram page. Let your brand introduce you. To develop an authentic brand, you should be guided by your business values and let them be reflected in everything you post.
A brand like Nike needs no introduction. They have kept on building their brand on Instagram by featuring sportspeople who use their products. For example, they have athletes share their experiences with Nike products
4. Optimize your Profile
Ensure that your handle is easy to remember and searchable. Your business bio should stand out and keep transforming in the followers’ consuming patterns. Once they see your consistency and authenticity, they might be interested in what you have to offer. A strong optimized profile will earn you a great following. Also, remember to follow other interesting accounts that deal with the same merchandise. A great profile has an excellent bio that is straight to the point. It also needs to be organized, and line breaks can help you organize your bio. You can also use emojis to make it more interesting. Include all your details, a clear profile picture, contact info, a link, a cover story highlight. Planet Fitness has an optimized bio, and they share some success stories hence their growth.
5. Quality Content
Finally, great content will help you to further your business on Instagram. Use all the formats to share your content, from Instagram reels, Instagram Carousels, IGTV, Instagram Live, and Instagram Guides. Do not just settle on one. A good example is NASA. Even though they have some heavy academic content, they keep attracting a great following because of their great content.
Also, ensure that the Instagram reels you post are relevant to your business. You do not want to be posting anything that is not relevant to the business page, which will eventually turn off the followers. Edit some quality videos using Insta Video Editor about your business. Do not settle for shoddy work if you want great results. Once you take the videos, take time to edit them, paying keen attention to every detail.
Instagram has a great opportunity for business growth if you utilize it well.
