Did you know that on average, a daily user spends half an hour browsing Instagram? That’s why there are almost 2 billion active Instagram users. Instagram users spend about 11.7 hours every month on average, making it among the top social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp.
Now, with a reach like that, you cannot afford to overlook marketing your brand on this app. So, what’s the best way to do it?
It’s not enough to have content to post; it’s more important to know which type of content to publish and when to publish it. Knowing which posts are likely to work for your target audience is hard. This is where it helps if you can get advice on how to ace Instagram marketing.
Why is Instagram a great marketing choice for businesses today?
Almost everyone seems to have an Instagram account these days; whether it’s a business or even a pooch! The number of brands growing their presence on this social media platform has spiked significantly in recent years.
According to reports, a whopping 70% of companies in the US market their services on Instagram, and about 83% of active users have discovered new services or products through it. That figure tells you that Instagram isn’t only for personal use.
You can humanize your content, search for new talents and audiences, and showcase your products all under one roof. And what’s even better; you not only have active users; they remain “engaged” with your brand.
The best part about using Instagram to market your products is that there’s no hard-selling involved here; you can market yourself in a genuine, friendly, and non-promotional way. Its visual nature makes it just perfect for showcasing your content. Your audiences won’t feel pushed to buy from you, although they end up doing so.
Top 12 tips to market your brand on Instagram
1. Get a business profile on Instagram
The first step to Instagram marketing is creating an Instagram business profile. Switching from your existing profile to an Instagram business account is super easy if you follow the instructions. Your followers have to simply click on the contact button to reach out to you, just like being directed to a website. On this profile, you can create and post your Instagram ads, and access analytical tools to get insights into the effectiveness of these ads.
2. Start using free marketing tools
Did you know that you can access tools like Insights to see statistics like engagement data and impressions? You can view a complete breakdown of the demographics of followers, including data about their gender, location, age, level of activity, most active hours, etc.
Incidentally, you can even access specific insights about specific posts. Knowing how to use these free Instagram tools is an advantage because you get to see how users engage with your brand. This helps you tweak and fine-tune your content to attract more users and boost engagement.
3. Post product teasers
Instagram lets you market your products without appearing too pushy. All you have to do is play your cards right. Then you won’t scare your users away, and they won’t realize that they have been persuaded to make a purchase. The trick is to use laid-back ads that don’t come across like a sales pitch. Rather, they entice viewers with discounts prompting them to learn more about your products.
4. Make use of Instagram Stories
What better way to generate leads than by using Instagram Stories? These are not your regular Instagram posts; they are more in a slideshow format that remains visible for a day. Instagram Stories have huge potential because they are shown right at the top of timelines; so, your audiences won’t miss them. These are perfect for capturing behind-the-scenes posts which are not typical Instagram posts but can engage viewers.
Whether it’s live videos, short videos, images, reels, or even boomerangs, your viewers are watching you. You can tag accounts in these Stories to show your collaborations with other prominent influencers or brands.
5. Use sponsored ads
Once you have a budget in mind, it’s possible to stick to it when you are advertising on Instagram. You can show a sponsored ad or many ads using the carousel feature. This helps you connect with your target customers in a new way. Earlier, only those following the account could view photos and updates, but using sponsored ads, brands can now show their images to anyone who is part of their target audience. Sponsored ads can be videos, photos, reels, stories, dynamic ads, etc; they are all great ways to engage with followers.
6. Work with influencers to widen your reach
An effective way to advertise through Instagram is to partner with influencers that already have an audience. You will find consumers are more ready to buy products that are used and endorsed by celebrities and influencers that they follow. Did you know that in 2022, the value of the influencer market in the US was a whopping $16.4 billion? Today, 1 out of 4 marketers leverage influencer marketing, and 50% of millennials depend on product recommendations by influencers.
So, if you can use influencer marketing as part of your brand’s overall marketing strategy, you can become successful faster, and Instagram is the best platform to make this happen. Work with the right industry influencers to get your brand name out there.
7. Get the timing right
There’s no sense in posting excessively on Instagram to reach out to target customers. Over-posting can backfire and irritate your existing followers. You don’t want to get “unfollowed” in the process, do you? So, refrain from doing this, but, at the same time, keep posting consistently to make sure you show up on their news feed.
An easy way to walk the tightrope is by posting only during peak hours and peak days when your followers are likely to be online. Studies suggest that the best times are weekends while the worst days for posting are Thursday evenings and Wednesday afternoons.
8. Leverage user-generated content
Imagine what fun it would be if your Instagram page could have quality content without you having to actually work for it! This is possible when you have access to user-generated content. Since you have an “engaged” audience already, with numbers running into thousands, they can create useful content for you. It’s a win-win situation for both your brand and your customers.
Followers tend to enjoy this content more than what you have to offer them because it’s genuine. All you have to do on your part is to inform them that you will tag them on your posts once you have chosen their images to repost. This gives them the incentive to get their own followers and post user-generated content on a regular basis.
For instance, the cosmetics brand MAC makes use of huge volumes of user-generated content for showcasing its products. GoPro chooses a #FeaturedPhotographer on a weekly basis, where thousands take part to get featured.
9. Get an interesting Instagram hashtag
Hashtags are everything these days; they guarantee instant engagement. You must have seen Red Bull posts featuring the popular #givesyouwings hashtag. Branded hashtags are excellent tools for promoting visibility for your posts. So, if you use these correctly, users will be keen to see what you have to offer and even follow you back. They are like free Instagram ads; each time a person posts an image using the tag, it exposes your brand to his followers.
10. Track Instagram metrics
It’s not possible to optimize or upgrade Instagram performance without knowing how well your page is performing. You need to track the metrics to see which posts are performing optimally and which aren’t. With measurable results found in Instagram analytics tools, you know what is working and what isn’t.
For instance, when you track follower growth rates, you get to see whether your content is impactful. Analyzing engagement rates tells you how many likes or comments a post is getting. When followers are fewer, the engagement rate is expected to be higher.
It’s also important to track the URL click-through rate; for this, you must include your website URL in the Instagram bio. You will notice that click-through rates are higher when Instagram marketing is effective.
11. Do a competitive analysis
Once you have an audience to work with, undertake a competitive analysis to understand what other digital marketers in your industry are posting. Review the Instagram pages of your top competitors, and audit the related accounts to understand which posts are receiving the maximum viewership. See how often they post and how fast they are growing; if you find loopholes, cash in on those.
12. Maintain an editorial calendar
Using an editorial calendar is the best way to save time and energy when managing your Instagram presence. It’s always a good idea to think of hashtags and captions in advance and decide when to post these. You can keep a record of key events like product launches or offers that need to be highlighted on this calendar. That prevents you from scrambling for last-minute publications and makes sure that messages are being sent out at the right time.
Grow your online following with Instagram Marketing strategies
Instagram marketing is the best way to advertise your brand when you can reach out to as many as 2 billion users every day. The platform continues to dominate the world of social media and it would be a shame if you didn’t unlock its true potential.
Leverage the Instagram marketing tips and tricks we’ve outlined above, and connect with an expert Instagram marketing agency to set up your business’ Instagram for success.