Instagram marketing has become essential in the current age. It’s the platform where Millennials and Gen Z are mostly found; therefore, businesses and content creators make their accounts to showcase their products and target their target audience. The game revolves around following the correct strategies and staying updated with the market trends.
Instagram: A Brief History
The youth’s favorite application, Instagram, was the discovery of a 27-year-old Stanford University graduate, Kevin Systrom, who came into existence in 2010.
Initially, Instagram was Burbn. It served the same purpose of sharing photos and videos but lacked social media sharing. Systrom had envisioned an application similar to Facebook and Hipstamatic, and for that, he renamed the application, merging two words ‘’instant’’ and ‘’telegram’’.
What Do You Mean By Instagram Marketing?
Instagram marketing is an approach where businesses promote services and products to reach their potential target audience through multiple means like stories, hashtags, reels, posts, and Instagram Ads, and content creators or influencers often join hands with them on the journey in endorsing them via sponsored posts, collaboration and mentioning their name on stories.
The goal of both parties is mutual, which is to increase followers and brand awareness, direct traffic towards their website, and make sales.
Why Market On Instagram?
“ I saw the product on Instagram’’, ‘’Have you followed that influencer on Instagram?’’,’’ I ordered from their shop on Instagram’’. You must have come across similar statements regarding Instagram. Out of the social media channels, Instagram has scored the most in terms of popularity and attracted more than 50% of people who belong to the age slots of 18-24 and 25-34, making it an essential source for businesses to generate revenue from.
Consider yourself lucky if your research tells that the audience you are attempting to target heavily uses Instagram to explore new products and does not take much time to add to their carts. Otherwise, it won’t be much fruitful in the long run. Then, explore the right marketing strategies to entice them to click on your page, which will act as a tool to bring more leads. More leads mean more conversions. More conversions represent more sales. More sales help you in reaching your goals.
Don’t underestimate the power of Instagram marketing, as there is a prominent reason that businesses and content creators are multiplying there. Again, if you follow and use it in the right manner, it can assist you in building and maintaining stable relationships with your customers. You need to earn their trust, and then they will remain loyal. Their word of mouth increases your follower count, too.
Users use Instagram not to see ads but are interested in finding funny, entertaining, and informative content. If a business gives the audiences what they want, notice the swift changes in your growth. That is the first step to loyalty, as the people appreciate your efforts in understanding their needs. Which many businesses still fail to do.
You can visualize Instagram sitting on the throne with the scepter in its hand because no doubt it is ruling as a virtual marketplace. Wherever has made their business accounts here is satisfied with the results because, unlike other social media channels, it blesses you with a high return on investment. Who can say no to gaining profits?
Create Your Business Account On Instagram
One is the simple account that normal individuals use with very basic features of photos and filters. The other is the Instagram Business Account which grants users the professional features necessary to run their online company.
You will be surprised to know that 90% of Instagrammers have a habit of following at least one business account on the social media platform. If your business is in that one, then a good job, as the exclusive following demonstrates that your brand is worth following.
Oh yes, Instagram now has two types of business accounts. The standard account and the updated creator account. There are similarities and differences as well.
Setting Up An Instagram Business Account
The category of business accounts on Instagram makes it easier for the business to keep track of insights. Apart from that, business accounts can begin adding information in the contact information on the profile and the relevant commerce tools to sell on Instagram.
Curious to learn about the steps and shine in the market. Let the drums roll.
- Tap on your profile, move your eyes up there, and click on the menu in the right corner.
- Once you have reached it, go through ‘’Settings and Privacy’’, which will direct you to ‘’Account type and tools’’. Can you see the ‘’Switch to Professional Account’’? Yes, that.
- A list of categories will be displayed in front of you. What you have to do is pick the category that suits your business the most. Select accordingly.
Your business account will tell you that you are a reliable company. Instagram has recently made businesses verified through the blue tick feature, which appears after paying a certain amount, and the badge drills trust in the consumer’s mind that there is nothing fishy going on and the business is for real.
Setting Up An Instagram Creator Account
Instagram Creator Account opens the gates to Creator Studio. An exclusive content management tool constructed to meet the needs of online influencers and creators.
Here is how you can do it:
- Open your profile and look above. Tap the menu button in the corner.
- Scroll below a little, and you will find “Settings and privacy’’. Did the Account option show? Yeah, click on that.
- Is the ‘’Switch to professional account’’ visible to you? Tap on the Creator.
- Go ahead with the category that suits your niche the most.
- Tada, you made your account within seconds.
Guidance For Instagram Marketing
The blog will guide you to do effective Instagram marketing that is beneficial for your long term success and survival in the digital marketplace. With examples of actual brands who implemented the same tips of using posts, reels, stories, hashtags, and videos and flourished in no time:
What Type Of Content Does Your Target Audience Like?
You must have defined your audience before stepping into the market when branding and planning your marketing strategies. But have you refined your customers from the same list that richly use Instagram? Yes, that is a must. Observing the specific segment of the audience’s activities will help you understand better what type of content the audience responds to or engages with.
Data says that 50.3 % of Gen Z spend time on Instagram and enjoy discovering new products. Therefore the slot will be interested in watching demonstrations, unboxing videos, reading reviews given by the customers, videos of new events happening in the town, and the launch of new products.
Brands like LNDR, have enticed audiences to follow their accounts. The business made it a point to understand what their audience wants to know and see. The bio of the company serves the purpose of a hook that instantly grabs attention. Their fans get motivated by fitness posts and set milestones for their hard work.
How About Enhancing Your Instagram Profile?
Enhance your Instagram profile in a professional way so that it stands out amongst other businesses present in the same line. With so many updated features and options provided by Instagram. Like an avatar. Company’s bio and a link to your website. Use these so that first-time visitors have no hindrances to understanding what your business is about. It clears their doubts, and they start making up their minds to try out your products and services.
From a consumer’s point of view, you must have seen how businesses adjust keywords in their bio, too. Why do they do that? It’s because the keywords elevate the discovery percentage. The link in the bio allows the customers to visit your website, and multiple links redirect your traffic to the landing page or any new collection you are about to launch.
For instance, Pair Eyewear is a brand that uses this approach. If you see their business account, you will understand at first glance that the shop is selling a variety of frames. The bio carries the necessary information that tells the customer the price of the customised pairs. The highlight section has the stories that the customer, who is a first-timer, will know what more the company has and what the reviews of different customers are. If any customer still has doubts, those can be resolved in the DMs.
Start Planning Out Content Strategy For Instagram
No, no, we are not talking about content planning. It’s a content strategy. Businesses and content creators plan their content strategy to reach the right audiences.
The strategy answers significant questions like the major purpose behind the planning, which audience type the content will cater to, and what goals you will achieve through this.
Begin turn by turn from setting goals for your marketing efforts on Instagram. This preparation will assist you in generating more exciting content ideas and the campaigns to execute them.
Take out your editorial calendar and pen down your thoughts. Remember the critical events, dates, holidays, and seasons aligning with your business. Your strategy should incorporate flexibility, too, as that lets the customers engage and respond to memes, trends, and world events with the flow. Rushing it with multiple posts will clutter and result in less reach that you will definitely not like.
For example, A sweet tooth brand, like Suzy Q Doughnuts, has planned the approach so that no matter what holidays come, her publishing is on time. Saving her from clashing essential dates.
Level-Up Your Reel Game
Reel is the new baby of Instagram. Business and content creators make reels about their products and services to attract customers. It’s basically a compilation of pictures and videos with a time limit. They are not directly posted on your grid unless you tap on the option of publishing on the grid, too. Reels show on the explore page, where even the non-followers watch the business and content creator’s latest activity. The short videos are casual in nature. Therefore, you may not polish them like other posts on the grid.
Did you know that reels have twice the speed of reaching your audience compared to other marketing tactics? Amazing, right? Short-form videos are popular as they don’t take much time to view. Therefore, you should start creating reels regularly to achieve your desired goals.
For example, Coffee lovers must be aware of MUD/WTR. Yes, we can see the raised hands. The brand shares reels to tempt customers to try out their new arrival, customer reviews, and company information, such as what campaigns are running in the market.
You will want your content to be discovered by all means. Here is another trick. Organize your reels in the form of a series to group similar content together. Only Netflix doesn’t have the series part, Instagram too has it.
Posting Stories On Instagram
The circles that appear on top of your Instagram home feed, highlighted in purple and pink, are Instagram stories. These appear for 24 hours only. Therefore, you have to catch them before they end. But if you add them to the highlight section, there is a good chance that new customers might be interested in looking at what the business is about.
Brands and content creators use stories to share discount codes and promotional offers that mention their names and get a specific percentage of the discount.
Looking at the algorithmic patterns of Instagram, it’s advised to post stories at the time when audiences are most active.
Types of Stories That Bring More Engagement:
Ask Interesting Questions
You can use stories to ask exciting questions to engage your audiences. Like asking what they want to see, what new product the business should introduce, or how they have been doing. It’s crucial to understand what will trigger your customer’s attention. There is a sticker option for asking questions, so businesses and content creators use that to interact with the audiences. The responses can also be shared with others, giving a better idea that the audience was interested in the question or ignored it. The stories carrying the answers of the previous activity will be shown on your profile for the next two days; hence no tension in planning more content for the time being.
Polls and Questions
Who doesn’t love to be a part of quizzes and polls? As soon as customers spot a quiz or a poll on any story, their first reaction is to guess the answer in the hope that they might win.
Businesses can use this marketing strategy to attract audiences. Open the sticker option, and you will find the poll sticker to share the quiz link so they are taken to the website’s original page. This way, the customers will also look forward to the results and see your website.
The Game of Hashtags
Have you seen the ‘’#’’ symbol on Instagram? Yep, that is called a hashtag, and boy, oh boy, it is playing a vital role in boosting the marketing strategy of businesses and content creators.
The game of hashtags is such that it aids in determining messages on any specific topic on social media platforms. You must have seen marketers emphasize using the correct hashtags, especially when a campaign is in the field for some noble cause or an eye-catching event. The hashtags separate the posts from others, and when you click on them, the related posts that have used the same hashtag come forward. Companies use this to select winners when they are running any contest.
Just enter # with the specific word, and the deed is done.
Hashtags: The Useful Symbol
Hashtags are valuable symbols. How? Because they help you gain followers, who reach out to your posts that have interested them and display your content in front of a larger audience.
Types Of Instagram Hashtags
Hashtags Use By Brands
Sometimes, brands create their own hashtags based on the current contests or campaigns. They insist customers use it in their posts and bribe them with an incentive so they don’t forget to add it.
Hashtags For General Appeal
Hashtags that fall under the general appeal category steal the show among large audiences. They produce more reach.
Timely Hashtags
These hashtags are used during holidays or festive seasons like Halloween, Christmas, or New Year.
Hashtags That Are Trending
Many times, trending hashtags come in the search bar. That became a trend to relate with something funny, widely searched, and held cultural relevance.
Hashtags That Are Niche Specific
You have to understand that every industry has niche-specific hashtags that only their audiences can relate to. The volume of searches will be significantly less, but because they know who their target audience is, the relevant views will be grabbed.
Conclusion
Instagram appears to be a great and effective marketing tool if used correctly. Business and content creators have come a long way by implementing marketing strategies and improving their content regularly. Your wish to secure a position in the top businesses or content creators on Instagram will come true.
