In a digital age, having a presence on social media is vital to the success of a company, and incorporating Instagram into your marketing is beneficial for engaging and reaching your audience. Marketing on Instagram provides businesses with a platform to attract clients, engage with current clients and further promote your product and brand.
- The Users: Businesses have been able to use Instagram’s large following base, roughly 120 million U.S. users, to market to a larger audience. In the U.S., over 70 percent of adults aged 18-29 and 48 percent of adults aged 30-49 are active on Instagram. Companies that are targeting these audiences will be able to reach them effectively on Instagram, and will be able to showcase their product and their brand.
- Instagram’s Tools: Hashtags, Instagram’s business account settings, and Instagram’s Explore Page are all ways businesses can be seen by a wider audience. Instagram’s post and story analytics will also help businesses understand the impacts and impressions of their posts.
- The Connections: Incorporating Instagram into your marketing strategy can also help bridge the relationship between customers and corporate. The prevalence of Instagram allows businesses to gain insight into their audience, such as what they’re interested in, who they’re following and trends they respond to. Increased communication with clients through Instagram helps to humanize the brand and build on telling their story.
It’s no longer enough for a business to just have an Instagram account. As a successful brand, it’s necessary to understand Instagram’s tools and how to utilize those tools to get the most out of your time on the app.
Engaging with the Audience
Using Instagram as a way to engage with clients is one of the best ways to build lasting client relationships. Instagram has shown to have the highest levels of customer engagement when compared to Twitter and Facebook.
- Instagram has 120 times more engagement per follower than Twitter
- Instagram has 58 times more engagement per follower than Facebook.
Some companies will utilize promotions, such as taking 10 percent off when a post is republished to a story. This direct engagement not only increases brand awareness but gets the clients engaged with the company. Companies should also invest time in community outreach, following customers back and responding to any comments left on their post.
Utilizing the Business Profile
Instagram offers businesses the advantage of labeling their accounts as business accounts, which will help boost their posts and provide insight into the post interactions. These analytics help businesses to see:
- How many audience members their post is reaching, including those who are following their account already and new users
- How many users mentioned their post in their own stories or shared it with others
- The number of users who visit their profile after seeing the post
Effective Posting
Businesses have several different options on Instagram when it comes to the type of content to post. Each of the following types of posts help a brand grow.
- Reaching new clients: Posting an eye-catching advertisement or an appealing video could get the attention of new clients who could see the post from their explore page. The goal is to spike curiosity among the target audience and to get users to navigate to the business’s profile, leaving a like or a follow.
- Telling your story: Once clients are aware that your company exists, the next step is to use effective storytelling techniques to communicate the message behind your brand. Story highlights that explain the backstory of a company or introduce some of the staff helps to put faces to the content they are seeing, establishing a personal connection with customers.
- Keeping Content Fresh: Aside from engaging with new clients, businesses should work to keep their audiences excited about their brand. Posts that highlight big events for the month ahead or provide special sneak peeks into what’s launching next can keep clients coming back. Getting clients to continue to follow a brand is just as important as working to gain more followers.
Companies should understand their audience and following base to determine which posting options are best for their unique brand. If your business is not already implementing these tactics into your marketing, open your Instagram app and start now.
For more information on using Instagram as a marketing tool, check out the blogs on The 1893 Brand Studio website.
By Ashley Sipe
