Companies and brands are turning to social media marketing to reach their target audiences more easily. The old methods of marketing from times past are no longer effective and are being replaced by innovative digital solutions. Using social media helps businesses gain traction in their respective niches while spending less money. The Instagram platform has seen explosive growth in recent years and with one billion active users, it provides excellent potential for brands to connect and grow.
Instagram is a social media juggernaut for business.
The following statistics show the effectiveness of the platform for reaching potential customers:
- Over 90 percent of the top brands are on Instagram
- Over 80 percent of all Instagram accounts follow at least one brand
- One third of the most viewed stories are posted by a brand
- Half of all brands post at least one story each month
- Two million advertisers use Instagram every month
All of these factors make Instagram very attractive to brand owners. The following outlines five ways the platform can work to grow a business into a thriving, well-known brand.
Audience Engagement
Social media is about more than just followers. Engagement is the most important metric because it indicates how well a brand is connecting with its audience and customer base. A business should interact with its followers as often as possible through comments, links and special offers. Contests and giveaways are a good way to generate buzz and get the word out about a brand.
Strong Bio
A brand needs a voice, and the best place to start is the Instagram bio. While creativity and personality is good, it is best to not go too far with it. The bio should be short, impactful and include a website URL. Use a link shortener to keep things short and clickable.
Influencers
Getting the attention of influencers on Instagram is an excellent way to boost social media marketing. Generally, influencers are users who have a large following and a high rate of engagement. It is important to choose the correct influencers for a brand. While celebrities and other well-known people may have followers, they may not align with the mission or message of a business. Micro-influencers, or those with fewer followers but high engagement rates, can be a better match for a brand’s specific niche.
Regular Posting Schedule
After creating an Instagram profile, it is crucial to make regular posts. It is not enough to just post a photo with a short comment every month. Analyzing the topics and times that receive the most audience engagement helps to build an effective posting schedule that is easy to stick with and brings optimal results.
Quality Over Quantity
While it is important to stay on a posting schedule, there is no need to fill the feed with irrelevant material just to keep it active. An audience is more likely to engage with timely content that extends the brand’s message. A common mistake is using too many hashtags. Instagram allows for up to 30 hashtags per post, but it is best practice to use as few as possible to make a statement. Excessive hashtag use makes posts look like spam and may result in shadow banning, where the posts exist but are not seen by others.
Instagram is an excellent strategy for reaching an audience, but it does not bring immediate results. The dedicated staff at Internet Marketing Team can help brands get on board with social media marketing. Visit the website or call 888-518-3718 today for a consultation.