8 ways to utilize Instagram for your business
Apr 20 | 2017
Instagram is one of the most popular and important social media sites to the 34 and under. That’s why it should be important to you too or risk losing out on a sizable part of the population with money to spend. Raising brand awareness, increasing sales and website traffic can be achieved with the use of a simple app.
Instagram suggests business apply these three principles for creating engaging content: Use your logo and colors in content. Tell a story that supports your business solution. Use strong creative. Here are nine tips that will help take your business account to the next level
1. Post constantly
Regularly posting content doesn’t mean once a week. It means a minimal of once a day or more. Create a social media schedule that’s manageable and frequent.
2. Post creatively
At the end of the day, creativity is the key to effective Instagram posts. Your post should always tell a story or further develop you brand’s goals and personality. Photos need to be visually appealing and captions need to be sharp. Your captions and really any text on social media are part of your brand’s copy. Even if the photo is just for a social media platform, apply basic photography concepts like rule of thirds, negative space, and simplified imagery.
3. Show “behind the scene” of your company
On a company retreat? Post it. Buying materials at a warehouse? Post it? At an event? Post it. Any time you can display the different facets of your company, do it. Not only does it help drive traffic to your account, it also adds an story element.
4. Engage
Like photos, respond to tags, or even comment on other people’s photos. It makes your brand more personable. Another way to engage, is asking your customers to show off their photos. By promoting a customers photo, it shows there is a payoff for following a business account. Post deals and giveaways for only your Instagram followers.
5. Bandwagon hashtags
Hashtags help include your company in searches and help you be part of Instagram’s many communites. Capitalize on popular hastags like tbt, transformation Tuesday and WCW. Creating your own hastag is an even better way to create an engaging community sponsored by your truly.
6. Utilize stories
Instagram’s snapchat style feature can allow you to post even more without cluttering up your feed. This is a great place to host giveaways and be more adventurous with your content.
7. Follow back
Follow similar brand (good way to scoop out the competition), popular accounts that are in line with your image and people who follow you. Seek out users that are already customers or would make great customers.
8. Post business related images
All of your posts don’t have to just your products or services. Posting content related to the product, target customer or the lifestyle the brand wants to emulate will diversify your feed.