These Instagram tips for businesses will take you step-by-step through what you need to do to harness the FREE power of social media to promote your business.
Instagram is a powerful, free tool for women to use to grow their business online. It just takes a little time to learn how to maximise your efforts to increase your community with the aim to boost your sales. No matter what industry you are in, these Instagram tips for business will take you step-by-step through what you need to get results.
How effective is Instagram for businesses?
The short answer is that Instagram is very effective for businesses. With over one billion monthly active users, Instagram is one of the world’s most popular Social Media platforms.
It is particularly popular with audiences aged between 25 and 34 years old, with 33% of users falling into this bracket. Overall, over two-thirds of users are aged 34 and under, making this platform very attractive for businesses and marketers.
What is not to love? The humble photo-sharing app exponentially increased in size following the introduction of Instagram Stories back in 2016 and with the addition of Reels, going Live and Instagram TV, the platform’s appeal continues to grow.
For start-ups and small companies on a budget, Instagram is an effective tool for business. Your next client is, quite simply, on the other side of your smartphone.
How to use Instagram for business
If you are wondering how to use Instagram for business, I would say, in its simplest form, it is about cultivating and growing an audience for your company or product, and then advertising what you have to sell to them in a way that speaks to your following.
So, let’s break this down.
How do you grow your audience on Instagram?
Although it might seem tempting, the number one thing not to do (repeat, do not do this), is buy followers. To understand why this is a bad idea, let’s consider how Instagram works.
Instagram’s latest algorithm organises the order of posts that are displayed on a user’s feed when they are scrolling. It prioritises posts based on engagement (likes, comments, shares, and saves), and rewards engaging posts by pushing them towards the top of feeds. Content with lower engagement rates is placed further down feeds.
When accounts purchase followers, they tend to be inactive accounts and they will not engage with your content. This lack of engagement will signal to Instagram that your post isn’t worth placing at the top of feeds, making your content harder for the people you want to see to discover it.
Also, fake followers do not equal sales – there is no one on the other side of the account who is going to spend money on your business.
Although it might seem tempting to grow your audience this way, having an unusually high following might also hurt your brand’s reputation. The world wants to see YOU and YOUR authentic self. Followers don’t tend to care about this type of vanity metric in the same way that an account owner does.
Another thing to note is that you will not get accurate data from Insights, which will ultimately harm your long-term Social Media strategy. If you want to learn more about Insights, click here.
Let’s look at ways to grow your audience on Instagram
I’ve previously mentioned Instagram’s algorithm and the signals the platform uses to identify valuable content. Understanding these metrics and how to create content for your audience that encourages the type of action Instagram yearns for, is important for growth. However, it is important to understand that an algorithm is subject to change – so remember to follow me on Instagram to keep posted on any changes.
The above image demonstrates the value of user interaction but essentially it can be broken down into three things.
1) The user’s relationship with your account
If a user is a fan of your content, they will naturally interact with it and Instagram will use this as an indication to display your content to them based on continual engagement with your posts.
2) A user’s interests
If a user shows an interest in similar accounts or follows the same or similar hashtags as your platform, Instagram is more likely to display your content to the user in the Explore tab.
3) Relevancy score
Instagram’s algorithm gives posts a relevancy score, which impacts who it shows in the feed.
If the above feels daunting, don’t panic. The main takeaway for anyone who is creating content for Instagram is does it speak to your target audience?
I guess by now you might be wondering, ‘How can I make my business Instagram better?’ well, I am pleased to share the following tips.
10 actionable Instagram tips for businesses that you can take right now…
- If you haven’t already, switch your account to an Instagram Business Account
- Bio audit – Download this free guide to get started…
- Embrace the power of Hashtags
- Publish more than one image on Grid post
- Organise your Highlights to include your most valuable content
- Get social – connect with others in your industry. It is social media after all!
- Add your or your business’s location to boost your regional visibility
- Utilise the Small Business/Shop Local sticker on Story posts
- If you are new to design, create a free account on Canva.com
- Remember to add a Call to Action to encourage your followers to engage
Ultimate beginner’s guide to creating an Instagram account for business success
Bright Leopard Marketing has published a free, ultimate beginner’s guide to creating an Instagram account for business success. Simply click here to request your completely free copy.
Not another Instagram guide, right? This is a no-fluff eBook that will tell you exactly how to set up your Instagram account for business success. It is the perfect guide for anyone who is in the process of creating a new account or has an existing account that is not delivering the results you desire.
I’ll talk you through the basics and how to position your business online to make the most of the power of Social Media.
Instagram Tips for Businesses
I am mindful that there are so many Instagram tips for businesses. I have created this post to provide a better understanding of how the platform works and to give small businesses an overview of changes they can make to boost their marketing efforts on Instagram.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bright Leopard Marketing or reach out on the Bright Leopard Marketing Instagram.
