Leveraging Instagram to Grow Your Business: 5 Tips to Start using Instagram Marketing Today:
Instagram is one the most rapidly growing social networks around. More and more brands are leveraging Instagram Marketing as a tool to grow their business. One of the reason why? They don’t hide your reach from your fan base. Depending on the time of day that you post and the hashtags you use your organic reach can go pretty far sort of like back in the day when Facebook’s algorithm didn’t limit how many of your fans get to see your post.
Thinking about getting started on Instagram? Here are 5 tips to help you jump-start your business Instagram.
- Setup Your Account: Pick a VERY Compelling photo for your profile Image and MAKE sure you fill out all of the information on your profile including your website or landing page you created specifically for Instagram. Use a text editor like notepad that comes with you iPhone to write your profile. That way you can have line breaks or enters inside your Instagram profile. By default, Instagram doesn’t allow you to do this but there is always a way around it. ☺ Don’t forget to choose a name or handle that is similar or the same to your name on Twitter and Facebook.
- Find Some Followers: I always recommend to clients to connect any and all of their social media accounts. Connect Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and don’t be afraid to allow Instagram to access your contacts. This will give you a great start in both finding people to follow then following people as well.
- Make Your First Post: Posting on Instagram is a lot of fun because its your way of showing people the lens through which you see the world. Have fun with it. If you are a marketing business like me share examples of your work or what a day in your life of work looks like. What is done is VERY interesting to other people so be sure to share that with the world. Try to post daily.
- Hashtags & Location Sharing: Hashtags and Location linking are KEY to being successful on Instagram. There is some debate about the ideal number to use, but I suggest using 5 to 7 hashtags. 1 or 2 that is specific to your brand and then the rest should be very generic. For example, if you uploaded a picture of the beach. You’d probably want to use #beach #happy. Why do you ask? Well, because your IMAGE WILL GET FOUND.
- Share the LOVE: A great way to gain more followers and some traction is to play around on Instagram. Like other people’s photos, find your favorite brands on their and follow them, participate in someone’s hashtag project (i.e. upload a photo as it relates to their brand or request). According to research, if you like 10 people’s photos on average you will gain 2 new followers! A 20% return.
When you think about bringing your brand to Instagram don’t get overwhelmed….have fun with it and enjoy. Share your view of the world with your followers and help grow your brand on this fun social media platform. Have more questions? Email me at Jamie@outliermarketinggroup.com
