Instagram For Business: An In-Depth Marketing Guide
Instagram is one of the most trending and influential social media platforms with great potential for reaching a wider audience. Do you have an online presence for your business? Using Instagram for business can prove to be highly beneficial if done in the right way. The social media site has more than a billion daily users and most users follow at least one business on Instagram. This is why Instagram calls itself the No.1 site for building relationships with businesses and brands.
Instagram is a powerful platform that has great marketing potential that can help you grow your business. So, if you are considering getting started on Instagram, then this is the right time. Create your Instagram account right away. Once your business account on Instagram is set up you can use it to elevate your brand effortlessly.
In this blog, we will discuss further how Instagram works exactly. What makes it an excellent marketing tool, and an Instagram marketing strategy that can help you reach your audience and attract new followers?
How can Instagram help in your marketing?
Instagram has transformed from being just a photo and video-sharing platform to becoming a part of an effective e-commerce marketing strategy. Over the years many brands have found success through promotions on Instagram. Whatever your marketing strategy is, be it organic, paid or hybrid strategies, you can gain better visual engagement and showcase your offerings adequately.
Instagram for business generates much higher user engagement than Facebook and Twitter. More than 40% of the users have purchased products or services on Instagram. That is to say, millions of people are buying things on this social media platform and it is high time you reap benefits from it. All said, wondering how you can do it. Let’s dive in and understand how this platform works.
Different forms of Instagram Content
Here is a list of some types of content that can enhance your Instagram marketing strategy.
.
Organic marketing, paid content, influencer marketing, and shopping are the commonly used types. These content types can be used individually or in combination to get you the best results.
Organic Content
Organic content is content that is free of any charge. There are four types of organic content used on Instagram. Images or photos, videos, shorts, and reels. These formats of content can gain you the best reach on the platform. Images or photos as the term describes are the static images captured of your business, products, or services. Although the next three formats are all video the way it is used makes all the difference.
Videos are full-blown video content shared on your profile that is visible on your followers’ feed and can be as long as 60 mins for some accounts. Shorts are short clips of about 60 secs long that are shared on your profile and appear in small circles on top of your followers’ feed. Reels are short videos of about 90 secs long which often entail the most trending content enhanced with text, music, and effects.
Paid Content
You can make use of paid content when using Instagram for business. The paid content generally showed in the feeds or below the explore tab. Paid content is just like normal content but with a ‘sponsored’ label. It may also have buttons, catalogues, and links that are not available for normal content.
There is a range of formats you can use as per your specific goals. You can use photos, videos, reels, or collections to make your content effective. You can run full-time campaigns, and time and audience-specific campaigns on the platform. Like any other paid ad platform, the amount for Instagram ads may vary depending on the targets, competition, and schedule.
Influencer Marketing
Social media has given rise to a new form of marketing, Influencer Marketing. These influencers are the new form of celebrities known for their social presence and fan following. With loyal followers in thousands and millions, these individuals give businesses the opportunity to reach their target audience more authentically. The influencers are paid compensation to promote the brands, their product, and services.
Instagram Shop
Instagram shop allows you to integrate your store with the social media platform. You can create posts, reels, and videos on your products and sell them directly to your customers. You can also tag your shop products like you would tag another user. Customers will be directed to your store on the platform by clicking the Shop tab on your profile below the bio section.
How to build a strategy for your Instagram?
As a marketer, it is essential that you need a strategy to fulfil your marketing goals. Here are a few pointers you can take help from in planning a mind-blowing strategy.
- Determine your goals
- Identify your audience
- Check out the competition
- Create a content calendar
- Create your content
Conclusion
Instagram is a great platform for you to build a strong relationship with your target audience, expand your audience, and educate them on your business products and services.
Every company needs a unique Instagram marketing strategy for its business. What does well with one business may not be effective for another. Hence, it is always good to learn through trial and error and understand what works for you and what doesn’t.