Instagram – What Is It?
Instagram is a photo-based app that gives its users the ability to share and post photos, videos, and ‘stories’ with their followers, who can then ‘like’ and comment on the post.
The Benefits of Instagram
So, why do you need to create an Instagram profile for your business? Firstly, it is entirely free to download the app and create an account, allowing you to reach potential customers and drive leads to your website without costing you a penny! Most businesses currently use and view Instagram as a platform to promote their company and increase sales through using features on the app such as hashtags and tagging their location, which in turn, allows them to reach more users with the expected outcome that the user will click the ‘follow’ button on their page. Once the user has followed a profile, they will be able to see the most recent posts from the people they are following.
Furthermore, an estimated 75% of Instagram users visit a website after seeing an advertising post on their ‘feed’, thus demonstrating how influential and effective this social media platform can be. Moreover, by creating an advertising post on Instagram, businesses can expand their customer base by creating marketing posts that hone in on their specific audience and encourage customers to visit their website.
How Can You Use Instagram Effectively to Help Your Business Flourish?
You can effectively use Instagram to progress and grow your business using the multitude of features that it boasts. Recent changes to Instagram now allows companies, like yours, to create a business account, which immediately informs potential customers that you provide a service/product. You can also attract a specific audience to follow your page by tailoring your posts to the age, interests, and location of your target market.
Furthermore, the convenient Instagram Analytics tool enables you to measure and analyse how many of your followers see and engage with your posts, videos, and Instagram stories. With the information collated from the Instagram Analytics tool, which also provides details on the demographics of your followers including their gender, age, and location, you can shape and mould your Instagram page to the interests of your audience. Data from the tool will also show the number of views your profile and posts have received and the number of times your posts have been liked, saved, and commented on. This comprehensive information gives you an invaluable insight into how effectively you are engaging your followers through your posts, videos, and Instagram stories. You will also be able to gain a greater understanding of what kind of posts your followers react positively to, which in turn, allows you to produce tailored content that captivates your audiences’ attention.
Instagram boasts a range of innovative features to enable its users to engage with their followers. For example, there is a Questions tool, in which your followers can ask you questions, and you can answer and share your response with all your followers. This then allows you to create a rapport with your audience. Moreover, the ‘Shoppable Posts’ tool means that you can tag products shown in your post. Your followers will immediately know that the products are available for purchase as three white dots will appear over the product and when a user hovers over the dots, a brief description and the cost of the product will be displayed. If your followers like what they see, they can click the black arrow on the post which takes them directly to your website and allows them to complete the purchase of the product! For your business, this convenient tool on the Instagram app generates more leads and sales to your website. Plus, your followers can turn on post notifications on the Instagram app to make sure they never miss a post from you.
Retargeting on Instagram
Retargeting is an essential strategy for most online businesses as it focuses on enticing customers to return to your website to complete the purchase of items they have previously viewed or left in their shopping bag. In other words, retargeting consists of identifying potential lost sales and sending reminder ads to encourage buyers to return to your website. So, how can you use Instagram to retarget any lost sales from your website?
Firstly, you need to identify the audience you want to target and tailor your ads to. After this, you will need to create an ad campaign. This involves choosing from either website clicks, website conversions, mobile app installs, or videos views. The next steps consist of designing your ad and launching it to your audience. This is where Instagram Dynamic Ads is pivotal as it promotes a product to users who have shown an interest in that specific product. This can be anything as simple as viewing it on your website or adding it to their cart. Similar items to your products or items customers have previously been shown or purchased can also be a determining factor of whether users are shown the ad. To sum up, Instagram Ads are a fantastic way to entice customers to return to your website to complete a purchase of a product they have left in their shopping basket, as well as encouraging new customers to visit your website.
Using Instagram to Ensure the Success of Your Business
When used effectively, Instagram can be pivotal to the success of a business. Many Instagram users, otherwise known as ‘Influencers’ have garnered thousands of followers by posting image-based content that interests their followers. These influencers have been able to carve out careers by using the app to create engaging content and work with brands who pay them to promote their products which in turn, drives more leads to the brand’s website and generates more sales. Taking this into consideration, it is undeniable that Instagram is a powerful platform that allows both small and large businesses to prosper through creating visually appealing content that encourages audiences to purchase products or services.