For any business, it’s important to have a strong online presence. As more people spend time connected on their devices, on their phones and laptops, they’re going to have solely Internet-based relationships with the businesses they’re the customers of. And even if you run a brick-and-mortar store, like a barbershop or phone repair shop, you still need good reviews on Yelp and a strong social media presence. And one of the most important ways to have a strong presence online for any business is being popular on Instagram. What once began as a way to share photos among friends is now growing into one of the most important social media platforms out there.
So if you want to gain followers on Instagram, and convert them into to customers, you need to create the right aesthetic and find them using the right strategies. Here’s how.
Use an Instagram for Business account
When it comes to running any business on Instagram, you’ll get a lot out of creating an Instagram for Business account. First of all, changing to this account instead of a normal one immediately gets you more views, which means you’ll have more visibility when it comes to your potential clients finding you. It also gives you the opportunity to post information directly on Instagram about your business, such as your website, Facebook account, location, and contact information. Considering that 80 percent of Instagram users follow at least one business, this will hugely benefit you.
You’ll also get data through Insights. According to Popsters, this also provides you with: a “weekly total count of non-unique views for all your posts,” a count of unique profile views, profile views, website link clicks, send email clicks, engagement (likes and comments), and saves. This means that you’ll find out which posts are most effective, helping you with your Instagram strategy.
Use all the right hashtags
Instagram is run on two things: images and hashtags. If you’re merely posting pictures, no matter how good they are, you aren’t going to get much engagement. In order to get the attention of your customers, you need to use hashtags that will draw them in. In general, this means creating a memorable hashtags for your business (e.g., #fabgirlsboutiquenyc if you’re running a boutique in New York called ‘Fab Girls’), and also using hashtags that are popular among your niche audience, among everyone, and trending.
For example, if you’re running the aforementioned Fab Girls, and Gen Zers make up a large part of your clientele, you can research what Gen Zers in New York are hashtagging and use those hashtags. But you can also include hashtags like #summervibes if you have a summer sale going on. Generally, you’ll want about 30 hashtags per post, so it’s a smart idea to save them in your notes on your phone so you can easily paste them in after coming up with a clever
Use Instagram stories
Another great move for any business is using Instagram stories. Originally created as a way for Instagram to compete with Snapchat, consider yourself in luck: Instagram is way easier to use than Snapchat, and you’ll get way more out of it. According to Social Media Examiner, “To fully harness the power of this feature, make sure your stories enhance your brand. It’s best to post them at an optimal time, since they last only 24 hours. Further, the more stories you post, the more likely you’ll appear at the top of someone’s Instagram feed while they’re on the platform.” Additionally, they recommend using Instagram stories when have special offers going on, to show off your creative process (for example, a custom dress getting made), and sharing an informal glimpse into your business.
Considering that Instagram stories has more than 300 million people using it every day, it’s an effective technique that’s becoming more and more popular. If you aren’t using it already, it’s time to start!
Engage as much as you can
Finally, you aren’t going to get anywhere without engagement. Anytime you post, stay aware of who comments and what they say–and reply thoughtfully. Additionally, work with influencers to make your brand more popular, and have contests where customers can include your brand’s hashtag for a chance to win some free swag.
Considering that 50 percent of Gen Zers are Instagram users, it’s also a great way to get in touch with customers in younger generations.
These are some of the best ways to make your business popular on Instagram. Which of these strategies do you think would work best for you?
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