Blog post by: Hadley Vertz, Baer Performance Marketing Intern
Did you know more than 1 billion people use Instagram every month? When talking about active users, that makes Instagram the second-ranked traditional social media platform. This large amount of users makes it a powerful tool for businesses looking to market to a wide audience. If you’re not using Instagram yet, you’re missing out on a variety of opportunities to connect with new people and grow your customer base. When you take advantage of all the features Instagram has to offer, your business will reap the benefits. Below we’ve collected three of the best ways to use Instagram for your business.
Post frequent, high-quality content
It’s recommended that a business account posts 2-5 times a week and no more than one time a day. Posting often without being excessive will engage followers and create more exposure for your account. When you post consistent, high-quality content, you will keep your current audience interested and even have the opportunity to be found on the Explore page for new accounts to find you.
Incorporate hashtags and emojis
A great way to up your Instagram game is to utilize hashtags and emojis. Using hashtags will expand the audience you reach with each post. When you use a hashtag, your post will appear on that hashtag’s page, allowing more people to see it. Emojis, as silly as it sounds, also help to engage users. In fact, emojis can increase your engagement rate by 48% on Instagram.
Hashtag tips: If you’re struggling to decide on which hashtags to use, you’re probably thinking too hard! Think about what your post is about and add a hashtag relating to it. Create your own hashtags for promotions and your brand as a whole so that you can see when people post about your business. Urging people to use your brand’s hashtag is an easy way to encourage them to spread the word about your company! You can also take a look at what hashtags competitors are using as a guide. One last reminder: Make sure to keep them short and simple!
Instagram Insights
Instagram Insights provides important information for businesses looking to grow their account and gain new followers. When you sign up for a business account, you will have access to all the features Instagram Insights offers. You will be able to see the gender, age, and general location of your followers as well as how many people interact with your posts and visited your profile. These analytics give you an understanding of who your audience is. This is an extremely important factor in developing marketing strategies for social media as you can explore how to most effectively communicate with them.
Insights also provide an easy way to promote posts, ultimately increasing your exposure on the app.
Are you struggling to find the time to manage your Instagram and other social media accounts? At BPM, we strive to create quality content our clients can use on all social media platforms to engage current followers and attract new ones. Get started by contacting us today.
