I’ve been asked constantly, “How do you promote your business using Instagram?” And, “How do you do so well?”. There is no magic, and no secret either. While I use a management team to run my Instagram business, there are also a few other tips that I use, and I’ll be sharing them with you today.
While there are over 400 million active users on Instagram, there seems to be an issue with some bloggers learning how to use Instagram to promote their business. The photo-driven social networking site, Instagram, has become wildly popular and if you are not using it to drive business then you are missing out on a huge market. There are many ways to promote your business using Instagram, but today I will focus on a few key strategies that should help you boost business in no time!
Setup Instagram Profile Properly
Be certain to include a link in your Instagram bio to your business page. This is the only area where links are clickable on Instagram unless you use sponsored advertising on Instagram. Your bio should be relevant to your business, and use keywords pertaining to your brand to help your Instagram profile be found easily. Also, you should make your profile public so that anyone can see what you post. Having a private profile when you own a business doesn’t really make much sense. You can have a private personal profile and a public business profile if you want privacy.
Remain Consistent with Branding
Depending upon what your business is, you may want to have a business Instagram account and personal account as I mentioned above. Remain true to your brand and always post relevant photos that will help guide users to click to purchase what you are promoting or click over to read what you have to offer. Remain consistent with your branding and be creative so you catch the user’s eyes as they scan by your photo. (I’ll also share some tips in a later post on what apps to use when sharing your photos.)
Build Community Using Actionable Hashtag
Research hashtags that are relevant to your brand then create your own hashtag that will inspire users to engage, repost, share and interact with the hashtag. Sure you can also use another hashtag that a business is using, so as long as it doesn’t fall under any trademark protection. An actionable hashtag is one that will inspire users to take action. Once you have a hashtag figured out, use it all of the time.
Share Instagram to Other Social Feeds
You can easily share your business updates on Instagram over to your Facebook Page or profile, Twitter, Tumblr, and a few other networks with a simple click of the button during upload. It’s great to use this option because you now get more exposure with one simple update. Sharing your Instagram updates across other social feeds will help promote your business to thousands more people than using Instagram alone.
Don’t Over-Post
Last, but not least, the rule of thumb on how to promote your business using Instagram is to maintain a consistent schedule with your branding. Refrain from posting a ton of photos at once or too many in a day. While you can learn what’s best for your feed through trial and error, perhaps start with 3 posts per day and then see how that works for engagement. Create a social share calendar for your Instagram account so that you don’t overpost and can remain on track. I personally prefer sharing photos every couple of days, and that has been working great for me, but what works for me might not work for you.
While there are many rules of thumb when it comes to promoting your business on Instagram, these tips should help guide you in the right direction. Make sure you set aside a half-hour per day searching hashtags on Instagram relevant to your brand, liking those photos, and following other users. Interaction from you is still a necessary part of promoting your business using Instagram. Have fun, play nice and enjoy the success as you work towards getting your business seen!
