01 Oct 5 KEY TIPS TO USE INSTAGRAM FOR BUSINESS
Are you marketing in 2017 or still 2007?
Everyday I talk to business owners, directors and even marketing managers who are still marketing their business as if it’s 2005!
During the last 12 months I only met less than 5 business owners that have actually used Instagram but only for personal reasons and they still failed to see how it could be leveraged for business even though it has more than 300 million monthly active users.
Instagram can be used to increase your brand awareness and better engage with your fans in a different community. Instagram is no longer an up-and-coming social network, so don’t ignore it, embrace it and start reaping the benefits! Thinking of this from a business point of view, Instagram can be used as a very powerful tool to market your business, show what your products can do and take your followers behind the scenes. It is also featured with options of sharing the images on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and thus connects to your target community on various social networking platforms in the process.
Focus on your Product
…but try not to be too flashy or completely ‘salesy’. Show off your latest product, how it works, what colours it’s available in. Get them talking about the product, get them to tell you their thoughts. Your key focus should be to reach and engage your target audience.
Keep to your word
To create a community that follows your business, product, brand or services offered. It is very important for you to deliver to your audience what you are offering by means of your advert or picture. This would help you retain your acquired community and thus create a dedicated followership in the process.
Focus on Community – Not Influencers
Try not to approach Instagram like you would with blogger outreach. Yes there are a lot of influencers who shape the community and are waiting and willing to show off your product for you but try to focus on creating your own community. Your real fans will be the extra power you need behind driving your brand further into Instagram.
Appreciate your Followers
Follow your followers! Let them know that you’re appreciating their business just as much as they’re appreciating your products! If your followers post comments on your post, reply, use it t start up a conversation and get key insights from real fans. Run competitions, offer instagram only discounts, these are all things that show your appreciation and keep your customers coming back.
Use Industry related Hashtags
Keep up to date with what is going on in your world as well as connect, network and engage with potential customers, other businesses and current fans who haven’t yet found you on Instagram. Using the correct hashtags is also great for finding our industry news and keeping up to date with the latest news and what your competitors are showing on their feeds. Creating your own brand hashtag is also a great idea, start using it under your images, tell your customers to use it when posting and watch the usage number grow and grow.
The functioning of every business remains the same; the way we do business is obviously modernizing. Social Media is a channel you have which helps you get across to your target community. For a business it would be a good idea of keeping the advert process simple and understandable.