Instagram for Business
Having an online presence for your business is an essential part of building and maintaining customer relationships. Creating a successful web presence, however, offers a number of challenges. Not only do you have to keep your business’ online content fresh and up-to-date, but it’s equally important for that content to be engaging. Fortunately, there’s a free service you can turn to that makes it quick and easy to maximize your customers’ online experiences. And although it’s a service you’ve probably heard of—or maybe even use in your personal life—you may not have thought about using Instagram as part of your business strategy.
Follow along as we highlight ways to boost business through Instagram.
Using Instagram
For the uninitiated, Instagram is a social media site that allows users to share photographs and videos with one another. One of Instagram’s main appeals is its dynamic-filter options. Anyone who’s ever taken a picture using a camera phone knows that the quality can be hit or miss, to say the least. The various filters on Instagram allow users to enhance and customize photographs and videos, giving them a polished look before they’re posted to social media sites. This feature makes Instagram a valuable service for business owners. Although Instagram will not replace a professional photographer, when it comes to speed and ease of use, it can give your marketing efforts a new dimension, allowing you to make photos of your business and/or products stand out above others.
Finding an Audience on Instagram
Once you've committed to using Instagram to enhance your company's online presence, you'll need to find ways to connect with your target customers. A recent article highlights business uses for Instagram and offers several tips for how to cultivate a following. First, connect your Instagram account to your company's Facebook profile. Next, post pictures that represent your company's brand or your current marketing campaign. In addition to using relevant, popularhashtags to further strengthen your message, it's a good idea to engage with your customers by also following them on Instagram and liking their pictures. This way, you’re not just soliciting business but creating a relationship with your customer base.
Showing Your Personality
In business, it's important to find new ways to stand out from the crowd, and Instagram is the perfect place to showcase the unique personality of you and your brand. You can give customers a behind-the-scenes look at how your business works, or post fun videos that put a personal face on your company. These types of warm touches are quick and easy to achieve and can leave a lasting impression on consumers. Also keep in mind that not all of the content needs to be business-related. Customers like seeing cute or funny pictures as well, so try to balance fun images with business shots.
Linking to Your Products
Of course, companies shouldn’t only post cute or funny images to their Instagram accounts. Instagram also offers an incredible opportunity to interest clients in your products and services. One of the best ways for businesses to use Instagram is to encourage online “window shopping.” Additionally, you should identify your products in fan posts andprovide links to pages where customers can purchase them. How often have you seen a jacket or purse online and wondered where you could buy it? Make it easier for consumers to buy your goods, and watch profits skyrocket.
Hosting a Contest
Searching for a fun and effective way of growing your audience on Instagram? Consider holding a contest to increase your following and to encourage existing customers to buy from you again.A successful Instagram contest is one that is created with the reward in mind. Not only should the best prizes be relevant to your business, but they should also appeal to a large group of people. Instead of offering a particular item that might only be of interest to certain individuals, promise a gift card that can be used for a variety of products or services. Additionally, you should be sure to include a catchy title that clearly states what the entrant has to gain. Finally, you should promote your contest on your website and other social media pages to encourage the maximum number of applicants.
Apps like Wishpond make it easy for marketers to create attention-grabbing contests for their businesses. Along with helping you add photos and text with ease, Wishpond enables businesses to track views and entries, so marketers can determine how effective contests were after they’re over.
Promote Your Business on Instagram Today
Instagram can be an incredibly effective tool for finding new customers while keeping existing ones interested and engaged. It can be a great branding tool that offers your audience a new and very visual perspective on your company and your products, giving you a leg-up above the competition. Create an Instagram account today, and watch your business grow.
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