Instagram stands as one of the world’s most rapidly expanding social media platforms, offering a nearly seamless integration of personal and branded content. Each day, millions of individuals visit business profiles on the platform. Winning Instagram Strategy for Your Startup is crafted to drive results.
Many people have this misconception that Instagram is exclusively effective for companies that offer visually appealing products. Although industries like hospitality, fashion, and beauty excel on the platform, there are ample opportunities for businesses that don’t inherently rely on visual content.
Following are few ways to assist you in maximizing your Instagram experience:
Switch to a business profile:
By doing so, you’ll unlock the power of Instagram Insights, a tool that provides valuable insights into your audience and content performance. This includes:
- Tracking profile visits and website clicks
- Monitoring the reach of your content
- Identifying the sources through which people discover your content
- Analyzing your follower growth on a daily or weekly basis
- Additionally, a business profile allows you to include contact information in your bio, such as directions, a phone number, and an email address.
Utilize Instagram Stories:
Instagram Stories have a lifespan of just 24 hours, relieving the pressure to produce high-quality photos. They provide an excellent avenue for sharing images or videos related to your business that may not necessarily align with your regular Instagram feed.
The primary advantage of Instagram Stories is their prominent placement at the top of your followers’ feeds, ensuring they don’t get lost within Instagram’s algorithm. It has the option of enhancing your stories with location tags and hashtag stickers which can further expand the reach of your account.
Few ways in which you can make use of Stories can be through:
- Providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your business
- Showcase your company’s unique culture.
- Conduct interviews with guests.
- Host competitions or promotions.
- Celebrate accomplishments.
Be Authentic:
In an era where marketing has often been meticulously polished for decades, consumers are increasingly drawn to images and messages that show authenticity and humanity. This shift in preference presents a valuable opportunity for small businesses.
When your audience seeks genuine, human connections, the typical corporate messaging can often fall short. It can be challenging to establish relatability when your business operates on a multi-million-pound scale.
However, small businesses can cater to this desire for authenticity. It provides a chance to cultivate relationships with customers and foster brand loyalty. Customers are genuinely interested in the people behind a brand and their core values – and your Instagram account can serve as a platform to precisely showcase that.
Follow the Rule of Thirds:
It’s essential to maintain diversity in your Instagram feed, considering the platform’s grid format, which quickly reveals any post repetition. Employing the rule of thirds is an effective approach to achieve this diversity:
- Personal:
Dedicate one-third of your Instagram content to showcasing the personality behind your brand. Share posts about yourself, team members, or your business journey. These posts play a pivotal role in humanizing your brand and establishing a stronger connection with your followers.
- Valuable:
Allocate another one-third of your posting time to providing value to your customers. Consider addressing frequently asked questions and offering content that is genuinely beneficial to your audience. For instance, if you operate a craft business, you might demonstrate a sewing technique or share a list of practical alternatives for hard-to-find materials.
- Promotional:
The remaining one-third of your content strategy should focus on promoting your business, whether it’s introducing a new product or showcasing an upcoming event you’re hosting.
While Instagram doesn’t allow direct links within your posts, you can guide users toward a link in your bio. Consider utilizing an application like Linktree, which enables you to showcase multiple links under a single main bio link.
It’s important to keep in mind that users on Instagram are often hesitant to leave the app, so simply posting a link and expecting an external landing page to engage them won’t suffice. Your marketing messages should be compelling enough to persuade users while they remain within the Instagram ecosystem.
