Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social platforms today – it is a huge platform and everyone is using it, from the Kardashians to Tesla and even PlayDoh. So, how can you use Instagram to effectively grow your brand and business? Here are a few ideas.
Pick a username that matches your business or website name
Brand consistency is what you should aim for. Your Instagram username should match your business or website name, as well as the username associated with your other social media profiles. You want to make it easy for people to find and identify you in search results. Don’t forget, brand consistency builds trust.Learn to speak Hashtags
We all have seen hashtags - whether you are on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or any other social media channels, you cannot escape the presence of the #hashtag. How hashtags work: The # sign turns any word or phrase that directly follows it into a searchable link. Hashtags are essentially Instagram’s way of sorting and categorizing the millions of posts on its platform. For example, if you want to post about your new Hyundai Ioniq (which by the way, is a great ride), you would include #HyundaiIoniq in your posts. When your followers click on the hashtag, they will see all other posts on Instagram that also mention the Ioniq. Why is this powerful? Other Instagram users may not know you now, but say you have tagged your post(s) with a hashtag that someone they follow also used, and say they should click on the hashtag to discover other similar posts…Hashtags are great tools you can use to grow your brand visibility because your posts are no longer limited to just your followers. Think of hashtags as a way for your target audience to find you. If you are interested in learning more about hashtags, here are a few great reads:- The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Hashtags for 2019
- The Beginner’s Guide to the Hashtag
- The Do’s and Don’ts of How to Use Hashtags
Create Instagram-worthy content
Content is the heart of Instagram. Every business and/or person has Instagram-worthy content to share. Perhaps it’s behind the scenes content, product showcase and demos, how-to tutorials, culture-focused content, or even customer-generated reviews and stories. But how do you choose what content to post? There’s actually no rule for the best content to post because it varies from business to business. Concentrate on the content that aligns with both your audience and your goals. Content tips:- Make sure your images are impeccable. Instagram is essentially a visual portfolio for your brand, and it is all about the aesthetic. Luckily, there are many apps and tools you can use to enhance your photos: InstaFrame, Squaredy, Pixfx, Camera+, Planoly, Later and VSC O.
- Share candid shots. While you want to use highly polished images as product adverts, throw in some less-edited images to add fun and relatability to your posts. Candid shots are human-centric and playful and often get the best engagement.
- Don’t go crazy with your hashtags. Going overboard with hashtags will only make your post look overzealous and cluttered. Stick to using less than 5 hashtags per photo.
- Use creative, compelling, relevant captions. For added emphasis or a more personal touch, try incorporating emojis. You can also use captions to ask questions – a sure way to drive comments and engagements.