If you are of the thought that Instagram is only for sunset and selfies and different shots of a variety of food, it is time to know that you are highly mistaken. The number of people who are joining Instagram is growing with each passing month and currently, almost 85% of the brands have started to adapt to this social platform, as one of the best avenues for reaching the audience, as stated by impactbnd. Therefore, this is definitely the best time for you and your company to get started with this visual platform as it is one of the best marketing platforms for the businesses, irrespective of their size. There are
” Around 1 billion people who use Instagram on a regular basis and hence, this is the ideal place for coming across your target audience. “
However, there are definitely certain do’s and don’ts that you need to have knowledge about when you are using Instagram extensively for your business. Given below is a list of the do’s that you need to consider.
Post regularly
Like the other social networking platforms, if you are interested in building the presence of your brand, it is crucial that you post interesting content almost regularly. If you have an account, which literally has nothing except 3 or 4 posts from 3 months ago, your followers are going to end up leaving your account.
If you ask as to how many numbers of posts you should be posting each day, you need to know that it depends upon what you are interested in saying to your target customers. It is a good idea to post a few updates with meaningful videos and photos in comparison to a large volume of posts, which are not capable of capturing the interest of the audience.
If you’re looking to connect your Instagram account to other applications, check out how to use the Instagram API with PHP.
Interact with the customers
People believe that Instagram has limited features; however, they need to understand that it is not true at all because Instagram has been constantly updating the features since the year 2010. You can also interact with both your present as well as potential customers with the help of likes, comments, direct messaging, or regrams.
A great way in which each and every business can not only generate photos but also interact with their audience is by making use of hashtags. These hashtags can be created; however, they need to be relevant to your brand. These created hashtags can be used by the users for sharing their photos and videos with you. Numerous big brands are making use of this strategy for interacting with their customers and understanding what they are looking forward to getting from the brand.
Make sure that you are involving the customers in content creation
You need to know that there is never going to be any other way of creating engagement in comparison to encourage the customers to help you create content. User-generated content or UGC is considered to be authentic and it is also capable of developing loyalty towards the brand, and hence, it is your duty to make sure that you are capitalizing on it. You have to create unique hashtags and make sure that you are asking the followers to post photographs when they are using a particular product from your brand, and then you have the freedom of posting the ones that you like on Instagram.
When you do this, your fans are going to feel that they are a part of your brand. Also, it will be easier for you to create both engagement and buzz. Moreover, the content that your customers are going to come up with can even help in generating the next grand idea for your brand. This is definitely one of the most important do’s that you have to keep on your mind when you are considering Instagram for business.
Ensure that you are investing in images of high quality that are capable of narrating a story
There is no denying the fact that each and everyone, irrespective of their age, love listening to stories. As a brand, it is your responsibility to understand when and where you can narrate a beautiful story that is going to attract your present and potential customers. Images are considered to be the best ways in which you can tell stories and this is why Instagram is the best place for storytelling.
To make sure that you are effectively narrating your story, you cannot make use of old photos. You have to ensure that they are not only original but also authentic. Instagram is definitely not the best place for your stock photos. It is a good idea to share your Instagram login information with your team members so that they can share photos whenever anything memorable is happening. However, you definitely need to set certain rules and guidelines regarding the kind of images that can and cannot be posted.
You also need to have knowledge about the don’ts of using Instagram for your business and how to optimize the Instagram profile. Any mistake can cost you dearly and hence, you should be extra careful. Given below is a list of the don’ts of using Instagram.
Do not use Instagram only for promotion
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are not over-promoting on any social media network but it is crucial that you maintain extra caution when you are posting on Instagram. It can be extremely tempting to post numerous product photos or even advertisements but it is important that you avoid this temptation.
“ People who are on Instagram are constantly looking out for beautiful and striking images, and not sales pitches.”
If you make use of Instagram advertisements, it is your duty to ensure that the content is directed towards your audience and it feels as natural as possible. Ensure that you are creative and post videos and pictures that users will be interested in engaging with.
Do not post stock or generic photographs
It is obvious that you want your business to maintain a certain level of personality on this visual platform. Make sure that you are not posting generic pictures, which look staged. Make sure that you are showing a certain amount of wild side. Put up pictures, which are capable of showing the personality of your brand along with the office culture.
Conclusion
The way you use Instagram for your business completely depends on you. However, make sure that you are considering the do’s and don’ts that have been mentioned above so that you do not end up making any mistake on Instagram.
Author Bio
Walter Moore is a notable management consultant and digital marketing expert. He is an experienced digital marketer and has helped e-commerce businesses in all niches gain Instagram for business with his effective marketing strategies and guidance.
