Taking advantage of Instagram is crucial for businesses looking to expand their market. Due to the fact we all use Instagram privately, it may seem like a walk in the park. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be if you nail all the basics, but learning the who, what and why of the app is crucial when you’re laying the foundations.
If you’re still not fully convinced, we just want to get some facts straight. Instagram has a whopping one billion active users every month and half of that every day. It’s not showing any signs of slowing down either, so at Bark Social we say it’s time to get your business involved if you haven’t already. Here’s a few ways to get started:
Make a good first impression
Whatever walk of life, we all know first impressions stick. It might not be ideal, but getting your profile page spruced up and planned out is vital before you start posting. Over 210 million people look at at least one business profile on Instagram on a daily basis. If you’ve got a clear visual image in your head and a consistent theme running through your account, it can make a big difference in convincing your audience to stick around.
Use your data
The Instagram Insights section is teeming with incredibly in depth statistics in your performances and progress. Never underestimate the importance of this data – it’s the best way for you to read the room and see what’s working and what isn’t. Whether it’s tracking engagements or profile visits, Insights gives you grounds for experimentation and seeing how you can improve your posts.
Don’t go over the top
This is such an easy trap to fall into. Finding the balance between over posting and under posting is crucial if you want to maintain followers. It can get very irritating for your audience if you’re clogging up their feed with an unnecessary amount of posting. Always remember – quality is way more important than quantity.
Make use of Influencer Outreach
Associating your business with the right kind of people is one of the most fruitful parts of creating an Instagram account. Influencers play a huge part in the ecosystem of the app and finding the ones that hold your audience can massively help the growth of your account. Do your research and create a list of bloggers who you think would associate well with your business. Supplying them with free products to promote is a win-win and can help you get a bigger piece of the follower pie.
While these pointers will definitely help you hit the ground running, it’s important to remember that growth on Instagram can be a slow process. If you stay committed to the basics and patient with the results, you’ll see a massive difference in how your business is represented online.
