Instagram’s unique platform design makes it the best when it comes to marketing. A statistic made by Hootsuite found that 81% of social media users use Instagram to research products and services. That same statistic also showed that 90% of IG users follow a business.
Now, why is this? Instagram isn’t a platform used by people to interact with their family and friends. There are fewer users on it compared to Facebook which makes the algorithm put less clutter on user news feeds. And lastly, its user interface design is simple.
These are the factors that make the platform the best when it comes to putting business and marketing purposes first. But even if the platform is designed for your business’s interests, you still won’t be able to grow your brand by just posting and sharing.
There are a lot of features and hacks about Instagram that you need to utilize properly in order to gain more followers and customers. Use this list for your guide.
1. Post content that your audience will love
Study your target audience first. Find out what’s hip in their demographic. Is it motivational quotes? Are they funny videos? Post content based on the best answer. Then get more reactions so the algorithm will promote your profile to other similar non-following users.
2. Use hashtags
Hashtags are an important part of the IG ecosystem even if some say it’s dead. Use simple and short yet specific hashtags. Use a few and don’t go over 10 if you’re a smaller account. And lastly, use a hashtag with the number of mentions appropriate to your account size.
3. Set a simple, unique, and easily searched business name
Your business name is the first thing that users will type if they’ll search for your business. It must be easily remembered and can tell the general public what your brand is about. For example, instead of using “Jane Doe’s Automobile Repair Services”, use “Jane Doe’s Auto Repair”.
4. Switch your account to a professional profile
Having an ordinary IG account for your business is a good start. But switching it to a professional account unlocks more perks that would make it easier for people to find you, especially when it comes to the use of search engines.
5. Create shareable content
Any content you post on IG can be shared with other users. But not all of your followers will do so. This is why it’s so important to create content that’s inspiring, relatable, and with a good call to action (CTA).
6. Encourage saves
Speaking of CTAs, you can make your business’s presence linger in your followers’ minds by telling them to save your post. They may not engage with your content now due to some circumstances, but at least they can do so later on if they bookmark your posts.
7. Steal followers
This is a bold but effective move. Follow your competitors’ accounts. Then follow the followers from your competitors’ comment sections or follower lists. After that, like and comment on the posts of those followers. Offer deals better than your competitor if you want to.
To be even more daring, comment on the posts of your competitors and post links to your account or content. Some users will take time to read comment sections and will be curious if they see your comment.
What makes this so effective is that you don’t have to guess the interests of the followers you steal because they’re already following similar accounts to yours. And the best part of it all? Your competitor would be too busy to notice your moves for most of the time.
8. Follow a consistent posting schedule
Once you have a solid follower base that reacts or engages to your content regularly, you should then post often and consistently. How often do you ask? Two or three times a day.
9. Make story highlights
Image source: Adorama
Stories are a good way to post content without making your profile page convoluted. But the problem with that is they disappear within 24 hours. What about those who missed them? By utilizing story highlights, you make sure that your followers will be able to visit your categorized posts that aren’t too important to be posted as news feed material.
Boosting your business through the use of Instagram means getting followed by highly active users and receiving engagements from them. It doesn’t matter how many followers you receive. If those numbers are a mix of bots and inactive individuals, the algorithm will not deem your content as newsfeed worthy of other potential customers.
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