Instagram is a social media platform that allows users to share images and videos with captions. Whilst the majority of social media websites are text based, Instagram does things the other way round, because every Instagram post must include media of some kind which can then be accompanied by text. This might sound a little bit different but don’t worry, we have come up with a helpful guide to explain how you can use Instagram effectively for your business.
The main feature that Instagram boasts is the ability to share posts that anyone can see. Share media of your choosing such as photos or videos that you think people will enjoy. You can add a caption of them and position your boost so that more people will see it (but more on that later!)
Secondly, IGTV is a feature which lets you share videos up to 60 seconds or longer so you could share a behind the scenes of what you are working on or make an announcement through a video. IGTV is one of the most popular features on the app, so take advantage of this to share videos that will inform and entertain!
Later have a great article about how to get the most from IGTV here.
Another feature at your disposal is Instagram Stories, which is a feature that lets you share media that appears for only 24 hours on your profile and can be used to remind followers of your business. Make the most of stories to share media for a brief period of time and can be a great way to interact with your followers! Share a question or a poll to get people thinking about you.
In 2020, Instagram launched a new feature called Instagram Guides, which lets you share curated content in an easy to understand format. Guides allows you to share posts with commentary which provides users with guides or recommendations for things. You can make it easy for users to find all of your unmissable content in one place that’s easy to find. Think of it as the place to compile all of your best content or a guide that will entice people to find out more about your business. You could even compile all of your products on Instagram to create a catalogue for customers!
Finally, Instagram Reels is similar to IGTV but for shorter videos which are under 15 seconds long. You can choose a video clip, select a song to accompany it and use any editing tools to add text or effects to your video. People often find themselves binge watching reels for hours on end, so there is a high chance that people will discover your account if you use reels yourself. Reels are also a great way to showcase that your business has a sense of humour and can make you seem more trustworthy by demonstrating a light-hearted side to your business.
To get started with making your business’ Instagram profile look great, you should make sure that the profile is well branded, so that your customers recognise you when they see your profile. Be sure to have a profile picture which will appear alongside your business name whenever you post anything and can make your profile instantly identifiable. This picture could be a picture of yourself or company branding, so that users are immediately reminded of your business whenever you post.
Include an attention catching bio that will instantly give other users all the information that they could need about what you do. A bio is a short paragraph that should tell people what they need to know about your business in a concise manner. It is crucial that your bio grabs your audience’s attention and leads them to want to find out more.
Your bio should also include a link to your company website to increase traffic to your site. You should use a friendly and light-hearted tone in your bio, so that your business seems approachable and polite, demonstrating to potential customers that you are great for doing business with. Including emojis to break up the text can really add to this. You can also link your Instagram account to any other social media accounts that you have, so that your post will be shared across numerous platforms. This increases the number of people that you reach, as well as helps to generate attention for your new Instagram page.
Top Tip: If you have more than one website which you want people to link through to via your profile, consider using Linktr.ee to group them all together. Your audience then has a choice on where to go without you constantly having to change your bio link to reference something new.
Instagram Stories is a feature that lets you share pictures or videos to a “story” which appears for 24 hours to your followers and anybody who views your profile. Many businesses have seized the opportunity that this feature offers to garner the consumers attention and gain new followers. This is a great way to make announcements or perhaps do a competition to really engage your audience. It’s also perfect for showcasing the people behind the brand, with light-hearted and behind the scenes style content to truly speak to your audience. The Stories feature also allows you to share polls or questions which are put to your audience and prompt them to directly give feedback to your business.
You could post something like “What would you like to see us do next?” and your followers can write an answer that only you can see. This is especially useful for understanding who your audience is and what they want to see from your content. The polls feature could be useful for seeing which variation of a product or a service would be most popular with your audience.
Make the most of hashtags whenever you post something, as these will drive attention towards your profile. A hashtag groups your post with other posts on the same hashtag, making it more likely that you will be seen. For example, if you use the hashtag #smallbusiness then somebody searching for that particular hashtag is more likely to see your post.
This is really useful for posting on certain occasions or memorable dates, as by using a hashtag your post can be seen by people looking for related posts, making it especially helpful for attracting new clients. Your audience can follow a hashtag they are interested in, meaning that research into what you’re tagging to reach your target customer is key. Instagram suggests using between 5-30 hashtags on your posts, keeping them relevant to the subject and your audience.
Hopefully this blog will have made you feel more comfortable using Instagram for your business. It might seem daunting at first but once you break it down it can be a really simple platform to use and can have a fantastic impact on your business! If you would like to find out more about how you can maximise your social media accounts to generate new leads and revenue, get in touch with us at for a Free Digital Review.
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