Building a presence on Instagram is a great way to introduce your brand to a new audience. This concept is easy for most business owners to grasp. This is a very fresh and engaging platform, especially when compared to social networks like Facebook or Linkedin, which have been around for more than a decade. The part that is difficult for most is how and where to begin. Here are a few tips to get you on your way to #instafame:
1. Connect and Cross-Post
Your Instagram account can be easily integrated with your Facebook account. If you are running social media advertisements, you can even set up your Facebook and Instagram ads all from a single ad manager. Doing this helps your Facebook followers find you on IG, and by cross-posting you can further encourage that kind of dual-network following. There are also sharing features with Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr.
2. Mix It Up
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in social media marketing is to use your platform entirely for "tooting your own horn". Don't just post image after image of your own products, employees, or business. Share other fun content, as well. Don't bore your followers into becoming former followers.
3. Do Your Research
Your time spent on IG will be so much more productive if you just spend the time researching the hashtags you use. Don't just throw a hashtag in front of a random word and pray for the best. You need to really look at which tags are trending. Look at how they are being used. Are there any tags that work particularly well for your industry or audience? With this platform, it pays to pay attention.
4. Leverage the Power of Other Apps
There are countless third-party apps that have been designed specifically to take your Instagram experience to the next level. My personal favorite is Latergramme, which allows you to schedule posts for whenever you'd like (including those pesky middle-of-the-night 'peak' IG hours). Instagram itself has even released a few supporting apps, such as Hyperlapse and Layout. Put these services to good use. They are free, and they will make all the difference in the world!
5. Engage!
Another huge mistake that businesses make is to make social media posts constantly, without ever engaging other users. Social media is absolutely not one of those times in life where you can assume that "if you build it, they will come." You need to seek out your future customers. Give them a reason to follow you back to your page, and then make a click back to your website irresistible to them. Take a proactive approach to your time on Instagram by linking and commenting on relevant posts.
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Image courtesy of Hubspot. Used with permission.