Instagram is an online social community that has been able to establish over 400 million users. Over the course of time, companies and business owners have taken advantage of the platform and used it for its marketing potential, whether that may be brand awareness, increasing profits, or high levels of engagement.
If you are wondering how that’s possible, look no further; Foundr is a company that provides resources to new and budding entrepreneurs. Over the period of 12 months, Foundr has been able to bag almost 400,000 followers and 70,000 email subscribers. If you’re looking for ways to expand your business there here are 4 ways you can use Instagram:
Use Strategic Partnerships to grow your Instagram Following
One of the biggest problems brands face after making an Instagram, is building a following. After all, how can you reach a wider target audience if you do not have a large number of followers? Luckily, there is a tactical approach that will help you reach 10,000 followers in just a couple of weeks.
All you have to do is hunt some the most popular Instagram accounts that reach your target audience, and after doing so, partner with them so that they can give you a “shout-out.” Depending on your relationship, this can either be a paid or unpaid shout out.
Unpaid Shout-outs
Unpaid shout-outs are usually referred to as “share for share.” In this case, two brands partner to share their content and encourage their followers to follow each other for mutual benefits. For a free shout out, you need to first track down accounts that have a similar reach as yours so that each of you will have access to a wider target audience. An example of unpaid shout out is when Foundr and Rich20Something both posted a picture on Instagram, encouraging their followers to follow each other.
Paid Shout outs
Ideally, paid shout outs are beneficial for companies that have a budget for social media since it is a great way to gain thousands of followers. When looking for paid shout outs, you track down Instagram accounts with a much higher number of followers and high level of engagement. In their first week, Foundr spend about $100 on shout outs and they were able to bag their first 10,000 followers.
Convert your Followers into Subscribers
For a thriving business, you need to focus on email marketing; after all, your email list consists of fans and followers who actually intend on purchasing your goods and services. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t allow links in photo descriptions, which is why an email market is essential. Here’s where you need to make use of your bio. Your bio needs to be short, useful, and packed with intention.
Foundr uses a link on their bio to connect viewers to a page that enrolls them to a free course and offers them free PDF’s packed with useful content. Make sure you use your bio efficiently by linking it to a page that holds great value and offers your customers something useful.
Create Content that is Compelling and Worthy of being Shared
If you want people to share your content then you need to include a strategy that results in beautiful and easily digestible content. You need to make sure that your content resonates with your audience; an Instagram post then only become a hit using two factors; beautiful imagery and engaging text.
Beautiful Imagery
Posting images about your products and services is like being that person in party that won’t stop talking about himself; nobody wants to be that guy. Choose imagery that elicits emotion and has a story to tell. You can use royalty free stock photos. In addition, be cautious of copy right images while posting photos online.
Engaging Text
Use compelling text with your Instagram posts. Play around with founts or use stunning visual effects. Add your logo to the bottom of your quote, as it will help build brand awareness in your Instagram Followers.
Foster a Community of Highly Engaging Followers
Have you ever posted something great on social media that you would think would capture the attention of followers, but did not result in any likes? We sometimes miscalculate the potential of our posts. Posting updates at the wrong time can produce such results, as the newer the content, the higher the number of follower’s feeds.
Use Iconosquare to find out when most of your followers are online. Another way to get followers to like and comment is to ask for engagement. Ask your followers to tag a friend or ask them to hit click if they enjoyed the content. Asking your followers to engage is one of the best ways to boost followers.
If used properly, Instagram can help your business grow by significantly expanding your reach and improving your brand awareness. Follow these 4 tips if you too want to boost revenues with the help of Instagram.
Source: http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/instagram-build-business-brand
