Every business should be on Instagram. Well, at least MOST businesses should be on Instagram. Whether you’re a real estate agent, construction company, funeral service, or daycare; adding Instagram into your marketing strategy is a smart move. Regular posting helps you reach a wider audience of potential clients or customers (especially if you are using Reels). Your content should educate your customers about your brand, product, services and direct your followers to interact in some way with your company at the same time. Book a consultation, send us a message, ask us how we can help you do X; These are all great calls to action.
We could rave about your business being on Instagram for hours, but before we get into detail, it’s important for you to read and absorb these key statistics of users on Instagram.
- 52.2% of users are male and 47.8% of users are female.
(according to Hootsuite) - Nearly 83% of consumers use the platform to discover new products or services.
(according to Influencer Marketing Hub) - 70% of Instagrammers are under 34 years, 7% belong to 13-17 years, 30% between 18-24, 33% in 25-34 years, 16% are between 35-44 years, 8% between 45-54, 4% in 55-64%, and 2% above 65 years.
(according to Social Pilot) - Almost 90% of Instagrammers follow a business profile.
(according to Embed Social)
In short, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1 billion monthly active users and that’s pretty tough to overlook as a business owner. As a result, it has become an essential marketing and advertising tool for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence while engaging with their target audience while directing people to complete a purchase of some sort.
So, why should your business be on Instagram?
Instagram helps you reach a large audience of potential new customers
Instagram has a huge user base, which means you have the potential to reach a huge audience. By using relevant hashtags and engaging with your followers, you can increase your visibility and attract new customers IF you have the right strategy in place.
If you’re an e-commerce brand and you can sell your product or service worldwide, Instagram makes even more sense to invest in when it comes to your marketing and advertising dollars. Just don’t forget that when you try to talk to everyone at the same time you end up talking to no one. You need to carve out a niche for yourself and stay consistent in your approach long-term to see true results.
You’ll build brand awareness
By creating a profile that reflects your brand identity visually while sharing high-quality images and videos, over time people will start to recognize your content. The more your content teaches your following something of value, the more interaction and sales you will see as a result.
Book time out of your day this week where you can take a bunch of photos and videos of people using your product. Or, create a few posts showcasing your experts if you provide a service. Then use these images and videos for months to come on your social media channels. You don’t have to create content every day, creating content in batches allows you to post consistently without it becoming a daily task you dread or don’t have time for.
You can drive new traffic to your website
The link in the bio is a phrase you have likely heard before. It’s what people say or write on their posts to direct you to the link that takes you to their website for more information. By sharing engaging content and promoting your products or services, you can encourage your followers to click through to your website. The key here is to give them tidbits of good content and then tell them there is more amazing content on your website they have to check out.
But remember, Instagram doesn’t allow links in the captions. You can put them there but they won’t be clickable so instead say “Link in Bio” or include the link in your Instagram story when you post it.
You can actively engage with your customers
Instagram is a highly interactive platform but, interaction takes effort. Think of your investment of time engaging with others’ content, and their commentary or messages as time you would spend building relationships in real life. If you have a new product post about it and ask for feedback. If you want to help people solve problems ask them what their biggest problem right now is, and offer a solution. Social media is a one-to-one conversation even if it doesn’t quite feel like it. Sometimes it can feel like you’re talking to a wall but, with the right engagement strategy in place, you’ll have new customers and clients make a regular appearance. It just takes time to get there.
You’ll stay ahead of the competition by doing what they are not
It’s true, if your competitors are already on Instagram, then you need to be there too. But, if your competitors aren’t there or they are but they never post; you can capture the limelight. People want advice, connection, suggestions, and more. Being present and engaged is the first step to talking to new customers or clients. Keeping up with the latest trends and best practices will help you stay ahead of the competition and establish your brand as a leader in your industry. Think of it like going to the gym. If your competitors have a membership but, never show up they aren’t going to have the six-pack you have because you show up daily and get your reps in consistently.
Strategic Planning Is The Best Starting Point
We always say that if you don’t first plan what you want to say and why the social media platform doesn’t matter. One of the biggest mistakes business owners often make is posting without rhyme or reason just to get started. Take a few minutes to brainstorm what you want to talk about, why, and what your key points are going to be and then decide how you will create content based on your initial thoughts.
If you’re stumped on where to start or what to say but, want to get started when it comes to using Instagram to grow your sales, don’t sweat. We can take your hand and coach you through learning all the ins and outs of Instagram. Or, if you just want the pros to take the reins… we can create a content calendar for you, create all your posts, and optimize them all across Instagram as well as post them for you on Instagram (and other social media platforms too!) Whether you’re in the driver’s seat or passenger seat, we can be your GPS to help you navigate the confusing twists and turns of the world of Instagram. Just give us a call or Book a free consultation today. We’re ready to hit the gas when you are!
