There are nearly 1.1 Billion users on Instagram now. This is a growth of 76 Million users just in the last quarter!
According to Hootsuite, 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business on the platform. What might be surprising to a few is that 36% of B2B decision-makers use Instagram when researching / products and services.
There is no doubt that brands should have a strong presence on Instagram, and here are 8 Tips Brands can use to market their products and services on this platform in 2021.
1. Post consistently
Posting consistently is the most important key to success on any social media platform, and Instagram is no different. The general consensus is that you post about 1-2 times a day on Instagram.
However, the fashion brand Super Nova posts 30 times a day! With their 20 Million followers and the type of posts they put, this frequency works for them. However, it might be overkill for most brands!
Brands also need to be aware of the ideal post times as well, as posting at a time where user engagement is high will help push your post reach more eyeballs. The best way to check when your followers are most active is through the Insights feature on your Instagram Business / Creator account.
2. User-generated content
User-generated content is great for your brand because
- You get free content
- This content generated by your customers has way more credibility than content rolled out through your brand.
UGC allows your followers to get involved with your brands deeply. Brands could organize contests to encourage user-generated content using a hashtag, which would boost the engagement, reach, and traffic for your digital platforms.
3. Use a branded hashtag
Using a branded hashtag would make your content more discoverable, drive more traffic to your Instagram profile and strengthen the community around your brand. It will also help organize your content better and make it easily findable and trackable.
Brands need to place this hashtag on their Instagram bio so they are easily visible to anyone visiting your profile.
The results of a study done by Simply Measured, posts with at least one Instagram hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than posts without a hashtag.
The results of this study prove that hashtags help reach a larger audience. Branded hashtags are pretty useful when running marketing campaigns.
4. Explore the full-range of Instagram video and video ad formats
Instagram recognizes the efficacy and popularity of online video content and offers a range of video options for creators and marketers. Brands can utilize Instagram stories, Instagram Feed, IGTV, and Instagram Live to pump out video content that creates product awareness, promotes their workplace culture, and showcase behind the scenes into their processes.
Statistics show that brands have been slow in adopting IGTV content. This provides an opportunity for savvy marketers to get a first-mover advantage on that feature and enjoy less competition for views. It is recommended that brands distribute their Featurettes and Interviews through IGTV.
Brands should also utilize Instagram video formats for targeting a selected audience.
5. Make the most out of Instagram Stories
With 500 Million plus daily Instagram users, Stories have to a large extent become the main feature of the platform, even outdoing the main feed!
Even though Stories disappear after 24 hours, their benefits can last much longer, helping with reach and engagement rates. This could increase the chances of your brand getting on the Explore section and getting more followers as well.
6. Work with Micro-Influencers
While the more popular influencers in your area might be overpriced, brands can greatly benefit by collaborating with micro-influencers who have a loyal following from a niche audience.
These micro-influencers probably have way more credibility than celebrity influencers since they have expertise in their fields. In other words, they are key thought leaders in the niches they operate in.
Brands should be mindful that they don’t fall for the glamour of working with Celebrity influencers instead of working with micro-influencers who could potentially be more effective in helping them reach their campaign objectives.
Working with micro-influencers could help create an authentic brand.
A Micro-influencer is someone who has a social following between 1,000 to 100,000. They are everyday consumers who share useful thoughts with an engaged audience in a specific niche. The engagement rate of a micro-influencer is also usually high.
7. Add CTAs everywhere
Instagram allows official CTA (Call To Action) buttons.
Adding a clear Call To Action such as ‘Learn More’ and ‘Call Now’ towards the end of the copy and using official CTA buttons Instagram makes available for Business accounts will greatly increase the chances of your customers taking the desired action!
CTAs can be also be added to your bio as well to guide your followers or visitors towards taking a specific action such as
- Visit your website
- Watch a YouTube video
8. Study your Instagram Analytics and re-iterate
More often than not it comes down to the ROI on your time, energy, and money spent on Instagram. And when it comes to this, numbers don’t lie!
Studying your Instagram insights section will give you information on the best performing posts, times your visitors are most active, followers gained vs lost, where your Instagram traffic for your posts is coming from, etc.
All of this can be used to decide the types of post, the frequency, the timings, copy, and hashtags which can help you achieve your goals on Instagram more effectively.
Conclusion
The world of social media is changing rapidly, and brands have to be nimble on their feet and adapt to these changes to thrive on these platforms and align them towards the overall marketing goals.
Let’s talk.
and we’ll help figure out what is required to take your business towards your next phase of growth