CT Inbound Marketing Blog | ImageWorks, LLC

6 Tips to Use Instagram for Your Business

Written by Catherine Hatch | Thu, Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:30 PM

Social media is an important part of your business’s marketing strategy. With over 600 million monthly users, Instagram has become a wildly popular social media outlet. Therefore, if your business is not utilizing Instagram as part of its digital marketing strategy, you’re missing out on a large portion of the population. Here are some tips to use Instagram to promote your business.

1. Take Interesting Pictures

Arguably the most important aspect of a successful Instagram account is interesting pictures. All of the photos on your page should be attractive, creative, and professional. You should not include and low-quality pictures or poorly lit ones. Be sure to include a healthy mix of fun pictures that make followers smile and more business-related ones. The more attractive your photos are, the more followers and engagement your account will receive.

2. Use Editing Tools

In order to create attractive pictures, you should utilize Instagram’s editing tools. Brighter photos are typically more successful than dark ones. Additionally, photos that have one dominant color typically perform better than photos with many different prominent colors. Lightening your photos and adding a filter to make the photo more aesthetically pleasing will help make your photos more attractive, which will encourage engagement and help promote your business.

3. Avoid Hard Selling

More than half of Instagram’s total users follow at least one business. However, Instagram is social and informal; it is not a selling platform. For this reason, you should feature your products and attach them to a lifestyle. Don’t talk about how great your products are. Instead, show your followers how your products can fit into their lifestyle and make their lives better. You should avoid being pushy and show your products’ value rather than simply explaining it.

4. Write Strong Captions

Good photos receive strong engagement, but bad captions can ruin them. Be sure to include interesting and inviting captions with each of your photos. Your followers will enjoy captions that are clever and funny, as well as ones that are inspirational. Whichever tactic you choose, you should make your captions things that your followers will enjoy and want to engage with.

5. Offer Exclusive Announcements

A great way to increase your following is to create offers exclusive to your followers. Make announcements about your company, such as short-term sales or limited time products that only appear on your social media. Offer promo codes that can only be accessed through your Instagram account. Creating exclusive offers is a great way to build trust among your followers and encourage others to follow your page.

6. Use Hashtags

One of the best ways to gain more followers is to use hashtags. When you use popular hashtags, users will discover your photos that will direct them to your page. However, when you use too many hashtags, it can make your caption look cluttered. To avoid this clutter, press enter a few times so that hashtags are only visible when a follower hits “more.” Including hashtags will increase the visibility of your business’s page and get you more followers.

 

ImageWorks, LLC | CT Social Media Marketing

Having trouble managing your social media? Wondering how to figure out proper posting techniques on your own? Don’t be afraid to call in the experts! Whether you are just getting started or have an engine in place that needs fine tuning, ImageWorks can help you join the Social Media wave to get yourself recognized and generate more business. Market yourself and your brand to the 100’s of millions of online interactive users.

We understand that social media can be overwhelming, and it's not always easy to change with each update or refresh. If you are looking to boost your social media marketing then you may want to take a step back and reevaluate the online presence you already have.