The Essential Guide to Instagram Marketing
Whether you’re a business owner or not, you definitely know what Instagram is and probably use it on the regular. With over 1 billion active users monthly, Instagram has been one of the fastest-growing platforms since its inception in 2010. Brands and businesses have gradually moved to Instagram as a major marketing platform; if you’re a business that isn’t on Instagram, then you’re missing out on a major potential stream of profits and database growth.
Instagram, as a photo and video sharing platform, is accessible on both desktop and mobile. With options to utilise third-party scheduling platforms for consistent activity. The use of geotagging and hashtags help target potential audiences. The platform allows anyone with the right content, copy and attitude to become successful.
To effectively market your business on Instagram to reach your target audience, you’ll have to commit to a marketing plan. A plan that goes beyond just posting and hashtags. When working with our clients to develop a bespoke social marketing plan, MBP always considers these these elements:
- Consistency
- UGC
- Branding
Consistency
Do you have a social media calendar? If you don’t yet – this is the perfect time to start one and incorporate Instagram into the mix. To have a high level of engagement from your audience with your content, it’s best to know when the best time to post is. As well as what kind of posts best speak to your target audience. When you start out, you can be base this decision on the habits of your personal contacts. Consider researching your competitor’s accounts to analyse what does well and what doesn’t. Utilising a third-party scheduling app, like Later, can offer you basic analytics to show you what your audience engages with the most. Additionally, it can help you plan days, or even months, ahead in your calendar. But of course, this can also change weekly based on what your offerings may be.
Here at MBP, we find that the best times to post for the highest engagement is around 6-8 pm; this is when the majority of our audiences are heading off work and winding down for the day. It’s all about trial and error to see what will provide the best results. The main key is to always be consistent with posting so that your posts appear on your audience’s timeline.
UGC
One of the best and more authentic ways to develop brand loyalty from your audience is to utilise user-generated content (UGC). UGC is a digital marketing tool where audiences share and post content that highlights your business offerings or brands. If you’re lacking on your social assets to post, then reposting audience content allows you to have access to content without breaking the budget. Additionally, showing off a growing fanbase to potential customers.
The easiest way to get UGC is to encourage your audience or to run giveaways or competitions that focus on audience-oriented content. But as always, be sure to let people know if you’re utilising their content and give credit by tagging wherever possible. A small token of appreciation from your business to your customers can go a long way. This can develop a long-lasting relationship.
To learn more about how to manage your social media accounts more effectively, purchase our Do With You – Social Media Management course!