Setting up an Instagram account for your small business is easy. Promoting it in a way that attracts customers and helps you to build an unknown, successful, and thriving brand is a bit harder.
What’s important for entrepreneurs, though, is to not confuse “harder” with “impossible.” While it takes a little bit of time, effort, and intention to promote a product or business on Instagram, it can definitely be done. In fact, if you stay focused and stick to a proven blueprint you’re almost bound to succeed.
To show you how it’s done, here is our step-by-step business owners’ guide to marketing your Instagram account…
Make Your Business Instagram Account Sparkle
A lot of small business owners are sloppy in the way they set up their Instagram accounts. They leave them incomplete, don’t include links back to their website, or fail to add the extra branding touches that help them stand out.
If you want customers to notice you for positive reasons then take the time up front to make sure your account is complete, unique, and professional.
Post Great Pictures on a Regular Schedule
Instagram marketing only works when potential customers notice your content. That only happens when you have good visual content for them to find in the first place.
Knowing that, we often suggest that marketers adopt a regular editorial schedule. We encourage them to commit to posting new stories and collections at least a couple of times per week, with a focus on relevant, high-resolution pictures that tell a story about their business.
Go Beyond What Your Colleagues and Competitors Do
You undoubtedly have competitors who do what we would call “basic” Instagram marketing. That is, they post the occasional shot of their office, or a new product, and nothing more.
While that’s better than not being on Instagram at all, it’s hardly a way to attract attention or see your content go viral. Strive to be more consistent, engaging, and entertaining than the other business owners around you. Do more and add a creative edge. That will help you stand out.
Promote Your Instagram Account Via Other Platforms
One easy way to increase the size of your Instagram following is to simply piggyback off your other existing campaigns. For instance, you could mention your Instagram account on Twitter, in your email newsletter, or via signs in your retail store.
If you’ve already been active on other social platforms, or have a steady stream of traffic coming to your website, then you could use this technique to build up a large Instagram audience very quickly.
Get Influencers to Promote Your Business
Another way to quickly expand your reach is to have influencers (people or companies who have a large following of their own) to mention you in their profiles or share your material.
Over time, the best way to grow (and keep) followers on Instagram is by posting lots of high-quality images. However, a good referral from a known brand or personality can help you to speed things up in a big way.
Is Your Marketing Plan Lacking Something?
If you feel like your marketing plan is big on activities and budget items but short on measurable results, the Biondo Creative team in Philadelphia can help. Contact us today so we can schedule a free consultation and help you unlock a more profitable future.