It seems that every kind of social media platform has been utilized for web marketing even if they were not designed to be used in that manner. So you’re wondering, what are you going to do with Instagram?
Instagram is a photo- and video-sharing application which has won millions of fans from all over the world, especially since its support – which was initially available only on iOS devices – was also rolled out for Android devices in 2012. It’s easy and fun to use, plus it allows you to meet a lot of people with common or different interests through their own photos and videos. If you take photos or short videos, Instagram is the place where they may be shared with friends, family members, or even people you don’t know may see them if your friends and family have shared them.
Instagram’s popularity multiplied even further with their more recent features such as “Stories.” New “Stories” allow users to post pictures or short videos to their own story, with the content expiring after 24 hours. It also allows users to incorporate emojis and stickers such as hashtags (which allows you to filter your content) and location stickers.
There are other additional features such as a tool to save or bookmark your favorite posts, “Instagram Direct” for private messaging, and “Location Stories” which consists of publicly shared Stories which are tagged by the location sticker. Instagram has also launched a separate app called Boomerang, which allows you to create fun short videos that loop back and forth.
If you use the app in a smart way, Instagram will be a great help in promoting your products and services.
After downloading the app to your smartphone, use Instagram for taking pictures and videos. You can publish these right away or post them later. You can also share them on other social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or other social network accounts. Of course, you will need to connect the various other social networks with your Instagram account. However, once that is done, you can add them on Instagram and then on your other social media accounts, too.
Images and videos on Instagram are excellent ways to market your brand on those social media sites. Although they aren’t likely to get you outright sales, they nevertheless will provide your products with a lot of exposure through likes and comments. Also, if you share your Instagram posts on other social media sites or elsewhere, there’s a chance that they’ll show up on search engines such as Yahoo!, Bing, or Google. If they rank on the search engine results, those links could easily transfer to more traffic to your website, which could become sales. Use relevant hashtags on your photos and video clips, as well as plan out a perfect description on them – it’s like applying search engine optimization in your posts.
As you are aware of Instagram’s popularity with millions of active users, it’s best to take great advantage of this. Engaging with your audience is very, very important as they could be your potential clients. After taking a snap or a video clip of a product or service you’re offering, it’s best to talk with your audience (e.g., asking them, “What do you think of my new recipe?” “Do you think this new color will be popular?” “What changes would you like to see in the products we offer?”). Some Instagram users who have put up their businesses there get more creative by injecting some audience participation. Such an example is letting them guess the name of a new anti-acne soap you’ve just launched or what the newest color of the purse is that you’re designing.
It’s also important to post immediate contact information on your Instagram profile so that interested users will be able to place their orders for your product or it is readily available should they need your services.
Instagram’s highly visual appeal lets your potential customers decide whether your products and services will be worth checking out. If the photos or videos are appealing enough, visitors are likely to click through to make an order.
Fortunately, in May 2016 Instagram launched tools for business accounts. Click our related article Using Instagram’s Business Tools and Features in case you plan to create and manage a business account on Instagram. This article can help you avoid some of the normal pitfalls when learning a new skill.
Web marketing on Instagram is a bit difficult and sometimes tricky. So the best plan is really to be creative in order to achieve the results you’ve been aiming for.