16 Instagram Tips for your business

May 23, 2016

Many of us are now using the very popular (Facebook owned – wait for all the adverts!!) Instagram photo and more recently video driven social media platform personally but using it for business can be a different story.

We love seeing great pictures and videos posted by our social media friends but seeing them posted by a business is quite a different dynamic.

A good starting point is why would someone want to follow your account – think about it!

The other thing to bear in mind when using Instagram (this applies to all of the social media platforms) is to think of the mood or mindset of the users. Yep, the typical Instagram user is probably chilling out so don’t be trying too hard with “big” messages or aggressive selling.

We have put together some simple tips to help you to get the most from Instagram, which we hope you will find useful – if you have others please let us know.

Make sure your account name relates to your business/brand and is easily linked to your business i.e. the company name (this is a basic one that many get wrong!)
Use a simple yet clearly identifiable profile pic (remember this appears as the tiniest of thumbnails on mobile devices)
Use Instagram to showcase your products and services in a visual way that will draw customers in.
Set a clear goal i.e. brand awareness, website traffic, increase sales etc. and keep these goals in mind for every post (caution – don’t be too sales orientated. It will chase people away!)
Focus on your USP and what makes you stand out – What you post should draw people in and keep them wanting more.
Use the text to explain what people will get from following you (include your web address)
Incorporate hashtags to make it easier for people who are interested in your area to find you.
Make your posts identifiable where possible – keep strong brand consistency across posts.
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through, it enables people to see the “real” authentic brand and therefore relate to it more.
Before posting anything think about who you are trying to target. Will this post be of interest to them?
Bear in mind at all times that whatever you post represents the brand
Tag people and other accounts when relevant, as it allows you to reach a broader audience.
Connect to your Facebook and Twitter accounts to let your existing friends know you’re on Instagram.
Follow people and other accounts that are relevant to your brand i.e. customers, businesses, celebrities etc. Use relevant hashtags when searching to find accounts you should follow.
Actively engage with the accounts you are following – Join in relevant conversations and in turn increase you’re following.
Use hashtags tactically to join conversations and increase your following