3 Ways Instagram Can Support Your Business
When I started my first Instagram account, my feed was so random. It was full of a lot of pics with friends and glasses of wine... I've come a long way since then and really learned how the app can be used as so much more than for simply sharing photos.
I've shifted the way I use Instagram to support my business with a few solid business strategies. This has helped me grow my following and engagement exponentially and helped me to make sales. Here are three of my favorite strategies to use Instagram to grow a business.
Establish Brand Identity & Recognition
We’ve all heard it - a photo is worth a thousand words. And this holds true for spreading the word about your brand. You can have your mission statement plastered all over your website, but using Instagram to show who you are and what your brand stands for is infinitely more impactful.
To show establish brand identity and awareness, make sure that you are consistent with your imagery and messages on Instagram. Using the same visual elements will help make your posts immediately recognizable for your followers.
My tip for building brand recognition - be consistent! You won’t be recognized if you’re not posting on a consistent basis. At the minimum, try to post at least once a day during the week.
Create A Community For Your Customers & Clients
Instagram isn’t just for posting your latest selfie - it's for engaging and networking with other people. If you start looking at the platform in this way, you’ll see a huge increase in the interest for your brand and business.
Creating a community on Instagram can be as simple or complicated as you’d like to make it. Here are a few ideas how you can create a community or start a conversation with your account:
Posting questions to get responses from your audience
Replying to comments on your posts with questions or more information
Reposting images of your clients or customers using your product
Creating a hashtag for your followers to rally around
Convert Followers Into Leads
The ultimate reason why any business exists is to make sales. Instagram can be used in a number of ways to increase the sales of your products or services.
Here are a few ways to convert a follower into a lead or make a direct sale:
Use Instagram ads to promote your product or opt-in offer
Link to an opt-in offer from your Instagram bio
Use a 3rd party app like LikeToKnow to sell your products
One last note, these strategies don't have to be used individually. They actually build on each other. If you start creating brand recognition on Instagram, that will help you build a community and eventually start converting those followers into leads and sales.
