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Did you know that Instagram has over 600 million monthly active users with over 400 million of those being on the platform daily (source)? That alone should be enough of a reason to utilize Instagram to attract your dream clients in your business if you are not already. Instagram can be extremely beneficial for small businesses – whether they are B2B or B2C. The most important thing on Instagram, or any social media platform in general, is that you have a solid strategy.
There are several ways that businesses can be successful on Instagram from using hashtags to target the right audience to using graphics and other types of media to really draw in their target market. Small businesses need to start using Instagram to their advantage while it is still on the newer side and not as much as a pay-to-play model like Facebook is.
Use hashtags strategically
Hashtags are a key part of any Instagram strategy, but you must use them strategically for them to really be effective. Use all 30 hashtags if you can but if you cannot find 30 hashtags that are curated specifically to your niche, then do not try and stuff random hashtags there just for the sake of having 30 hashtags.
You can find similar hashtags by typing in a specific hashtag into the search feature on Instagram and then Instagram will automatically populate other hashtags that are related to the one that you typed in. This is a quick way to find more hashtags to use on your photos.
Use graphics that draw your audience in
People remember 80% of what they see but only 20% of what they read so having compelling graphics on Instagram is essential. Because your audience is more likely to remember an image over a caption, your images and graphics need to be carefully curated. Speaking as a personal user and a business owner myself, people do not always take the time to read your caption so pulling them in with a great photo or graphic is what will ultimately be able to seal the deal in the long run.
Utilize a business account
There are a lot of rumors going around that say that having a business account on Instagram will affect your reach because the platform will the force you to pay to play but that is false. Having a business account allows for you to have access to more in depth analytics like being able to see which cities and countries your followers are from in addition to being able to see how many people your posts reach. Knowing these things will help you better target your dream clients or customers because you will know where they are from and which posts are resonating with them the most.
Take advantage of Instagram Stories
Another great feature that all small business owners should take advantage of is Instagram Stories. Whether you are a restaurant or a virtual assistant agency, you can certainly benefit from showcasing behind the scenes moments on Stories. As a restaurant you can share your new menu items in addition to behind the scenes of the creation process and more. As a service based business owner, you can share things like your day-to-day routine behind the scenes, especially if you are the face of your business.
What is your favorite Instagram feature? Tell us in the comments below.
Category: Advanced Tactics