So your small business has taken off, and now you want to tell the world about it. You’ve set up an Instagram business profile, added your logo as a profile picture, and written a killer bio. Your brand now has a face in the social media landscape, and you’re ready to get posting – but hold your horses! Why are you posting, and what are you trying to achieve? Before you share anything with the public, you need a plan of action – an Instagram strategy for your business. Think about it, without a strategy, how would you measure your success on the platform? So set some Instagram goals for your business, and refer back to them every time your finger hovers over the ‘share’ button.
What’s your Instagram strategy?
The sort of business you have should determine your Instagram goals. A local hair salon would have a very different Instagram strategy to an investment bank, for example. So let’s take a look at six common goals businesses set for their Instagram profiles.
1. Increasing brand awareness
Instagram can be a useful tool for spreading brand messaging, as it’s a public platform used by millions of people worldwide. If brand awareness is your Instagram strategy, you want as many people as possible to discover your brand. And to get there you need a broad reach, and great content so followers will share it with their networks. You can think of your posts as little ads, telling Instagram users what your brand is about, what your values are, what you sell etc. But what you need to consider here is who your posts are reaching. First prize is great organic reach – the more people your posts reach organically, the better, as you don’t have to spend a cent on this viewership. If you’re willing to spend a bit to get a broader reach, boosted posts and Instagram ads are an effective way to reach more of your followers, and users who aren’t following you as yet.
2. Increasing product sales
Ecommerce brands often use platforms like Instagram to showcase their product range, through means of a photo or lookbook. The younger generations prefer to shop online, so using Instagram to show people what you have in stock is an effective way to increase your sales. If you choose to go with this Instagram strategy, remember to put a link to your product pages in your bio so users can complete the purchase.
3. Driving traffic to your website
When it comes to business, Instagram profiles often refer users to the company website. This approach is all about conversions, and where do most conversions take place? Your website. If you’re using Instagram to drive traffic to your website, just be sure to make regular use of the link in bio function so users can get to your site at the click of a button.
4. Increasing customer satisfaction
Social media is primarily a communication tool, so many brands use platforms like Instagram to build a relationship with their customers and encourage a conversation with them. A brand with this approach has the ultimate goal of brand loyalty, and achieves this through customer satisfaction and trust.
Top tip: Read this previous blog on how to turn criticism into opportunity
5. Recruiting talent
Some businesses use their Instagram profiles to showcase their company culture, successes and values in an attempt to attract top talent. Businesses that use Instagram for this purpose want to grow their company workforce, and with not just anyone, but with the best of the best.
6. Establishing relationships with influencers
The interactive nature of Instagram allows for easy and instantaneous connection, which companies can take advantage of to reach out to social media influencers and influential public figures. The ultimate goal here would be to establish partnerships of significance, and achieve influencer endorsement of your brand.
Need a hand with your Instagram strategy? Take ours.
Needing an Instagram strategy for your business? We’ve got you. Drop us a line on 031 765 1421 or mail us at hello@brandcandy.co.za and we’ll set up a meeting with you to discuss the management of your Instagram account.
