Over 130 million people enjoy the popular free app Instagram, and chances are some of them are your current and future clients. Instagram is an easy-to-navigate visual social platform, where users capture, customize and share photos and videos. And although Instagram sometimes gets a bad rap for copious amounts of "selfies" and "what I ate for lunch" snapshots flooding timelines, don't underestimate the power of using Instagram for your business. Here are 5 great tips from our friends at Social Media Examiner to get your small business Instagraming successfully in no time!
1. Optimize Your Profile
The first step to any successful social media campaign is making sure your profile is optimized for that particular platform. When it comes to social media, one size does NOT fit all. Make sure your business can be easily viewed by making your profile public, and use a clear profile picture with your logo. Include your website link, and use the profile description space to include a concise description of your business. This graphic by Gerry Moran provides an in-depth visual reference for creating the perfect Instagram profile.
2. Get Educated
To successfully market your business on Instagram, you should truly understand how Instagram works, as well as stay on top of any news and changes to the platform. Luckily for you, Instagram has their own Instagram For Business Blog. Here you can learn how other businesses are using Instagram successfully as well as brand spotlights, news, and tips from the Instagram headquarters themselves. We recommend you bookmark this page and visit it regularly. Like they say: knowledge is power; so never underestimate the power of a good blog.
3. Cultivate A Following
Creating an engaged Instagram following for your small business is easier than you think. We recommend you connect your Instagram to your Facebook and Twitter accounts, so your existing audience can follow you on multiple platforms. Follow back Instagram followers who follow you, as well as liking and commenting on their photos. It seems obvious, but remembering to be social on social networks actually goes a long way in creating an engaging and attentive following.
4. Enhance Photo Contents On Instagram With Facebook
Businesses often run Instagram photo contests, organizing submissions with a custom hashtag. Optimize these contests by integrating them into your small business Facebook page! As we recently covered, Facebook has simplified their runs on contests and giveaways, so take advantage of this by running a multi-platform contest! If you aren't sure what kind of contest your small business should be running, here are 3 types of Facebook contests that would work great!
5. Take Advantage Of Video
One of the most recent (and exciting) additions to Instagram is video. Users can now upload up to 15 seconds of custom video and apply one of Instagram's famous filters to the finished product. Online Video Rankings report an all-time high of 188 million U.S. Internet users watching 37.7 billion online content videos in August alone, so there's no excuse as to why your small businesses shouldn't be creating video content! To make matters easier, we've created a free guide on How To Integrate Video Content Into Your Social Media Strategy. So give it a read and press play on Instagram video.