words Al Woods
Instagram currently has over a billion monthly users on its platform. It is elementary to see why it would be the best place for you to set up a shop and start running your business with numbers like that.
In addition to high volumes over the years, Instagram has added new features that make the app extraordinarily business-friendly and straightforward to use and understand. Instagram takes away the need to set up a physical store or even have a dedicated website. If you are a small business with little capital, the best thing you can do for yourself is master the art of Instagram Business, and you will be well on your way to becoming a successful business owner.
The Importance of Instagram Social Network
Now Instagram not only has a large pool of users who can quickly become potential customers in your case, but it has many businesses on there as well. As of 2018, it had over 25 million business profiles on its platform, and that number has only gone up since then. It is obvious to see that if you are thinking about setting up a business on Instagram, then you should be prepared to face some incredibly stiff competition. This shouldn’t discourage you, especially if you are starting, because there are helpful sources that can give your business the boost it needs to help it stand out from the crowd and increase engagement. An instant increase in likes and follower growth are waiting for you at the click of a button, so go ahead and give it a try.
Anybody can start a business on Instagram, but not everybody can succeed in running one. The world of business is cut-throat, and it takes a lot of work for any business to grow and achieve its goals. It would help if you examined your goals and motivations before jumping into the world of business. It would be best if you also took the time to research the industry you are trying to break into. Once you have done all this, you will better understand what to expect and how to handle it. You will also be in a better position to start your business, and the tips that are given to you further will go a long way in helping you run a successful business on Instagram. So, before you dive in, let’s take a step back and start with the basics.
Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash
How to Set Up Your Instagram Business Profile
Your Instagram profile is often the first thing people look at as soon as they visit your Instagram page. A person can tell a lot from just looking at a business’s Instagram page, so you must make sure that your profile sends the right message to whoever is seeing it. Now, there is no standard way of setting up an account because every business and individual is unique in their way. Still, you can follow a few guiding principles that will ensure that your profile is clear and communicates effectively.
- Profile Photo: You want to make sure that your brand is visible and easy to identify, and the best way to do this is to use your brand’s logo as your profile picture. That way, people can quickly recognize your brand.
- Account Name: Make sure that your business’s official name is your account name and username as well. This will make it easier for people to find your business using a simple search. It is also highly advisable that you use the same name across other social media profiles.
- Website: This is the only section in your profile that allows you to add a clickable link, so use it wisely. You could either use it to link to your website if you have one or a promotional page you have created for your business.
- Bio: This is the part where you get to add your magic to your business profile. Make sure that your brand’s message is simple and clear. This is the part where you get to be creative and write words that will impact a potential client. If you are not sure what information to put into your bio, you can definitely see some instagram bio ideas online for your reference.
Now that your Instagram business profile is complete and you are now ready to launch it, here are a couple of tips that will help you make the best out of your business account:
- Create Captivating Branded Content
The objective here is to get as many eyes on your product as possible, and since Instagram is a very visual platform, the best way to do this is by creating eye-catching content. It’s all about the aesthetics here, so take time to understand your brand’s goals and message and then pick an aesthetic that ties into all of that and stick with it. Once you’ve figured that out, all you must do is the source or create your content. Be sure only to use high-quality images to achieve a sleeker and more professional look.
- Set Up an Instagram Shop and Tag Your Products
Instagram has made it so much easier to effectively reach your customers by introducing the shop option on their app that allows customers to buy your products directly on the app. It’s convenient for both you and your customers since all business transactions can now be carried out on the app. All you must do is set up a shop, tag your products in your posts and make it easier for customers to shop and buy your products. Once again, we must emphasize that Instagram is a visual platform, so your shop must be visually appealing. Make sure the images you use are clear and the products are arranged logically. Learn how to set up an Instagram shop here.
- Space Out Your Promotional Content
It is effortless for you to turn your business page into one huge ad, but the problem with doing so is it will put off a lot of your potential customers. Nobody likes to be bombarded by never-ending ads promoting the same business. It often comes off as self-serving and selfish, not the message you want to send out. Instead, you should space out your promotional posts with informative and conversational messages. These posts will give your followers a break from all the constant promotions and provide them with useful industry information that they will be grateful for. In addition to that, conversational posts such as Q&As also help you increase user engagement and provide your insight into your followers’ minds. Balance is critical when it comes to running any successful business.
- Study Analytics
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Yup, it is time for you to pick up a pen and paper and do some homework. One of the perks of having a business account is that Instagram provides you with analytics. This tool gives your insight into user activity on your page. These numbers tell you more than just who likes your posts; it also means who visits your page and where they visit from, who shares your posts and which one of your posts performed the best, and so much more. All this information will help you understand how people react to and treat your brand. In turn, it’ll help you create content that will achieve positive results with your audience. Make it a habit to check your analytics as frequently as possible but be careful not to let negative consequences discourage you. Always strive to improve your content’s quality on Instagram. It is the only way you will grow.
- Engage with your Audience
If you want to engage with your audience on Instagram, then you must be proactive. Don’t just post something and forget about it. Take time to like comments and respond to them; it makes your audience feel seen and appreciated. Be sure to respond promptly to queries and to respect your supporters, i.e., people who buy and share your products on the platform. If you are ever in a creative rut, you can always ask your audience for help regarding which products they enjoy or which content they would like to see more of. Get creative with the ways you choose to engage with your audience. Engaging your audience helps you build a relationship with them and helps to make your content more visible, so don’t take engagement for granted.
- Use Relevant Hashtags
Hashtags aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and as far as Instagram is concerned, they just might be one of the most excellent tools in your arsenal. Instagram hashtags are about a lot more than just jumping on a trend; when used correctly, they can help curate your content and help your content get out in front of the right people. It is easy to get tempted into using the most trending hashtags on your post, but unless those hashtags are relevant to your post, they won’t do much in terms of visibility. Using too many irrelevant hashtags might hurt the chances of your post getting the reach it deserves. It would help if you took the time to research relevant hashtags and keep them on a list, this way, they will be much easier to find, and your posts will perform better since they will contain the appropriate hashtags on them.
It is also more helpful to use niche hashtags rather than popular hashtags because they will have fewer posts. Since they are super-specific, it is more likely that the person looking at that hashtag is looking for your product.
- Create a Brand Narrative
Running any Instagram page needs a certain level of skill and creativity. It is no longer just about posting nice pictures on your page. This especially true for businesses on Instagram. People like to be entertained, they want to be told stories, and most importantly, they like to be taken on a journey. So, let your posts carry more meaning by weaving a common thread through them. You can no longer get away with just posting some quote you found on Goodreads. Your posts must all come together to tell the same story. That story is your brand’s story, so make sure it is being told through the images you post and their accompanying captions. Take the time to study other businesses, see how they tell their story, and do your very best to emulate that on your business page.
Conclusion
Those are just a few tips that we have that will help your business become more visible on Instagram. It can be super easy to get drowned out by all that content on a platform with so many users and businesses. Hopefully, you could see that you don’t need to hire an entire social media team to run a successful business page. You can easily do it yourself with just a little grit and determination. Leaping to start a business is always tricky, and many challenges lay ahead. However, it is well known that fortune favors the brave, and the fear of failure should never keep you from achieving your goals and ambitions.
