As Instagram has gained popularity with the eCommerce crowd, there are tons of new opportunities that allow sellers to better communicate with their clientele. Growing your social media presence can sound intimidating at first. However, once you learn just how easy it is to use Instagram to your advantage, your engagement can increase in no time. Here is a guide that will teach you how to effectively make use of Instagram.
Use Meaningful Hashtags
One of the easiest ways to get your brand out there is to use meaningful hashtags. Hashtags can make your content easier to find which in turn will bring more people to your account. When you’re just starting out, it might be helpful to use some popular hashtags to ensure that your posts are reaching as many people as possible. However, it is equally important to implement hashtags that are relevant to your business as well. This allows for a community to form around your business or the products that you are selling as well as encourage audience interactions.
Using hashtags is an effective way to improve your engagement rate. According to Social Media Today, Instagram posts that use hashtags gain 12.6% more engagement as compared to those that don’t. So, be sure to get creative with your hashtags, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new ones.
Plan Your Instagram Feed
Because Instagram is a platform that depends on images, it is important to ensure that the content you create and post is consistent and aesthetically pleasing. One way to maintain consistency is to choose the aesthetic of your Instagram profile. You can do this by taking note of what kind of posts are most effective with your specific audience. After learning what kind of content your followers like to see, begin to tailor your future posts to be similar to your most popular content. Another way to maintain consistency is to use similar filters on your photos. This will give your feed a more cohesive look while not necessarily posting the same kind of content.
Create Stories
Utilizing Instagram’s story feature is a perfect way to showcase your business to an already engaged audience. Using stories opens up many different opportunities for you to promote products to your customers. In addition to showing your audience any new products, stories are a great place for you to promote any offers or deals you may have. Additionally, if you have a Business account AND have over 10,000 followers (or if you are a verified user), you are able to utilize Instagram’s “Swipe Up” tool to add links to your stories. However, if you don’t meet these requirements, there is a workaround to allow you to use the “Swipe Up” feature as well. Check it out in our previous blog. Creating stories can also give your audience a personal view of your own personal use of the products, as well as share content from other customers.
Use Instagram Live
Using Instagram Live might seem intimidating at first, but there really are no set requirements for how to do so. Instagram Live allows you to connect with your followers in a transparent and authentic way. Going live gives you priority in your follower’s story feeds. This will ensure that your live stream is the first thing people see when they swipe through stories. Going live can also help your followers see the face of the brand. In a live stream, you can do product demonstrations and even answer questions in real-time.
Happy Instagramming!
Source: Kapoor, Nancy. “4 Ways to Amplify Your Customer Experience on Instagram in 2021 [Infographic].” Social Media Today, 25 Apr. 2021, www.socialmediatoday.com/news/4-ways-to-amplify-your-customer-experience-on-instagram-in-2021-infographi/598993/.