When you think of high engagement, genuine connections or interactions, Instagram may not be the first platform that jumps to your mind. However, many social media strategists are discovering the best tips and tricks for using Instagram as a platform to build lasting connections with users (and possible consumers!).
The reason Instagram is good for authentic leads has to do with the work it takes for users to engage with brands on the platform. Instagram on average has less traffic to websites because a user has to first see the content, read the caption, tap the profile to get to the bio and then click the link to your website. Although, after a user has done all of those steps, you can guarantee they definitely want to be on your website looking at your brand. This is why Instagram is known for its high-quality conversion from users simply glancing at content to signing up for your email lists, downloading free products, or signing up for your new webinar.
All of that sounds really appealing to people who have their businesses online and thrive on that engagement. But how do you achieve it? Here are three things you can do today to boost your traffic from Instagram to your website today.
Boost Your Profile
The first step is making sure your profile is something that is accessible and interesting to users from the outside! Remember, the first part of building leads is the initial content that users see on Instagram. Make sure your name is something recognizable and will pop up in search results. For example: “simplysarahstyle” is more likely to gain traffic on their Instagram page than a username like “sarah5763.” The second username doesn’t tell you anything about the page and would not show up if a user wanted to find an Instagram account on style or fashion–even if the page posted that type of content.
Also in your profile you need to have a clear bio. Think of this as your pitch to anyone interested in your brand–because for Instagram, it is. Users don’t spend that much time on any given Instagram page, so you need to make sure you are selling your brand in 30-seconds or less in your bio. Perhaps even more important to have–a link to the website you want to drive traffic to! Instagram posts don’t have clickable links, so if you want fans to click on a link, it HAS to be in your bio.
Make Your Content Easy to Engage With
Sometimes scrolling on Instagram can be an endless cycle and users mindlessly interact with content which does not lead to the traffic we are looking for. In order to counteract this trend, make sure your content is easily accessible and engaging. A key and easy way to do this is to always include a Call to Action at the end of your posts. A Call to Action encourages fans to do something after they read your post. That might be clicking the link in your bio, sharing the post to their story, or tagging a friend in the comments. Asking users to do something switches up the natural Instagram routine and leads to lasting interactions both on your Instagram page and on your website.
Opt to Switch to a Business Profile
Instagram has a cool feature that mirrors Facebook’s Page option. If you are using your Instagram to represent your brand, there is no reason you should not be listed as a Business Profile. Business Profiles function almost exactly the same as personal ones, except you get to categorize yourself under the type of business you are, add contact information, and see insights on your posts.
Your insights tab can be found by clicking on the three line menu in the top right corner and then selecting “Insights.” From there, the first tab is Content which shows you all of your feed posts followed by your Story posts. You can look at data up to 2 years in the past or for a shorter timespan of 7 days if you prefer. Insights will show you which posts or Stories were engaged with the most (including page visits and bio link clicks). Using Analytics to your advantage could mean testing out different Call to Actions in captions or types of content posted to see which garners the most traffic. You can find a lot of valuable information in insight data, if you know what you’re looking for!
Which of these three strategies can you implement today? Let us know in the comments if you want more tips for building organic Instagram leads!