Whether you’re a service or product-based business, Instagram is a pretty powerful (no pun intended) platform. And with over 200 million users (and growing daily) actively visiting a business Instagram profile every day, Instagram is no doubt an essential string to your bow.
So. How does one use Instagram to boost business without sounding too pitchy? We’ve got you.
Here are three (3) ways that you can get the most out of your presence on Instagram (oh, and for free too):
Engage With Your Audience
To get engagement, your business too, has to engage. You get out what you put in.
Genuine relationships (particularly those online) require work – interest, authentic communication, and actual support. Your mere online presence is not enough.
So talk with your followers, take the time to get to know them before the mere like and commenting on their posts. And not just the noncommittal thumbs-up emoji, the equivalent of a ‘K’ text of yesteryear.
Because let’s be honest. You just kind of sound like a bot. And no one likes bots.
Show Up
Whether it’s a question you’ve been asked a few times by your followers and you’ve finally written a post about it, or you’re sharing what goes on behind the scenes on Stories or Instagrm Live, show up on Instagram as much more than just a “business” but as a person behind a brand. Because at the end of the day, people do business, with people.
Try and build a story around the images you share on Instagram too, because without captions or a call to action, your Instagram picture is only a mere attention grab.
“But where do I call the action to with Instagram only allowing one link on your account?” – I hear you say.
Behold. Let us introduce you to Linktree, which allows you to direct your audience to a mini landing page with various options to choose from within your website.
Provide Value to Your Followers
First rule of social media is to not use your social media accounts as your sales pitch. I know, I know – it sounds like mixed messages. Of course businesses need to make money, but that’s not the priority of social media.
Social media, especially Instagram, is where people go to find inspiration and aspire to be better. Selling, selling, selling on platforms such as Instagram is off-putting and unnatural in the space.
So sell by not selling, and instead, hone in on being the ultimate resource to your followers by providing value consistently through tips and advice that people can’t just Google.
Be the go-to source so that your business and your brand become synonymous with your specific product or service for your followers. You know what sets you apart. So let’s show them!
By engaging with your audience in a personable and still productive way while making it easy for your followers to get the information they want, you’ll set your business apart from the competition and stand out to your target audience.