As we hit yet another week, what better way to start it than the next entry into our ongoing series on how to grow your brand using social media? You can check out our first two, if you haven’t already, by clicking here:
How to Use Twitter to Grow Your Brand
How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Brand
With over 1 billion monthly users, Instagram is a key resource for any brand looking to make an impact. To put that into perspective, more people log into Instagram and interact than they do on Twitter. Apart from likely having something to do with the pretty pictures which lead to much easier doom-scrolling than the more in-depth text-based content on Twitter, Instagram is a place to show off and enjoy others showing off.
It’s the number one dopamine producer after Facebook – and probably some medical drugs. If that does not convince you to get your business active on Instagram, it’s hard to say what will. But it’s one of the most successful social media platforms of the last decade and has a potential that seems to keep on growing.
To grow your business on Instagram, there are several sure-fire ways to make an impact. Our social media experts at Myk Baxter Marketing know that with the right tools, and the right marketing strategy, Instagram can turn into a key component of any brand looking to make an impact, and even more specifically, it’s a great place for eCommerce to flourish.
Here are some of our tips on how to bring your brand’s Instagram to life, and grow your business through the power of imagery and interaction.
Shopping for Art
Instagram users are addicted to good pictures and engaging videos. It’s often said, that with the right image, users will respond positively to any marketing message you put under it, regardless if it’s a hard sell or a soft one.
The trick with Instagram is to sell your art. Your product or service can easily be art, given the right frame and background. Each photo should complement the other, so when a user clicks through to see more about your brand, a clear aesthetic and tone come across.
We all know internet users are fast to click away. Holding them there with engaging content is what makes a brand stand out.
You need to post often enough that your brand stays relevant, but at the same time, you don’t want to post so often that you overwhelm your followers. They’ll only end up unfollowing you, bored of the same posts day in and day out.
Finding that balance is sometimes easier said than done, but luckily, Myk Baxter Marketing has the know-how and the experience to help your brand find that perfect equilibrium. There’s no magic formula, after all, each brand is different. A-B testing and trial and error are your best bet solo. MBM is your best bet for results.
Take Advantage of the Free Tools
Everyone likes something for free, and sometimes you don’t need to go spending hundreds of dollars on an app to manage your app. Instagram offers business profiles that are packed with tools and solutions to everyday brand post problems. If you’ve used Facebook’s business page, you’ll know how it works – they’re owned by the same brand after all.
Before people can follow you, they need to click through to your page. By setting up a legitimate business page, you instil a sense of trustworthiness to your visitors. A catchy bio and a useful link in the description can work wonders. Be sure to clearly state your brand’s role in the world, without going too far off-tone or coming across as bland.
A simple, fun, yet sales-y tone seems to work best, in our experience at least. Adding a cheeky hashtag can help link you to a hashtag thread, but remember that the copy in the bio is not searchable – so forget the SEO in this case.
The contact, or call-to-action button can also be a saviour. If people want to contact your business, they don’t want to leave the app to do it. But be prepared to connect with new customers through the IM function – opening a new avenue to communication, and another platform to manage. Taxing, but highly recommended.
Business profiles have access to analytics, or as they call them, Insights, giving users access to impression and engagement data. The more you understand how your users are interacting with your content, the better you can make adjustments to improve your engagement.
Be Creative
Instagram is all about creativity. From photos to videos, and now a new ‘Reels’ function (that shamelessly mimics TikTok), you have to work hard to connect with followers using just an image or two.
Being creative with your images is a great way to connect with your followers and it’s far more effective than posts that look like straight-up adverts. When was the last time you were scrolling through and double-tapped on a photo you liked only to find out it was a paid ad, slipped into your feed without you realising? Recreate that.
The power of professional photography is also something not to be ignored. 67% of consumers feel detailed images are more valuable and trustworthy than other metrics such as product information or user ratings.
Instead of selling on every post, engage with the audience and drive traffic to a place that can be more focused on making the sale. Instagram is all about creating a culture, a photo album of the world. Nobody wants an advert in the middle of an afternoon flicking through dusty photos from 15 years ago – and nor do Instagram users.
Luckily, Myk Baxter Marketing knows how to be savvy on Instagram, helping countless businesses find growth and increase conversions through strategic and calculated adjustments to their innovative social media marketing strategies.
At Myk Baxter Marketing, we can help tailor your Instagram strategies to best suit your brand. From eye-catching photos to hilarious reels, we help get brands noticed. Find out more by visiting www.mykbaxtermarketing.com today.
