Can you believe this social media platform is over a decade old? Since its beginning in 2010, Instagram rapidly gained users–and became a great place for businesses to advertise. Larger companies have established themselves by sharing posts that include everything from creative ads to behind-the-scenes photographs to product contests, and other industry-related imagery. But who says you have to be a large corporation to reap the benefits of this great network of new and existing customers?
The window of opportunity that has been opened for small businesses to compete with bigger competitors has never been wider. That means it’s crucial for companies like yours to have an online presence in a world that’s more technology-driven than ever before!
Let’s go over some of the best practices that your small business can follow to jumpstart success on Instagram:
If Instagram is foreign territory for you—fear not! Simply begin by creating your business account. If your business is already on Instagram, but you haven’t created a business profile yet, it’s easy to make the switch! You simply have to go into your profile, click the upper right corner with the three lines, scroll down to “Account type and tools,” and hit “switch to professional account.” It’s that easy! But what do you do from there?
Here are some important tips to keep in mind when creating or updating your business profile account:
There are countless things you can share on your company’s Instagram profile. As a small business, the most important items for you to focus on are the products and services that your company offers—but don’t limit yourself to advertising what you sell. Instagram gives you the chance to “humanize” your brand. Authenticity and reliability are two major themes of what potential customers look for in business’ social media profiles. Don’t be afraid to share behind-the-scenes photographs, repost customer posts and interact with visitors by starting a fun giveaway or contest or simply replying to their comments!
Don’t fret if you only have enough photos or videos for once a week or once a month. Instagram content should be a combination of informal and entertaining; or “infotaining.” This doesn’t necessarily mean all of your posts need to be funny, but it does mean a more casual and approachable way to educate your audience. Fun facts, infographics, or even just a well-crafted branded image can be infotaining when done right!
Reels is another very popular post type on Instagram. Reels are short-form, vertical videos you can use to promote your business or its services. These posts allow you to add trending music or sounds and add voice dubs or effects to create more captivating and engaging content than a regular still graphic. In fact, Reels account for over 30% of the total time spent on Instagram and get 300% more engagement than regular videos! If utilizing Reels, be sure to add captions. Despite the hard work you may put into choosing the right music or recording the perfect voice lines, 20% of Reels are viewed with the sound off.
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Another great way to post on Instagram is through Stories. Stories are limited-time photos or videos highlighted on your profile to showcase services, products, behind-the-scenes, polls, Q&As and more. These do NOT go into your Instagram feed and they disappear after 24-hours (unless you choose to permanently highlight a story on your profile.) Why don’t these posts last? Because they’re designed to be fast, fun and memorable ways for your audience to engage with you. Over 500 million people on Instagram view Stories, so any snippets that may be fun to publish quickly on your profile but not have as an official post is a great way to utilize this feature.
If you didn’t know this by now, social media is a powerful marketing tool. It provides the ability to connect with customers on a more personal level. So, use that to your advantage. Rather than sharing a post and walking away from it, monitor it. Pay attention to the comments. Yes, many visitors will comment with only a few words or an emoji, but these comments still warrant a reply! A simple “thank you,” heart emoji or other acknowledgement goes a long way. But, keep an eye out for visitors who comment with valuable questions or seek more information about your products or services. Responding to them in a thorough, timely manner presents a great opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and showcase your personality and values. This is your chance to turn a stranger into a customer. This includes negative feedback as well. Addressing criticisms or poor reviews that may come through in a timely, polite and apologetic manner can create brand trust and boost your brand reputation. Deleting negative comments is actually one of the worst things you can do! It comes off to consumers as if you are not a brand to be trusted or willing to improve.
You can also do more than wait for customers to come to you. Instead, YOU can proactively engage with the people in your market. Search for hashtags that relate to what your company does and engage with users who may be searching for a service that you can provide. For example, if you’re a plumber, you can search for local realtors (or house flipping influencers in your area) and engage with them. By simply engaging with their content, you’re introducing yourself to them—and their followers. You may even open the door to a partnership to be the first call they make when your services are needed!
Now, armed with these Instagram best practices, your small business is ready to become a social butterfly. Easier said than done? Well, the KickCharge Creative team can help. We tackle social media marketing for plumbers, small businesses, HVAC companies and contractors on a daily basis. It’s our goal to make it simple for our clients to keep up with every aspect of their online presence.
Reach out to us today for more information on how we can help you ‘Gram to your fullest potential!
Kim Pereira 