Article by Katina Beveridge, ASBAS Advisor, Western Sydney Business Centre
6 Tips to Using Instagram for Business
Instagram has around a billion registered users, with 500 million of them logging in, liking, commenting, and posting content every day. Sixty percent of these users search for and discover new products on this platform. It also doesn’t take much time and effort to manage, as long as you have the right strategy in place.
Six useful tips on how to use Instagram to grow your local business and achieve your business goals.
Switch to a business account.
Some business owners think that switching to an Instagram business account will diminish the popularity and reach of their brand. This is so not true. The value of a business account is the same as that of a personal account. But switching to a business account will give you access to a lot of features not available to personal accounts, such as the analytics page. Running ads on Facebook and Instagram is also a lot easier when you have a business account.
To convert your personal Instagram account to a business account, just go to your Account Settings and tap Switch to Business Profile. You will be prompted to connect your Facebook business page to complete the process.
Have an attracting bio.
One of the things that users look at when they look at your account is your bio. Your description should be creative, succinct and clear. Include your location, areas you serve, who you are, and what you do. The space is limited so make sure what you put in there matters. Don’t forget to add an eye-catching profile image. You can use your brand logo as long as it is recognisable.
Don’t forget to add the link to your website. This is your only chance to drive traffic to your website and influence your followers into what you want them to do. For example, if you want them to sign up on your website, you can add the link to your signup page.
Don’t skimp on hashtags.
Hashtags are crucial in increasing your reach and growing your account. Create a list of popular hashtags that are relevant to your business and location. No matter how popular or trending a hashtag is, don’t be tempted to use it unless it makes sense with your brand. Irrelevant hashtags will only make your posts look awkward and promotional. Take advantage of online tools to search for popular hashtags by subject or industry.
Use high-quality photos.
Instagram is a highly-visual platform, so you need to make sure your posts stand out. Posting blurry, unbalanced or low-quality photos will only make your feed unpopular. Invest in a good camera or a smartphone with a good camera to take high-quality pictures with. Implement photography concepts and apply filters if necessary, to make your images more attractive.
Have a theme.
Don’t just post pictures randomly on your Instagram account. Setting a theme can help organise your posts and bring out patterns in your Instagram feed. Using a particular color palette, layout or other consistent elements can help make your posts a lot nicer to look at and could also improve your branding.
Tag your location.
Including your location in every post can help promote your local business to users who are looking for businesses near their location. It also makes your physical location easier to find. Instagram now allows users to geotag posts and business owners should be taking advantage of this useful feature.
Instagram is a growing platform, it won’t be long before it reaches the level of Facebook. Investing in a good Instagram strategy with the help of these tips can help position your business for success
