The pandemic forced a lot of offline businesses to switch to online mode. Moreover, people now prefer online and convenient ways to shop! Now you must be wondering how to get started with Instagram for business in 2022. Not a problem!
It’s now a fact that Instagram is so much more than a photo/video sharing application. You’d be happy to know that Instagram can be used for fundraising, brand awareness, live updates and even for generating leads for your business.
With its transformation into a ‘business hub’, using it for your own start-up will now be a child’s play! Check few live examples of brands here.
Basically, all you need to do is follow our guide to opening an awesome page for your company on Instagram and thrive!
Before we get to the good stuff, we want to familiarise you with some common Insta terminologies that will come in handy! Oh wait, our super bonus tip for killer reach on Instagram is at the end, so read fully to kickstart Instagram for your business. Please skip this part if you are not a noob.
Instagram Bio: This is where you describe your business so that users can get an idea of what you’re selling. One of the best ways to use this feature is by adding the USP(unique selling point) of the product/service. Provide a catchy tagline and adding even a CTA(Call to action) link here!
DM: This stands for Direct Message. If your customer has a complaint or question, it's best practice to chat with them via direct message to keep the conversation private. We recommend being more informal and friendly with your clients in your chat to make them feel more connected.
Follow and Following: Being a business account be super picky on who you will be following from this account
Hashtag (#): Just as you’ve seen hashtags on Twitter, this feature on Instagram is for indexing words or phrases. Dunno if you’re aware of this, but there’s a thing called ‘Instagram Algorithm’ “We use a variety of algorithms, classifiers, and processes, each with its own purpose. Each part of the app – Feed, Explore, Reels – uses its own algorithm tailored to how people use it.“ - Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram. Basically, you need to make good use of this feature since people follow hashtags. Adding few hashtags to your post will make it visible on your target audience's feed.
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of Instagram, let’s go over the steps to success one by one:
Step 1: Creating an Instagram business account!
And before that, there is a common mistake which most of us make. We simply use a normal Instagram account but switching it to a business account is mandatory. This unlocks a lot of other features which is not accessible with a normal Instagram Account.
Let’s understand in quick and easy steps to sign up for an Instagram business account:
Open the app and tap on Sign up! After this, you’ll simply follow the steps as the app will show you. Following those steps will take you to a section for entering a username.
Type in a good username. It is the essence of your Instagram as the username is used to discover your account, your brand/business. This is a serious factor in determining if one will follow you or not. It is best to keep your business name as username. If the username is taken then alter it slightly. Type in your password and enter your profile info.
Last step…. Tap NEXT!
And Voila! You’ve created your Instagram account!
Now Go to your profile and tap in the upper right corner.
Go to Settings.
Account.
Tap Switch to Professional Account.
Continue.
Select a Category for your business and tap Done.
Tap OK to confirm.
Step 2: Decorate your Business Profile on Instagram
Write a great bio
Before following any account, people read their bio to see what content they are going to expect from you. Use this section to stand out with your word. This is what your target audience will see when they stumble upon your page.
Tips: Use emojis and short lines (will keep them interested) and add a CTA Link for their ease (could be the direct link to your website)
Enhance your Instagram Page!
Our Advice to you would be to keep your Brand Logo as your Profile Picture! It will definitely boost your brand identity.
And while you focus on that, try setting a good brand colour. Now you’re thinking why colour is important? Well, it’s crucial for your business identity. It’s like a secret ingredient that works as a catalyst for your brand recognition! Your first impression as a business kinda depends on this so you definitely need to work on intricate detailing such as brand colour.
Creating a good, crisp and to-the-point bio is important too.
Viewers should…. You know...STOP! Wait A Minute! And check out your bio and page right?
Putting up Story Highlights which will be the first thing visible to your target audience is another thing you need to focus on! You can separate different information related stories to different highlights.
Step 3: Aesthetic Content Sticks!
Well, it goes without saying that High-Quality Posts and Content attract more clients. Also, being spontaneous is awesome, but it is important to have a uniform visual identity that will only result in quick recognition!
Setting a definite theme for your posts will do it. Adding more professional touch to the photos you post.
If you’re a product-based brand then adding professional looking pictures to your profile will do. But let's say if you’re a business providing any services, you can show your content in the form of customer stories!
Oh and! Use compelling captions (preferably trend-inspired) and it’s important to post your content regularly/periodically to keep your audience interested!
Making Social Media Calendars for your business is a highly recommended way of planning your e-business correctly.
Wondering WTH is a social media calendar? - We have a free social media calendar template for your business. Drop us an email and we are really happy to send you this.
STEP 4: Work on engaging the Audience
A business works well only when there’s a connection between the buyers and the sellers, and, Instagram, being a social media platform, is already about virtual engagements! It’s pretty obvious that you keep your business account on Instagram as engaging and interactive as possible!
User-generated content. Yes, you heard right! It is a thing. It’s where you repost your client’s stories in which they praise and acknowledge your product/services! This makes them feel valued and eventually they turn into your Brand Ambassadors [ for free;) ]
And how can you do that?
Reply to their DMs,
Respond to their comments on your posts,
If they share a story tagging you then re-share the story
Doing Instagram Giveaways where you conduct challenges and reward the audience with free gifts.
You can even promote your brand through Instagram Influencers. These popular identities of Instagram have proved to be exactly what their tag suggests, influencers. You can hire them to publicise your business’ products and services!
Collaborating with other brands is another way to drive engagement. This way you can expose your business to a different section of the audience and turn them into your
followers ;)
STEP 5: Keep Track and Measure your Success
This is the final step to making your Instagram account a success. Yeah, this could be a bit boring… But it is important to know where you stand and exactly how much you need to do to go further!🏆
You can use a few tracking tools for that. In fact, Instagram has an “Insights” feature on its business account. However, that only shows insights up to 30 days back. You’ll require a little more permanent fix for this.
One of the ways is to keep trying different types of content (A/B testing technique) to see which ones get more reach!
These 5 steps are sure to take your business where you deserve!
It’d be in your best interest if you focus on these additional yet very important tips to really get your business going! But remember there are other social media platforms that can be a better option to reach your target audience.
Post As many engaging Instagram Stories as possible!
Pay attention to your post captions!
Let your audience in on your business, behind the scenes peak style;)
Use all Instagram formats, like, Reels, IGTV, Go Live.
You can even come up with strategies such as incentives ‘Only For Followers’ kind of posts to attract more people!
Can’t.Emphasize.Enough! Use hashtags while posting your content.
The secret HACK for Instagram reach! (Bonus)
Instagram reels is the hottest thing right now. You can whip up short ( 30 to 60 seconds) visual videos which appear directly on the feed and explore page. More on Reels Here. We Hope getting started with Instagram for business 2022 is clear. Still, if you got any doubts or even require assistance from us regarding anything, be it Planning, Creating your Social Media Calendar, or anything else, feel free to contact us anytime! Trust us, you got this! Especially now that you know how to go about it!
See you in our next blog ;) Ciao! 👋
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