Instagram has experienced an immense boost in its users, following its initial release in 2010. Since then, it has updated and modified several of its features to retain and grow its user base. With different brands on the lookout for unique ways to spread their reach, social media platforms like Instagram have become a very helpful tool to serve the purpose.
From home-grown fashion brands to big automobile manufacturers to local breakout escape room in Bangalore, every business seems to have realized the importance of growing its business on this platform. With several million people swiping across their feeds and looking at so many posts every single minute, Instagram has been identified as a highly potent spot to grow and expand businesses.
However, much like anywhere else, growing your business on Instagram too would require sufficient time, effort, and patience. Here in this article, we will discuss 10 tips that can help you to grow your business on Instagram.
1. Engage with your audience
One of the most crucial factors which need to be considered when it comes to working on almost any social media platform is engagement with customers. Instead of just merely increasing the number of followers that your brand commands, focus on engaging with your customers.
You can do this by interacting with your audience via Live sessions and getting to know them better. Make sure you answer the comments that your customers leave behind instead of leaving them unattended.
2. Post catchy and unique content
While you create or post your pictures or videos (via Reels or igtv), ensure that they are unique and not boring. Do not forget that the key to ace your business on Instagram is through the creation of attractive and catchy visuals.
Focus on creating and posting high-quality images and videos for your page. You can even use the many editing apps that are available to add a professional touch to your images and videos.
Posting small videos or photos of your customers who have been satisfied with their purchase(s) from your brand can also be a great way to attract more customers.
3. Utilize the ‘Story’ feature
Research shows that brands have been tremendously benefited since the introduction of the Story feature on Instagram. It allows businesses to make space for greater customer engagement, as they post short video clips or images that stay on their profiles for 24 hours. Several brands are found to give vent to their creativity as they use this feature.
While some use it to announce new launches, others use it to have a poll where customers choose their favorite products. Thus, there are no limits to the immensely creative ways in which you can use this feature to increase customer engagement and grow your audience base.
4. Post on your feed consistently
If you are thinking of making a post this week and once again in the next two weeks, you better not use Instagram for your business. Customers are generally found to buy products from brands that they think are reliable. So, to gain their trust, posting good quality content on your profile consistently is vital.
There are many tools that you can use to schedule or automate your posts on social media. You can even find out the best time to make a post on Instagram and thereafter schedule all your posts at that time to reach and engage with more people. The Insight feature available on Instagram can be helpful for this purpose.
5. Use relevant hashtags
Usage of relevant hashtags based on your industry can help you to reach more and more people. With hashtags, all posts on Instagram remain organized so that people can follow their interests with ease. Studies show that posts that have at least one hashtag reach more people than those without. However, even while you use hashtags, be cautious not to overuse them.
You can even use a clickable hashtag right in your bio, which is relevant to your brand or is specific to your brand. Following hashtags based on your industry can be a helpful strategy to stay updated on the latest trends in the market.
6. Create a strong bio
Get creative as you design the bio for your brand. Your bio is the place that makes your audience aware of what they can expect from you. Hence, ensure that your bio is one that talks of your brand in a creative and catchy way.
You can even paste your brand’s URL on your bio so that people can reach out to your website directly if they want.
7. Work with influencers
Influencers can immensely help you to increase the reach of your brand. People with a large number of followers and leverage on Instagram can help you promote your brand by acting as influencers.
However, be cautious even while you choose an influencer for your brand. To choose the right person as an influencer, merely checking the number of followers that they have is not enough. You also need to check if they are specifically suited to represent your brand, and only then should you proceed any further.
8. Track your insights
While growing your business on Instagram, checking up the analytics once in a while is vital to see if your brand has made any progress. You can use Instagram’s built-in analytics tool to see how many users viewed your posts and how many accounts you were able to reach.
By tracking the numbers regularly, you can work on and improve your social media marketing strategies and reach more people.
9. Host giveaways
Everyone likes to have free stuff, and hence one of the most beneficial ways to grow your business on Instagram is by hosting giveaways. You can either host a giveaway of your products or services as an individual brand or collaborate with another brand to host the same.
In this way, you can increase customer engagement and bring in new followers under your brand’s shadow.
10. Don’t buy followers at all costs
Yes, you can buy and increase those numbers of your followers on Instagram, but then you won’t be building any relationship with your audience. Growing your business is rather about building customer relations based on trust and honesty. Even though growing the number of followers on Instagram would take a lot of days, stick to that.
Buying fake followers might seem attractive to you initially, but in the long run, you would come to realize how you have wasted opportunities to build actual customer relationships.
Conclusion
These are the 10 tips that can be useful to you as you grow and expand your business on Instagram. The platform offers several features that can be beneficial for your business marketing. So, make sure you utilize them with smart strategies to grow your customer base quickly and certainly.
Author Bio: Aniya more is one of the brightest content writer at Breakout escape rooms. She is a passionate writer who loves to read books and explore different escape rooms. With a great work ethic, she spends most of her time researching and reading. When she is not working, she likes to relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy watching her favorite tv show or walking her dog peanut. You can find her on LinkedIn.