How do businesses start from nothing on Instagram and get to 1000 followers, 10,000? It doesn’t happen without the right strategy and an understanding of how to grow your brand on Instagram. Take your slow start to new heights by applying these 8 powerful tips.
1. Switch to a Business Account
90% of Instagram accounts follow at least one business. 83% of IG users say they’ve discovered a new product on Instagram. People on Instagram must recognize that you’re a business to engage with you like a business, exploring what you offer.
A business account offers you additional insights into how people are interacting with your account. Get real-time metrics on your stories, posts, and followers. That data is important if you want to grow your brand on Instagram.
Additionally, you get other business-boosting features you don’t get with a regular account:
- A contact button to your profile
- An industry displayed on your profile
- Connect Facebook business page to Instagram business page
- Ability to promote posts and advertise on Instagram
- Add links to Instagram stories once you have 10,000 followers
10,000 followers? That may seem out of reach right now. But it’s important to think long-term and start planning now for how you’ll get there. Having links in your stories is a big deal. Give followers direct access to your new products and website resources.
2. Establish & Measure Benchmarking Metrics
Like any marketing tool, you need to conversion rate optimize your Instagram account at every stage of the Buyer’s Journey. This ensure you get an Instagram ROI that justifies your investment in this platform. Establish what you’ll measure and how you’ll measure each stage helps you achieve this.
Brand Awareness
- Followers
- IG Traffic
- Share of Voice
Consideration (Lead-generation)
These will vary based on business model but may include:
- Click-through rate/website traffic coming from IG
- Number of leads
- Number of email signups
- Number of downloads
- Number of free trials requested
Decision-Making (Sales)
- Number of sales
- Average Order Value (AOV)
Delighting Customers and Increasing Promoter Activity
- Likes
- Shares
- Comments
- Mentions
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
3. Build an Instagram Strategy
Now, it’s time to build an Instagram strategy that helps you accomplish your goals.
Your Instagram strategy includes elements like:
- What type of content you’ll post, and how frequently
- How your brand relates to the audience
- How you increase visibility
- How you convert engagement into leads
- How you turn a sale into a delighted customer who helps you expand your brand
SEE ALSO…
9 Steps to Start Advertising on Instagram
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Local Ads on Google Maps: The Power of Perfect Timing
How a Content Gap Analysis Helps Increase Your Content Marketing ROI
4. Use Product Teasers
Over-promotion on Instagram will hinder your ability to grow a following. But showcasing products and customers using products in appealing ways is well-received. It shows that you value your audience and think about how they use and enjoy what you sell.
Product teasers are a great way to spark curiosity and generate discussion around your brand without being openly promotional.
5. Run Instagram Contests
91% of Instagram posts that have 100 or more comments are related to contests. People get excited about the chance to win free stuff.
Instagram contests engage your followers and generate new ones. A well-constructed contest can grow your following fast. And continuing to run contests periodically can help you retain a following to grow exponentially.
Get your existing customer engaged by asking them to showcase your products in their posts for a chance to win. Create a unique hashtag to track contest performance.
6. Leverage the Sponsored Ad / Post
Organic social media engagement is what you want. Paid social media is an important step in the process. Sponsored posts appear in the organic feed of your target audience.
Target geographically if you have a local audience to ensure you’re generating followers who are more likely to become customers. So if you’re in the Houston area, be sure to geo-target before launching those ads.
7. Publish Consistently
To grow on Instagram, you must consistently post. But this doesn’t mean you have to be constantly posting. Every social media platform is a little different, and people on those platforms prefer frequency and content type.
Unlike Twitter, which is a little more laid back and likes frequency, your Instagram audience appreciates quality over quantity. So if you can post a high-quality, beautifully-designed post 1X a day, that’s preferable to 10 quick and poorly planned posts.
It’s important to test and adapt if your audience is different, but this is a good place to start.
8. Take Advantage of Scheduling and Automation
Don’t have an hour every day to create an amazing post? Many people choose scheduling and automation instead. This will often save you time because you can work non-stop in one to two sittings, keeping the creative ideas flowing.
Tools like SocialPilot or Hootsuite to schedule your posts for a week or month. But always be careful with automation tools. If you try to automate too much with liking, sharing, or following, you can get your account disabled. Social media is intended for social interaction between people, not bots.
Grow Your Brand on Instagram
Want to beat out the competition and grow your brand on Instagram? Get your target audience interested and excited about what you’re doing on Instagram. Stand out from the many, many businesses who struggle to get their first 1000 followers.
