Viewer engagement is higher on Instagram than any other platform with 500 million daily active users waiting for your interesting, entertaining, follow-worthy content. With over 1 billion active monthly users, it is a valuable tool to grow your customer base and build brand awareness. By using Instagram, small businesses can connect with their target audience, showcase their products and services, and interact with their customers in real-time.
One of the primary benefits of using Instagram for business is its visual nature. The platform is designed to showcase images and videos, which makes it an ideal place for businesses to showcase their products, services, and overall brand image. By sharing high-quality, visually appealing content, small businesses can engage their followers and create a positive image of their brand.
In the social media marketing world, your goal is for your ideal clients to know, like, and trust you, and Instagram provides the optimum platform to achieve that goal. You can easily chat with your followers, use polls, and follow metrics and insights for market research to increase engagement and grow your business. Customers can even purchase directly from your Instagram shop. From your bio, you can provide a link to your website or landing page or follow any action for your campaign strategy objectives.
In addition to building relationships with customers, Instagram also provides small businesses with valuable insights into their audience and the performance of their marketing efforts. By using Instagram’s built-in analytics tools, businesses can track the success of their posts, understand the demographics of their audience, and identify what type of content resonates best with their followers. This information can then be used to inform future marketing strategies and optimize the impact of their efforts.
Instagram also provides small businesses with the opportunity to run targeted ad campaigns. By using Instagram’s advertising platform, businesses can reach a highly targeted audience with specific interests, behaviors, and demographics. This can help businesses to maximize the impact of their advertising dollars and reach their ideal customers with a highly relevant message.
From a marketing perspective, Instagram can take your ideal clients through each phase of the marketing funnel:
Awareness – Grab your client’s attention through posts, stories, reels and highlights.
Interest – As followers enjoy your content, their interest and engagement grows.
Desire – Now your client trusts you and desires to purchase your product.
Action – Your client is compelled to take action thanks to the relationship you have fostered.
Advocacy – Client advocacy is where your client now advocates for you and becomes your brand ambassador.
Instagram has the ability to reach a large, targeted audience. With over 1 billion active users, businesses can use hashtags, location tags, and influencer partnerships to reach their ideal audience. This can help businesses expand their reach, build brand awareness, and increase their customer base.
Instagram also provides small businesses with the opportunity to interact with their customers in real-time. By responding to comments and messages, businesses can build relationships with their customers, address any concerns they may have, and provide personalized support. This can help to increase customer loyalty, create brand advocates, and drive customer engagement.
From a heart felt person-to-person business perspective, Instagram fosters community within a tribe that is uniquely your own. With a targeted Instagram marketing strategy, you can also attract your ideal client and increase your business.
In conclusion, Instagram is a valuable tool for small businesses looking to grow their customer base and build brand awareness. With its visual nature, large audience, ability to interact with customers, powerful insights and advertising capabilities, Instagram provides small businesses with a cost-effective way to reach their target audience and drive growth. Whether your business is looking to increase its brand visibility, build customer relationships, or drive sales, Instagram is a platform that should not be overlooked.
When managed properly, social platforms help create community, grow your audience, promote your products, and drive traffic to your website which will ultimately grow your business.
As a social media expert, a question I often get asked by small business owners is “What social media platform should I use for my business?” My answer is always the same. I say, “That depends”. It depends on who your target audience is, who your ideal customer is, where they are hanging out, and where your passion lies.
Your own website
You need your own website and blog. Small businesses that relied only on Facebook as their business page learnt this lesson October 4th ‘21, the day Facebook and Instagram went down. You need your own domain so that you have control over your own business page. Relying solely on Facebook, or any social media platform is like living in someone else’s tent.
Facebook
Whether you love it or hate it; Facebook still has the largest audience with over 2 billion users. Facebook ad campaigns (if done right) are highly effective. Plus, you can take advantage of the many extra and free features like Private Groups. Facebook is almost mandatory for your social media presence. Do NOT use your personal Facebook page. Set up a separate Facebook business page.
LinkedIn
92% of B2B (Business to Business) marketers prefer LinkedIn. LinkedIn gives your business legitimacy. The first place another business, a bank, a prospective employee, or potential client is going to check you out is on LinkedIn.
YouTube
For high exposure, YouTube is the second largest search engine next to Google, but you need good video content.
Instagram
Instagram is more than just pretty pictures. Engagement is higher on Instagram than all other platforms with 500 million daily active users waiting for your interesting, entertaining, follow-worthy content. Plus, products can be purchased directly through Instagram.
Pinterest
Pinterest is a highly engaged method of showing off your product. Especially, if your product is visually beautiful fashion, food or home décor. Users tend to stay on Pinterest longer than other platforms.
Twitter for Business
Twitter might be the easiest platform to set up and use, but it is also the fastest moving with up-to-date trends, news, and connections. Be prepared to post several times per day & stay current.
Choosing a platform beyond the big 5: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest will depend on your audience. You might also consider:
WhatsApp
Tumblr
SnapChat,
TikTok
Reddit
etc…
For example:
If you had an ice cream stand at the beach you could be on Tik Tok, Twitter and Instagram for quick social shares and fun customer engagement with creative videos like the flavour of the day, your funky staff, or closures due to rain.
Alternatively, an insurance agent would do better building engagement on LinkedIn.
The Bottom Line:
Depending on how much time you have to devote to social posting you are better off doing a great job on one platform rather than random posting on several platforms. Choose a platform that you enjoy and that the culture makes sense to you. The whole idea is to engage, connect, and build a community by adding value to your clients’ lives. Eventually your audience will grow to trust you as an expert in your field and like you enough to purchase from you.
Please let me know if this is information is helpful to you.
You can follow along with these screen shots of my phone as I create a post. Or, you can skip to the bottom of this page for a numbered list of directions.
Open the Instagram app
Click on the + on the top right corner of your phone
You will get a drop down called Create New that gives you options
Choose: Feed Post
Choose your photo from your phone’s photo Gallery
Edit your photo,
straighten the horizon and choose a filter, if you want.
Click on the Blue arrow at the top right corner of your phone to get to the page where you write your message
Type over Write a caption….
Write a comment that add values and invites engagement
Add hashtags
Tag People
Click on your photo and start typing your Instagram name to tag yourself or anyone in the photo
Tap the blue check mark at the top right of the page
Add location
Click on your photo and start typing your location to tag yourself or anyone in the photo
Share to Facebook
When your post is live answer people’s comments
First Steps to Make an Instagram Post
Load the Instagram app on your phone.
Open the Instagram app
Click on the + on the top right corner of your phone inside the Instagram App
You will get a drop down that gives you options.
Choose Create New
Choose: Create post
Choose your photo from your phone’s photo Gallery
– Edit your photo,
– straighten the horizon, choose a filter, add text and stickers if you want
Click on the Blue arrow at the top right corner of your phone to get to the page where you write your message
Type over Write a caption….
– Describe your photo with a comment that add values and invites engagement.
Add hashtags
Tag People
– Tap on your photo and start typing your Instagram name to tag yourself or anyone in the photo
Add location
– Click on your photo and start typing your location
Share to Facebook if you want to
Tap the blue check mark at the top right of the page to load your post
TaDa!! Good for you!! You did it! Have fun!!
I would love to know if this was helpful for you and what other questions you have. Please drop me a line or message me through Instagram.
When you are searching for content for your social media posts, work through this list for inspiration and ideas. Create your social media calendar by spreading these suggestions throughout the month.
Great Ideas for Your Social Media Posts:
About Me
What is your why? What makes you interesting? What is your passion?
Ask
You won’t get anything you don’t ask for. Ask for a follow, like, or share.
Behind the scenes
Include staff stories Share your process, messiness, or the “real” you (while being positive).
Calendar Days
Observances – ie: Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Talk like a Pirate Day, etc…
Community
Write about what is happening around your community or in the world.
Educate
Provide value and information in your area of expertise.
Encouragement
Share something positive that makes you feel good.
Products and Services
What do you offer? What is interesting or special about your product or service?
Quotes
Share a quote that resonates with you. Use pexels.com or unsplash.com if you don’t have your own photos and create a meme in canva.
Before you hit Post ask yourself these questions:
Is this interesting? Are you adding value? Would you talk like that to your mother? Are you listening or yelling? Listen louder than you yell. Are you being true and consistent to your brand? Do you know your audience? Are you wasting their time or adding value to it? Are you being appropriate to the platform and your tribe? Consider your hook, your insights, and your call to action on every post.
Instagram is a social sharing network mobile app, that you load onto your smart phone for sharing photos and tidbits about your day. It started in 2010, was bought by Facebook in 2012, and has more users than Facebook and Twitter. Insta (instant) Gram (telegram) is an easy way to share photos that you can enhance with built-in filters and simple edits. You can share photos and video real time and add fun stickers with details like location, temperature, time, day and mood. You follow friends and people who align with your interests. People can follow you back and make comments about your photos. They find you with hash tags #.
Even if you don’t understand or wish to use Instagram at least set up an account with your branding name to reserve the name for when you decide to join the fun. My company name is EileenDreams and I missed out on Twitter and got EileenDreamsD – pretty lame. While you are at it, do the same for SnapChat etc if you plan to expand with Social Media….
The easiest way to use Instagram is to use it how it was originally meant to be used:
Take a photo,
Post it,
Add a relevant comment and a couple hashtags.
To Get Started:
Download the Instagram app on your smartphone and sign up for an Instagram account.
Add your profile photo and information. If you are better with a keyboard than a smart phone you can fill in your bio, profile, links, and upload your profile photo on your computer at Instagram.com
Link your new Instagram account to Facebook, Twitter and all your social media platforms and invite your friends to follow you.
There are enough features to edit photos within Instagram itself. There are photo editing tools, filters, tools to level out your horizons, and there is even a rule of thirds grid. Instagram is known for their filters so have fun experimenting with them.
Insanely Simple Photo Editing Sites To Create Memes if you don’t like making your own graphics and are just starting out. (Only use this if you really have to because it screams newbie.)
http://www.canva.com/
http://www.picmonkey.com/
I only ever use my own photos and I find great pleasure in taking my own photos. (To each his own.)
If you need photos, try these free sites:
https://unsplash.com/
http://deathtothestockphoto.com/
https://picjumbo.com/
https://www.morguefile.com/
My 2 favourite graphics sites for images and fonts are:
www.Creativemarket.com
www.inkydeals.com/
Take it up a Notch
First, decide what your goal for this Instagram account is and then have a vision of what you want it to look like. Always remember your own personality, voice, and look. While you should stay true to the look and feel of your brand, some Instagram accounts stay so rigid to their brand that they have become boring. When I started I just wanted to learn how to do it and jumped right in. If you post photos that are not in line with your branding image you can always delete them later while you are still learning. Authenticity is key so don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
If you want to get fancy with your photo, add text and filters, I use an app that I downloaded to my smartphone called “TextGram”. I have tried others but I prefer TextGram because it is simple and it doesn’t load a bunch of advertising crap onto my phone. With TextGram you can add text, frames, filters, fancy effects and it is fast on done on the fly.
Have Fun 🙂
Turn on your phone’s location. Look at other people’s posts and start interacting with them. It is good etiquette to always reply to comments. Manners count just like IRL (in real life).
“Is it t-shirt worthy?” Sometimes it is just relevant or newsworthy but it helps keep the quality of my posts.
Speak to your Uncle (or ideal customer, or friend). Instagram is all about connecting with real people.
Keep your posts positive. You have to be authentic but people turn to Instagram for an instant feel good feeling and appreciate a little smile. When desperate for an idea; Cat photos always work. This is a proven fact. Seriously.
Try https://ifttt.com/ to save time if you wish to cross post to your other social media platforms.
Ideas To Increase Engagement
Using the search option is a great way to find like-minded connections. If you view someone’s profile and honestly like their photos, they might also enjoy your photos or content and start looking at your posts and may even become a follower. Take advantage of your profile section with a photo of you, what you do, and the link you want to share. My IG account is a business account but you can set yours up as a personal account and easily change it later if you want to. When I started I participated in a weekend hashtag project hosted by Instagram. These are fun and always provide an unexpected perspective. Use #hashtags. (a way to define searches.) Occasionally there are rumours about Instagram changing the way it feeds. People get in a big panic and post all sorts of things to get to be at the front of a feed. Honestly, unless you have gazillion followers it really doesn’t matter unless maybe you are in high school.
Just continue to keep engaged and authentic, and have fun! This is my Instagram feed if you are curious. Hopefully you see a theme here:
Grateful that Spring is here. Spring is such a hopeful season 🌞. I`ve been seeing the Amtrak train to Seattle in the morning again. It makes my day when people wave back.😁
Grateful that Spring is here. Spring is such a hopeful season 🌞. I`ve been seeing the Amtrak train to Seattle in the morning again. It makes my day when people wave back.😁
Grateful that I found my old autograph book. These are messages from 1968 to 1970. That`s me and my friends at Little Mountain circa 1969. The sports day photo was me and my bestie Roberta. We had to win ALL the BLUE ribbons! (No participation ribbons back then, so only first place would do.)The photo with my Chihuahua Tiko might have been 1971 or 1972 Kootenay Lake.
All day, every day was spent outside.
It`s been a ride.
Did you have an autograph book? Did you have to come home when the street lights turned on?
Grateful that I found my old autograph book. These are messages from 1968 to 1970. That`s me and my friends at Little Mountain circa 1969. The sports day photo was me and my bestie Roberta. We had to win ALL the BLUE ribbons! (No participation ribbons back then, so only first place would do.)The photo with my Chihuahua Tiko might have been 1971 or 1972 Kootenay Lake.
All day, every day was spent outside.
It`s been a ride.
Did you have an autograph book? Did you have to come home when the street lights turned on?
Grateful for the women in my life. My mother, sister, daughter-in-law, aunts, friends, niece, cousins & co-workers. You inspire me, give me love, & keep me strong. 💕
I took this photo of a remarkable friend of mine on the walk to Buccerias last month. I think this photo embraces the collective strength of women everywhere.
Here`s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.
Grateful for the women in my life. My mother, sister, daughter-in-law, aunts, friends, niece, cousins & co-workers. You inspire me, give me love, & keep me strong. 💕
I took this photo of a remarkable friend of mine on the walk to Buccerias last month. I think this photo embraces the collective strength of women everywhere.
Here`s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.
Grateful for today`s sunshine. It`s been a while, my friend. I missed you.🌞 I was grateful for the opportunity to breathe in the fresh air & sunshine today.
It was another wonderful day. I started my day like most mornings; listening to Eckhart Tolle`s podcast. It grounds me. Then I spent time outside, & visited friends.
Do you enjoy simple pleasures, too? What little things do you do just for you?
Grateful for today`s sunshine. It`s been a while, my friend. I missed you.🌞 I was grateful for the opportunity to breathe in the fresh air & sunshine today.
It was another wonderful day. I started my day like most mornings; listening to Eckhart Tolle`s podcast. It grounds me. Then I spent time outside, & visited friends.
Do you enjoy simple pleasures, too? What little things do you do just for you?
Grateful for nature`s energy. Oh my goodness, it was wild & wonderful today at the beach! Not sure why it reminded me of the Desiderata. Maybe the part about the universe is unfolding as it should.
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."
Grateful for nature`s energy. Oh my goodness, it was wild & wonderful today at the beach! Not sure why it reminded me of the Desiderata. Maybe the part about the universe is unfolding as it should.
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."
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