Last Updated on September 13, 2024
In the advent of social media today, doing business has never been easier. If you’re a small business owner, then you should take advantage of how easy it is to use this platform.
Instagram is ranked as number 6th among the most popular social media network. It has over one billion active users worldwide.
A lot of people are using Instagram to promote different agendas, causes, and charities. However, only a handful of small businesses are on Instagram. This is because a lot of people think that Instagram is not a good platform to put their business on or they just simply don’t know how it works.
This is a common misconception today. If your ideal customers are those who belong to the younger generation, then Instagram will be a big advantage for you. You can see the breakdown of the demographics on the following:
- 75% who use Instagram are 18–24-year-olds
- 57% who use Instagram is 25–20-year-olds
- 47% who use Instagram are 30–49-year-olds
- 23% who use Instagram are 50–64-year-olds
- 8% who use Instagram are 65+-year-olds
Brand engagement on Instagram is also higher as compared to Facebook and even Twitter. That being said, click here to read more Instagram tips for small businesses to help you get started. Here are also 7 top tips for small business owners when using Instagram:
1. Use A Business Account Upon Signing Up
Upon signing up for an account on Instagram, you can choose whether you’ll have a personal or business account. It’s advisable to select the latter.
With a business account, you’ll be able to view analytics and connect your Instagram account to your Facebook page. In addition to that, you can run paid advertisements and its easier for prospective customers/followers to contact you. Having a business account for your business establishes your brand presence.
2. Fill Your Bio With Important Details
Instagram gives you 150 characters to talk about what your brand is about and what it offers. Because of the limitation, it’s important to be short, concise, and straight to the point. Don’t lead potential customers to useless words that don’t contribute anything to what you’re really trying to say.
In addition to your bio, you should also include necessary links, like your website’s URL, so that they can also check it out. A good way to make the best out of the character count is to shorten the URL of the websites. Simply search for a URL shortener on Google and choose the best one for you.
3. Make Use Of Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories is a powerful platform today because everyone is on it – updating their followers on what is going on in their lives. It has a lot of creative templates and filters that you can make great use of.
Instagram stories are similar to Snapchat stories – your posts disappear after 24 hours. Stories also appear on the top page, which makes them easy to notice and one of the things people press on before scrolling down to other pictures on their feed.
Instagram stories is also a great place to unleash your creativity and experiment on different art styles since what you post here won’t affect the overall aesthetic of your feed.
4. See What Others Are Posting
Plunging into Instagram for the first time can get really intimidating. As a tip, if you’re not sure where and how to start, check out what others are doing. Follow other business accounts and see how they post their content, what their feed looks like, how they craft their call to action phrases, and how often they post on Instagram Stories.
These are some of the things that you take notice of. Other things to look for are their use of hashtags, and how many followers they have. You can also check out other websites, like Pinterest, for Instagram post inspiration.
5. Start Planning Your Own Content
Now, you’re ready to start planning your own content. Remember to be strategic about how you post. Make a month’s plan of content to help you strategize what you’re going to post.
You should be posting regularly so your followers will know that you’re active. Regular posting also keeps your followers engaged.
One way to plan your content is by collaborating with others who already have a large following. By simply getting a mention on their stories or even a shout out on their posts is a great way to reach new audiences. Paying a well-established account to write a post about your business is a great way to not only create relationships but also gain new followers.
With the advent of social media, you no longer need famous Hollywood A-listers to help you be noticeable. Take note that a lot of non-celebrities can be marketing influences.
6. Learn How Hashtags Work
Hashtags are one of the most unique features of Instagram as they were one of the first in the game. Its search feature looks for hashtags and not keywords. Using hashtags on your posts makes it possible for people to discover your content.
The trick here is not to use random hashtags but to use the right one. Don’t simply make up random hashtags that you created out of nowhere. Also, post pictures related to your hashtags.
One trick is to look at the trending tags section of Instagram to see what people are searching for these days. If your business cannot be related to the trending hashtags, you can search the web for other popular hashtags that may not be trending as of the moment but are still being heavily used or searched.
The maximum allowable hashtags in one photo are 30. The more hashtags (as long as it is connected to your post and not simply made up) the more chances people can find you.
7. Maximize The Use of Videos
Instagram started as a platform for beautiful images, but it has now evolved into including videos as well.
Videos are fun and definitely engaging. Simply posting a one minutes video on your feed can excite someone to know more about your products. A new feature that they have recently added to the mix is IGTV, which lets you post videos that last up to ten minutes.
With Instagram Stories, you can post a video that’ll be divided into 15-second clips and then disappear in 24 hours. You can also do live videos where you can directly interact with others.
Conclusion:
Instagram is a great platform to start out as a small business. These tips will help you launch that business from the ground and make it thrive in ways you cannot imagine.
