Instagram for business: how do you make it work?
Instagram is gaining popularity and is now a useful tool to approach your target audience covering a large number of users. But many people are still unsure how to use Instagram for business and if their business needs an account at all. Others wonder what they should publish and what they should not.
What should you post?
First and foremost you need to decide who will watch and read the content you post. We suggest dividing Instagram content into such categories as:
- Informative;
- Entertaining;
- Promoting products and services;
- Educational;
- Containing stories and reviews.
Ideally your Instagram content plan should include posts under each category, but usually it takes too much time and resources, so it will do if your content covers at least three categories from the list.
For instance, if you sell shoes, your product promoting content will include high quality photos showing the items you sell with a short description. However avoid showing your products on a white background and adding mere characteristics without a cohesive text. This will not work with instagram users. Entertaining content can be comics, collages, sketches and jokes. In informative posts you can tell your followers about the history of creating your shoes, its design and materials. When you want to add some educational content, you can give your audience some ideas on how and with what they should wear your products. For reviews you would want to use real feedback that displays real life experience of your clients.
How often should you publish to Instagram?
It mainly depends on your budget. If you want to rapidly build up your target audience, you want to make three publications per day: around 8 am, 2 pm, and 8 pm. These are the hours with the most views. But you should also be aware of the lifestyle of your target audience and its peculiarities. Once you figure out when they are most active online, adjust your Instagram strategy to it.
What shouldn’t I do?
- Do not turn your Instagram account into a showcase. And avoid getting repetitive with your content. Keep your account diverse so that everyone can find something for themselves. This way you will only earn more subscribers and your account will not seem boring.
- If doing your business you deal with the harsh reality of our life, for instance, if you’re a doctor, refrain from posting explicit content even if it displays exactly the services you provide. Most users come to Instagram to entertain themselves, not to deal with disturbing imagery.
- Honesty is the best strategy. Native advertising and high quality content will come go a long way. Instagram is an ever developing social network with mechanisms that are only getting more and more sophisticated. Gaining popularity requires you to play fair and truly care about your audience.
