Using Instagram in Your Business Marketing to Acquire New Customers
Today’s trends show that customers turn to social media for references when it comes to their buying behaviors. This is good news for any business or brand that wants to attract more potential customers without all the hard sell tactics and thus they follow certain social media marketing practices. Instagram users are avid shoppers who often look for their favored brands on this popular social media platform. In fact, Iconosquare’s 2015 Instagram study revealed that over 70% of Instagram users have at least looked up a brand using the IG platform. Add this to the fact that over 62% of IG users follow a brand just because they like it and you have discovered another possible recipe for business marketing success for acquiring new customers. Instagrams focal use of photos takes away the hard edged sale, making it possible to produce results and interests through the use of the right images. This is reason enough for any brand to recognize Instagram as a viable vehicle to acquire more exposure and customers.
Step 1: Set Up a Business Account on Instagram
Set up a business account separate from your personal Instagram account if you have one, and include a link to your business website on your IG page. In addition, keep your brand name and photos recognizable so that potential customers learn to associate your name and photos with the business. It makes you more recognizable when this action is reinforced through the consistent use a consistent business name and identifiable photos.
Step 2: Set Up an Interesting and Informative Bio
Before anyone can click follow, they have to scroll past your bio. Keep it interesting, authentic, and a personality rich. Avoid coming off as salesy, instead, make sure that you’re creating a clear picture of what your business does in a simple yet interesting and straight forward manner. Follow the IG culture by making sure that your bio fits in with the platform. Keep it light, relevant, and in cohesion, with the types of images you plan on sharing.
Step 3: Create Catchy Posts to Attract Followers
In keeping with Instagram culture, it’s a good idea to resist the tendency to use hard sell tactics on the site. Instead, produce informative light-hearted posts that draw followers in and act as a support system to the images that you post. With this being said, keep in mind that IG is a heavily image-based social media platform. It’s in this area that perhaps your focus should rest. Create content that is supportive of high-quality images that show your brand in the best light and increase curiosity. It’s no secret that IG is filled with shoppers but no one loves a used care salesman.
Instagram has been proven to be an effective vehicle to drive brand exposure and recognition as well as increase customer following. With over 300 million monthly users, Instagram is a resource that can be continually tapped to increase followers, encourage customer engagement and build potential sales.
