Top tips for using Instagram for your small business
Posted by Charlotte Goldthorpe on 3rd February 2020
Are you a small business looking to make the most out of your Instagram account? Charlotte has put together some top tips to help you succeed.
Make sure you've set your profile to business
Within the Instagram app, find the settings and scroll down to switch to a business account. This will allow you to add business information such as your business address and phone number.
Be authentic
Authenticity is key when building your Instagram presence. Stay true to your purpose as an organisation and be yourself. Don’t be afraid to use longer captions to show your followers what you’re all about. Inject your personality and style into your posts; the quirkier the better. People will see through marketing messages designed to sell products, so keep it real.
Build genuine connections
Don’t get hung up on the number of followers, but instead, build genuine connections with accounts that inspire and excite you. Engage with their posts by commenting about what you love about their work. You’ll build lasting relationships which, in turn, will lead to sales.
People buy people!
Introduce yourself with a photo or even a video if you’re feeling brave to let your followers see who you are. If you’re a small team, share ‘meet the team’ posts so your followers can get to know the people behind your organisation.
Create shareable content
Everyone loves a good meme or relatable quote, don’t they? If it fits with your brand personality, spend some time creating some positive quotes relating to your industry so your followers will want to share them on their story.
Show your business behind the scenes
Do you make products in the comfort of your own home? Show the process that goes into making your products, and your packages ready to send. Or perhaps you’re an artist or yogi who can show off your studio. If you’re a housebuilder, show before and after pictures to inspire your followers. Your business is unique so show it off!
Be social
It’s easy to post and run when you’re busy, but Instagram is a social media platform, so that means you need to be social! If people have taken the time to comment on your posts, then it’s important to reply to them, they’ll really appreciate the acknowledgement and you never know what collaborations this could lead to in the future.
Tell a story
Captivate your audience with beautiful imagery and use your logo and colours to tell your business story. Don't worry if you're not a photographer, you can create professional-looking photos and videos using your phone.
Pick a theme
Choosing a cohesive look and feel for your account can help attract a niche audience who will be interested and want to learn more about your brand.
Make the most of hashtags
You can use up to 30 hashtags in one post which can help you reach a larger number of people. A top tip would be to post hashtags further down in your post so you don’t appear spammy. Research the top hashtags in your industry and engage in discussion there too.
Tag suppliers, clients and locations
This is one of the easiest and quickest ways to increase your visibility on Instagram. If you work with suppliers, tag them into your posts and stories to increase the likelihood of your posts being seen by a wider audience.
Make use of stories
There are so many opportunities to engage with people through Instagram stories. Use polls and questions to quiz your followers, for example ask them what they’d like to win most in a competition or get them involved in the design process of your products. Boost your visibility by cross-posting from your feed to your stories and vice versa.
Don’t forget to check your analytics
How do you know which posts have worked well for you? Find out what people like and comment on by looking at your Instagram account statistics found under ‘Insights’, to help you plan content.
If you'd like to find out more about how we can help you with social media strategy and management, email us at info@capitalbmedia.co.uk to find out how we can help you.
