How To Do Instagram Marketing

What Is Instagram Marketing?

Instagram marketing uses the social media platform to raise brand awareness, advertise a product or service, and grow an audience.

It’s a type of Instagram strategy that drives results, yet is oftentimes widely overlooked by businesses.

Types of Instagram Marketing

Knowing how to use different types of digital marketing can directly impact your brand.

• Content Marketing: Content marketing thrives on Instagram thanks to the platform’s reliance on storytelling, visual content, influencer community, and hashtags.
• Instagram Ads: Ads on Instagram Stories use various parameters to target a specific audience and won’t disappear after 24 hours like a standard Story.
• Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing campaigns are an excellent way to leverage a new audience. They can raise your brand awareness, boost your reputation, and increase engagement rates.
• Building Your Following: A following is crucial for any brand on Instagram. Without an engaged and growing audience, any content will struggle to generate interest.

Why Market on Instagram?

An Instagram marketing campaign offers versatility and content-rich options for increasing traffic and strengthening your brand.

• Visuals: Images are the most popular tool to describe your product or service on Instagram. They can be themed to match your brand or a marketing message.
• Wide Reach: With 1.21 billion monthly users, Instagram has the most expansive reach of all social media platforms.
• Reach a Younger Audience: Instagram often skews towards a younger audience, with a 2022 survey revealing that 62% of Gen Z use the platform.
• Useful Feedback and Insights: Insights provides comprehensive analytics that can guide your content and any marketing campaign you launch.
• Keep an Eye on Competitors: Whether your account is travel-focused or sells food, you can gain valuable insight by checking out the content of similar Instagram accounts.

Is Marketing on Instagram Free?

Some options are free.

However, there are features like Instagram Stories ads that cost money.

How Much Do Instagram Ads Cost per Month?

On average, an Instagram ad can cost up to $3 per click.

Some influencers get paid based on the number of clicks from Instagram advertising.

What You Need To Start Marketing on Instagram

To get started on the social media platform, you’ll benefit from having a business profile and a well-defined Instagram strategy.

1. Marketing Strategy

Implementing a clear strategy for your daily Instagram schedule can grow your business.

Consider the following tips:  

• Optimize your bio on Instagram
• Utilize an Instagram content calendar
• Use ads
• A visually consistent and aesthetically pleasing feed
• Choose the right Instagram hashtag
• Partner with influencers
• Host contests and giveaways

2. Business Profile

An Instagram business profile offers enhanced analytics (Instagram Insights) to help you optimize your content and maximize your brand’s reach.

Other account features include the ability to add links to an Instagram Story.

How To Create an Instagram Business Account

Here’s how to make a business account for Instagram.

This step-by-step guide is for the Instagram app on iPhone.

• Step 1: Log in to your brand’s Instagram account.
• Step 2: Go to your profile page, then tap the “Settings” icon in the top right corner.
• Step 3: Click on “Account” and then “Switch to Business Profile.”
• Step 4: Finally, Instagram will set up your public contact information.

Instagram Marketing Strategies To Adopt

The ideal Instagram marketing strategy will reach your target audience while increasing engagement.

1. Host a Giveaway

Hosting a giveaway of your product or service for an Instagram user to win can generate a lot of interest and potentially broaden your audience.

Giveaways not only drive engagement, but also signal to readers that you value them and aren’t simply a faceless entity.

You give back to them, in a roundabout way, which they’ll really appreciate.

2. Partner With Influencers

Influencer marketing is a great way to drive engagement directly with your users, as influencers are often leaders in their field.

An Instagram influencer can wear your clothes, advertise your products, and connect you to their audience.

3. Marketing on Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are typically unpolished user generated content.

Stories can be highly resonant and a more personable way to cultivate relationships with your audience.

• How Often to Post on Instagram Stories: It’s often recommended that you post twice daily. However, there is no rigid rule as to how frequently you should upload content.
• When to Post on Instagram Stories: The best time to post is morning, but you will want to adjust based on where most of your audience is located.
• What to Post on Instagram Stories: Instagram Stories can offer your audience behind-the-scenes clips to give your brand a more relaxed look. You can even add shopping links and product reviews.

4. Give and Receive Shoutouts

Giving shoutouts to others on the platform is a valuable way to build enduring partnerships with brands and influencers.

Receiving shoutouts from those who have more followers helps you to raise your profile and audience.

Brand collaboration helps boost trust, builds strong relationships with customers, and can be an effective way to generate fresh ideas and content.

5. Write Moving Captions

Use moving captions in your Instagram Stories to give your stories some substance.

People are more likely to engage with emotive content, potentially generating buzz beyond your audience.

6. Drive Results With Instagram Carousel Posts

The first picture in your Instagram carousel should match your brand and overall aesthetic.

Next, use hashtags in the comment section to drive traffic to your posts.

Then, you can tag different brands and influencers in each post.

How To Plan and Schedule Instagram Stories for Business

You can automate a content calendar to make posts when your audience is most active.

How To Optimize Your Instagram Profile

Instagram has several features and tools to optimize your content and make it more engaging.

1. Reels

Instagram Reels are similar to TikTok posts. These videos are about 30 seconds long.

2. Post at the Right Times

Posting pictures, videos, reels, and stories at the right time is vital for audience exposure.

Instagram’s most popular time is between 9 am and noon.

3. Use Hashtags

Researching trending Instagram hashtags relating to your brand is crucial for optimizing your Instagram profile.

Without relevant hashtags, you might struggle to generate interest in your content outside your existing Instagram followers.

4. Change to a Business Profile

Switching from a personal account to a business account gives you more features, including:

• Insights about your Instagram post
• Enhanced Instagram advertising
• Follower information
• Business contact information

5. Use Stories

Use Instagram Story to keep followers informed and updated.

The new Highlights function lets you keep your Stories forever, ensuring a permanent catalog of content for the latest followers.

6. Ensure Consistent Posting on Instagram

A content calendar is one of the most effective ways to schedule when you post to your Instagram feed.

7. Tracking Progress With Instagram Analytics

Instagram analytics are a valuable resource for developing a content strategy.

Instagram Analytics show who your audience is, when your followers are most active, and what kind of content they’re drawn to.

You can quickly track your analytics by going to your profile and clicking “Insights.”

This button will take you to the “Overview,” where you can get a deeper breakdown of your data.

Is Instagram Marketing Worth Time and Resources?

For many businesses, Instagram is worth it.

If you’re unsure, consider these pros and cons.

Pros of Instagram Marketing

Here are the top benefits of Instagram marketing:

• High engagement
• Visual content
• Gain competitive advantage
• Targeted marketing
• Free Instagram advertising

Cons of Instagram Marketing

Some disadvantages include:

• Instagram users are primarily young
• Many users aren’t interested in business

Conclusion: Is Instagram Marketing Worth It?

An Instagram marketing campaign can drive increased engagement with a target audience while creating the right conditions to grow traffic for your brand.

Further Reading: Instagram Marketing Resources

Are you interested in delving deeper into Instagram marketing?

We have identified three key resources to check out!

1. Instagram Marketing Book

Instagram Power gives you the step-by-step process and strategies for setting up on the platform, from crafting a branded hashtag to getting more Instagram followers.

Learn about tools for editing photos and videos, monetizing your account, and leveraging your Instagram Stories.

2. Instagram Marketing Course

SkillShare offers free courses for optimizing your profile.

Their courses cover hundreds of topics, like making the perfect Instagram caption and understanding the all-important Instagram algorithm.

3. Instagram Marketing Forums or Communities

There are numerous dedicated marketing communities.

Some even offer tools and documents to help you grow traffic.

Wrapping Up

With the right approach and plenty of patience, Instagram marketing can have a positive impact on your brand and how you do business.

You will first need to consider your Instagram marketing strategy to determine the best way to optimize your profile and grow traffic.

Have you been thinking about marketing yourself on Instagram or do you have questions about using an Instagram marketing service?

Instagram marketing takes time but can deliver.

You will need to decide what strategy is best for you to improve brand engagement and grow your audience.