Three Tips To Power Business Growth On Instagram

Instagram is the perfect space for brands that want to engage more closely with their customers. Now, thanks to a slick new how-to guide, there’s a toolkit to help you do just that.

When you think of creativity, community and culture online, one of the first things that comes to mind is undoubtedly Instagram.

Today, the app is a vibrant global community of over one billion individuals, content creators and brands.

It’s a place where people discover the things they love most and where communities have their fingers on the cultural pulse. For businesses, it has become both a direct link to their customers and an essential shop window.

If you’re a marketer looking to get the most out of the platform, you’ve come to the right place. Here are three great tips to nailing it with your next campaign…

It’s all about engaging your community

Understanding your customer is the main game for any marketer. That’s why Instagram’s Business Profile function was brought to life. It provides a wealth of details around demographics, when an audience is most active and what style of content is hitting the mark.

Another big goal for brands is to extend engagement. An ideal way to do this on Instagram is with polling and stickers.

In fact, research conducted in the US shows that when people interact with the poll sticker in Instagram Stories ads, they spend three times more time on an ad compared to those without the poll sticker¹. Grabbing your audience’s attention with a compelling question, using relevant imagery, and responding with a follow-up question or a call to action are all ways to deepen engagement.

Instagram Live presents another great opportunity to showcase products or services. By using features such as Q&A, Live Rooms and Media Sharing, you can start direct conversations with an audience.

Brands can also create a virtual shopfront on Instagram. When doing so, it’s best to create a colourful story to let people know the virtual doors are open. It’s also worthwhile using product tags across Stories and Reels to convert interest and inspiration into sales.

Tap into your inner creative

One way content-savvy businesses can enhance their offerings is by leaning into creative collaborations.

The best tips for maximising creative partnerships are to leverage the creator’s visual storytelling style, tap into their influence with specific communities, and ensure any branding or products featured are non-intrusive.

Another excellent tip is to explore how you can up your video game – especially if you have a youthful customer base. This medium is especially resonant with younger audiences, with a recent study revealing that nine out of 10 Gen Zs surveyed use Stories on a weekly basis².

For that reason, it’s best to optimise for mobile, using a vertical (9:16) format. And when featuring short-form videos on Stories, Reels and News Feeds, focus on instant entertainment with prominent branding to make an immediate impact.

Instagram also has plenty of augmented reality options which can engagingly transport a community into a brand’s own world. Be sure to include easy to follow instructions, and aim to inspire participation with vibrant and colourful examples, including those featuring influencers.

Embrace cultural movements

Instagram is widely considered a place where brands can throw their weight behind movements or causes that spark an emotional response.

To do this with authenticity, the best advice is to think of Stories like a diary, taking supporters or customers behind the scenes to deepen the connection.

Once again, it’s best to optimise for mobile-first and include elements like stickers or polling, in order to maximise engagement with your community.

Businesses can also put their stamp on cultural trends through Reels, where sound, motion and transitions are the perfect creative elements to captivate viewers. They are the ideal place for creators and influencers to work their magic, while also being fertile ground for relevant ads.

Then there’s Remix, which allows people to incorporate other Reels into their own posts, providing an effective way to take part in relevant trends.

And by tapping into content based around specific topics, brands can create shoppable moments that resonate with fans and inspire purchases. Think of it as providing the joy of an engaging brand experience and the ability to shop, all in the one spot. What’s not to love?

Still want more? Boost your business offering with the new how-to guide from Instagram.

Sources:

1. Instagram Internal Data, Jan 1-14, 2020, US adults only – Dwell Time – Polling ads vs regular Stories ads
2. Instagram Trends Research Study, Facebook-commissioned survey of 4500 Instagram users aged 18-50 in AU, BR, DE, FR, IN, JP, KR, UK, US) by Ipsos, Nov 2020, N=500 for each market, active weekly users who create content on the platform based on stated survey data