How to Use Instagram to Promote Your Small Business

It is incredible how large multinational companies have used Instagram and gained a loyal following through the network. However, if you’re thinking that this social media platform best serves the interest of these big shots, you’re wrong.

A lot of small local companies have also gotten some value from Instagram, and this is due to the fact that the social media app enables them to go side by side with the bigger enterprises. Instagram offers a great opportunity to small businesses, and to not seize this would be a mistake.

Top 5 ways you can use Instagram to promote your business

There are many ways for you to take advantage of Instagram, but you need to be smart about it to ensure that no time will ever be wasted. Try using social media management tools so that you can go about the task efficiently and methodically. If you can’t spare time for it, hire a social media virtual assistant to help you implement these promotional tactics on Instagram.

1. Set up your account properly.

Connect your Instagram account to your other social media profiles. This way, you can automatically publish your Instagram content across different platforms. You can also ask followers from your Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr accounts to do the same on Instagram. Additionally, make sure to include your website on your profile and write a bio explaining who you are and what you do.

2. Check your comments.

Many small businesses tend to just leave their posts once they’re up on Instagram. This is bad practice so ensure that your virtual assistant prioritizes the monitoring of comments and engaging with users.

3. Try Instagram Stories.

No matter how controversial this feature is, a lot of Instagram users have started embracing it, and you have to try doing the same as well. Instagram Stories allows you to weave multiple pictures and videos together to create a “story” that disappears after 24 hours. Think of a way how this feature could fit your current strategy as well as your brand. It could be a challenge, but utilizing the feature successfully could give you the mileage you need.

4. Use influencer marketing.

We all know that getting famous celebrities to endorse your product or service will definitely cost a lot. However, with influence marketing, you could get a non-celeb with an established following to rave about your brand. Moreover, the best thing about it is that it’s certainly more affordable than Hollywood A-listers.

When looking for influencers, don’t just look for their number of followers or the likes they get in every post. Check how much engagement they’re getting as well.

5. Hashtag the right way.

Don’t just use random or made-up hashtags; no one will be searching for them anyway. Go with the current social media hype and use trending hashtags instead. This will give you a chance to show up and be discovered on the Trending Tags section of Instagram. Using many hashtags might also help as this can increase your chances of showing up on different search results.

There may be challenges to utilizing Instagram. For instance, the links you include in your posts aren’t clickable — but the key is to always find a workaround for these things. You should also observe how other brands are using Instagram; this will give you a good idea about best practice.

 

 

Next: 10 Low-budget Marketing Ideas For Small Business Owners

 

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