Instagram is no longer just photos of your best friend’s coffee cup and muffin on a Tuesday afternoon. It’s a powerful and impressive way to market your business to thousands of people. Here are 5 ways to do that and make sure you’re not wasting any money or time!

1. Advertising

If you have the budget, Instagram will strategically place your products in front of thousands of people scrolling down their Instagram feeds. Free Ads and print advertisements are no longer the best way to advertise your business. If you’re wanting your product to reach a specific audience, you can make sure it is only seen by people that are 18-30 year, or who have a similar interest in products like yours already. Remember to target your audience correctly – be specific. Pick the gender, ages and countries of your potential customers wisely. Don’t waste your budget!

2. Influencer Marketing

Instagram influencers (In other words, your niece’s favourite blogger) are a sure-fire way to ensure that your product is in the hands of someone that might sell it to their audience. Pick the blogger that best aligns with your brand and enquire about their sponsored post rates. As with any advertising, enquire with a few different faces- after all, you want the best value for money. Make sure to pick a blogger with good engagement on their profile and a genuine following. Check their profile out on SocialBlade to see their growth chart.

3. Competitions

These are a sure fire way to grow your profile and create a buzz. Ask existing followers to like the competition image and tag a friend in the comments to win something amazing – it could be a £100 gift card for Amazon or one of your products! We all love free stuff, and so do your potential followers. If a competition has a high-value prize, ask followers to repost a photo and use a specific caption. If it’s of lesser value, ask for likes and tags. Just be mindful not to post too many competitions – it can become spammy.

4. Make Your Profile Stand Out

You might be surprised to know how many business profiles on Instagram exclude basic information, such as the location or address of a store and even contact e-mails. Don’t make the rookie error of assuming that someone will bookmark your clothing website for later. You want a customer to click your link as soon as they see, so make it easy for potential customers to find your information.

5. Know Your Audience

If you’re advertising shoes for a teenage audience, inject a larger budget into Instagram advertising. We all know that teenager spend a lot of time on social media. If you’re trying to market a stairlift for the elderly, re-think your advertising options. Facebook might be the better choice for the clientele that you’re looking to attract. Market research pays off, so look into the best advertising options for you.

What will you do this week to up your Instagram game? Do you have another tip to add to this list? 

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