On most occasions when I mention Instagram as a potential sales tool to business owners, most of them roll their eyes. Why? They see Instagram as a “young people” platform that’s best left alone as it offers zero business opportunities. However, this isn’t the case, especially if you have a business that sells products or services that would benefit from a more visual approach to marketing.
Take a look below to see six examples of how Instagram could benefit your business.
1. Improve Your Mobile Marketing
Instagram offers you the opportunity to catch your customers when they are on the move and improve your mobile marketing. Unlike many other social media platforms, Instagram was originally created solely for mobile so it’s always been ahead of the game when it comes to usability on smartphones. With 80% of shoppers now choosing to use their mobiles to shop and check reviews, ignoring the potential Instagram has to offer your business would be a missed opportunity.
2. Reach & Retarget New Audiences
Instagram puts your content in front of audiences that may not have otherwise noticed your business. For example, a new restaurant could be spotted on Instagram by a user who wouldn’t have otherwise known it was there. Once an Instagram user has noticed your business, even if they don’t automatically follow or engage with you there and then, Instagram offers your business the opportunity to retarget them via re-targeting advert.
3. Create Beneficial Partnerships
Instagram has an ever-growing audience and it’s currently one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the world. Anyone that markets their business online needs to pay attention to this platform! After all, you must be in it to win it! Having an Instagram presence will ensure your business stays relevant and keeps up to date with consumer trends. Speaking of trends, Instagram influencers are a pretty big deal and have the potential to bring in thousands of pounds for business! You must have heard the phrase ‘Insta-famous’. If not, let me explain. If someone is ‘Insta-famous', it means they have a large following on Instagram. ‘Insta-famous’ people often offer their services to businesses that sell products or services that would interest their many followers. This is a great option for businesses to consider. The right partnership with the right ‘Insta-famous’ person could offer you great results.
4. Increase Engagement & Build Relationships
According to Forrester Research, Instagram generates 120 times more engagement per follower than Twitter and has one of the most active and engaged user bases. This makes it a great platform for building relationships and engaging with your customers, plus, reaching out to potential new customers. Remember, high engagement rates usually result in high conversion rates!
5. Increase Website Traffic
As many of you will know, Instagram doesn’t allow you to add links to individual posts. However, you can add a clickable link to your “bio” section (a section about yourself), so be sure to add a link back to your website and write captions on your Instagram posts that let your followers know that they can click on the link in your bio to view your products and services. The link in your bio can be updated as and when you choose, so you can change the link in order to match your posts or your most recent offers etc. Having a clickable link on a popular social media platform such as Instagram will increase the number of warm leads and traffic your website or chosen landing page receives.
6. Evolve With The Times & Improve Your Video Marketing
Instagram has evolved with the times by creating IGTV. People are watching less TV and more digital video. It is said that by 2021, mobile video will account for 78% of total mobile data traffic! Having a presence on IGTV offers your business another opportunity to be seen by your target market. Unlike other video platforms, IGTV puts mobile-first. It’s built specifically for how people use their phones which will benefit your mobile marketing efforts and increase your mobile engagement rates. IGTV is a major competitor for YouTube. If you have already uploaded to YouTube, you would benefit by also building a presence on IGTV. It’s super easy and simple to use so you or anyone in your team can be a creator and upload videos with ease.
To summarise, Instagram should no longer be viewed by business owners as just a tool for millennials to post selfies on. It’s a viable marketing tool that could increase your business's brand awareness. Not only this, it can also increase traffic and leads, improve sales, build customer relationships, increase engagement rates and help you to achieve business growth by getting customers to come to you! For more ideas on how to get more customers coming to you download our free guides ‘How To Get Customers Coming To You’.
Image source: Unsplash
