Instagram: Your Secret Weapon to Brand Awareness
Whether you’re creating a start-up, a non-profit, or a small business on its way to world domination, you’re going to need an Instagram account. Instagram may just seem like a visual platform for creatives, kids, and influencers, but it’s so much more than that. Instagram can be the way you build a connection with a subset of your audience.
The worldwide Instagram community includes over 1 billion people with 130 million hailing from the United States. That’s a massive amount of sales potential and brand awareness for any company! The key to success on Instagram is not appealing to all 1 billion users but rather finding your target market: a tribe of people that have a deep, dedicated interest in a specific topic. Activating a dedicated user base with great content and proactive engagement is the proven way to reap results on Instagram.
To activate this user base, you’re going to need 3 key things:
An informative account
An easy way for customers to get to know you
Great content
Informative Account
Your Instagram Bio is searchable. Using good keywords that convey what your company does and who you are is key to increasing your discoverability on the social platform. Use emojis, hashtags, and other account names (like your founder’s Instagram handle) to help your target market find you.
Get to Know Us
Now that potential followers have discovered you, help them get to know you! A quick “About Us” story or video can be helpful here, and you can save it in your Highlights or IGTV. When you notice a sharp increase in followers, take the time to reintroduce yourself in a new way, maybe with a type of post or video you haven’t done before. Try to include information about what you offer, what makes you unique, and what type of content they can expect (because content is king).
Great Content
So you’re searchable and your potential clients/customers/donors know about you. How do you get them to follow and stay engaged? Two words: GREAT CONTENT. By planning out your content and using themes that speak to your tribe, you will be able to increase engagement with your followers. They will also be more likely to share your content with others which will increase your followers. So many changes take place in the Instagram algorithm every year, that there’s not an exact formula to increase your engagement overnight. It really depends on your audience. Some groups really love daily videos (hair tutorials anyone?) while others really appreciate thoughtful carousels that they can save for later (like mental health advice). Experiment with your content and use your analytics to see what content your tribe loves.
To help you get started with your account, we’ve created our BiteSized Instagram Checklist. Download it for free to get your Instagram off the ground! If you think you’ll need more help planning content, developing a strategy, or understanding what in the world a color story is - we’ll be here for you. Just set up an appointment or send us an email. Happy Gramming! Talk soon! - L