Use Instagram to Build Your Business

People use Instagram all time – and successfully – to boost their business.  They claim it’s simple to use and it works well for them. How about you? Have you used Instagram to get more mileage out of your promotions?  Let’s take a look at it and see if this might fit into your plans.

First, Set Up Your Profile

These details are important – your business launch on Instagram depends on how you set up your profile.  Remember to focus on your business, so for the photo for your profile, use your company logo so your brand becomes recognizable.  Make the account name and your username the same as your business name. When you are typing in your username, remember not to use any spaces. As for the website on your profile?  Make that a link to your business website or to a promotion that you are offering. Once you have your profile set up, then you can get started with your campaign.

Next, Focus on Your Customers

You could easily get overwhelmed by the numbers of it all:  millions of people could be your next customers. Is that realistic?  No. You want to capture your segment of the market – those who are interested in your product or service.  Find some of your best customers and highlight them (with their permission, of course). Ask for testimonials or pictures or even videos.  Click on posts and “like” them. Use hashtags to find relevant followers and businesses. Hashtags? Use the #-sign and then a word to follow.  For instance, if you have a local airport, you might use #airport or #airplanes or #maps to find segments of the Instagram population that would be interested in what you are offering.  All you need is a faithful following, so keep the numbers small and cozy. Too many would be too much, and you would lose your niche market.

Then, Focus on You

Hours can be spent answering comments and questions, surveying the online aisles of Instagram, peeking in here, looking over there.  Be mindful of your time. Budget yourself to an hour each day at the most. Be sure that your site is dynamic so that return customers see something new.  You might want to make it easier on yourself. Instead of crafting your own promotions, look into Instagram Ads.  It might be money well-spent if online experts use what they know to have your ads pop up for those in your target market. 

Be sure to focus on your business and the purpose of your Instagram campaign.  What is your goal? Are you just giving this social selling a try? Are you trying to promote your brand and get the word out?  Do you have some specific photographs about your product or service that you want others to see? Make sure that once your goal is set, everything you post on your site is linked with that.  

You can certainly get the word out.  Tell stories about your business and emphasize those with quotations and pictures of your customers.  Show off your products – let others know what they are and what they can do for them. Get in touch with others in the industry and respond to their site, making Instagram friends out there with people who might mention your business in their comments.  It all works together and by trying to use this marketing tool, you will be joining others who work it.

There’s more to be learned about using Instagram and other social media venues to get the word out about your business. Want to know more?  Get started with Online Sales Pro today and check out our marketing guide, Free Traffic Foundations, to launch your business online.

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