3 Surefire Ways You Can Use Instagram to Grow Your Business
Do you know you can use Instagram to promote your products and services, drive more sales, and increase your brand’s exposure?
With over 600 million monthly active users (yes, you heard it right), Instagram has become a gold mine for businesses and brands. Its user base is growing like wildfire (100 million added in just last six months), and it’s hard to believe one of the world’s most used apps has only been around since 2010.
According to statistics, the platform has the most engaged audience out of all social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter. Not only that, it even trumps all the other traffic sources like search, email, and referral when it comes to engagement rate.
Also, people on Instagram have buying intent. A study conducted by Iconosquare reveals that 70% of Instagrammers report having already looked up a brand on the app, and 62% of users follow brands’ updates just because they love them.
So, if your business is not on Instagram yet, consider your decision again. You’re clearly missing out on an opportunity to generate a ton of revenue, especially if you’re in the e-commerce business.
1) Do Giveaways & Contests
Somebody wise once said, “You have got to spend money to make money.” It holds true even today, no matter if your business is online or offline.
Everyone loves free stuff!
A quick way to boost your Instagram following and let more people know about your brand is to hold a contest or a giveaway. It not only generates an insane level of engagement when done right but also helps build brand presence, which in turn drives more sales and revenue.
There is a reason why brands (big and small alike) are doing it. It works!
Hold a contest and offer something for free. It could be your best-selling book, or a popular gadget, or whatever you sell.
“What type of contest should I run?” you may ask.
Well, you can ask people to post with a specific hashtag to enter your contest. Or you can also tell them to tag their 3 friends or like/comment on the giveaway post.
But keep in mind that the more engagement and buzz your contest generates, the better it is for your business. Make sure you have sufficient followers and engagement levels before your run a content. Also, you can invest in Instagram ads to boost your giveaway post.
Pro Tip: Since your brand’s reputation is at stake, make sure to clearly mention what you’re giving away and how you will select a winner.
Want to see an example in action? See how Talalla Yoga did it.
2) Get Influencers promote your business
To put it simply, influencers are people who have a strong connection (and relationship) with their target audience. They’re well-known, authoritative people in their niche, and have influence over the purchasing decisions of people.
According to research, 83% of people say they “trust recommendations from their peers over advertising.”
What do you think will happen when a person who has hundreds of thousands of followers mentions your brand or recommends your product? It will drive immense value to your brand, and in most cases, you’ll be able to see instant results.
Pro Tip: Only approach influencers who you think would be genuinely interested in what your business has to offer. An insincere endorsement from an influencer will not only hurt credibility but will also be detrimental to your brand.
See how Iamgalla, American Express ambassador, subtly promotes the company’s platinum card to customers worldwide.
3) Steal your competitors’ followers
No matter what type of niche or industry your business is in, it’s likely that you have competitors too.
One of the smart ways to quickly boost your Instagram following and drive more sales is to steal your competitors’ followers.
If your competitors’ products or services are similar to yours, there’s a chance that their followers would be interested in what you offer, too.
How can you use your competitors’ large Instagram following to your advantage and gain highly targeted followers? You can engage them in a conversation by mentioning them, or you can capture their attention by simply following them.
Pro Tip: Don’t go overboard with this method. Instagram, like any other platform, has its limits as to how you can many followers you can follow/unfollow in a single day.
Final Thoughts
Instagram has evolved a lot, and it’s not just for cool-looking selfies anymore. Using it the right way will help your brand build credibility, social presence, and awareness—all of which will help you make more money.
