Ultimate Instagram guide for your small business
If you run a small business and are looking for the best way to get started with Instagram, then look no further than this guide. We’re providing the steps and content ideas you’ll need to post like the pros and ensure that your business account is engaging with the right customers and building relationships to stand out from your competition.
Why is it so important to be on Instagram?
With so many social media platforms available, you might wonder why you need Instagram. Here are some stats that should convince you:
- Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users.
- 70 percent of Instagram users look up brands on Instagram.
- 80 percent of Instagram users follow a business on the platform.
The customers you want to reach are using the platform to connect with friends and businesses like yours — they’re looking for engaging content, so start giving those users what they want!
What should you post?
Remember that Instagram is all about photos. Yes, you’ll want to write a caption for the images you choose, but people are seeing the visuals first.
Photos of your team, product, and services
Keep in mind framing, lighting, and angles. Make sure the images you share on Instagram are edited, well-cropped and high-quality.
Your events, giveaways, and specials
You can use these as opportunities to run contests on Instagram encouraging followers to tag their friends.
Video or Boomerang content
(Boomerang takes a burst of photos, speeds them up and plays them forward and backward to create a looping video). Take advantage of Instagram’s features to switch up your posts.
In-the-moment content on Instagram Stories
Have something to share, but don’t want to dedicate a post to it? Add it to your story. After 24 hours, it will disappear, but your audience can enjoy and engage with it during that time.
Customer quotes and testimonials
Show off how much your customers love you! Let positive customer quotes and testimonials speak for your business.
User-generated content
Let your followers do the work for you. Instagram users love to tag and geotag brands and businesses that they visit — monitor these actions (by checking your notifications) and share those posts with your audience.
Click on the heart icon on your Instagram account to see who’s tagging and mentioning your business, and find the best posts to share on your own Instagram account. Just remember to ask for permission to reshare, and when posting, thank and tag that user.
When should I post on Instagram and how often?
One of the most important best practices from this Instagram guide is to make sure you post relevant, compelling content at the times your followers want to see it. This is what pulls new customers in and keeps loyal customers coming back, but it’s difficult to know the best times to post on Instagram.