Instagram is one of the most popular social networks and one of the best marketing channels for businesses around the world. In this social network, you can sell constantly and a lot; the main thing is to do it with the right approach. Businesses that have neither systematic marketing strategy nor attractive textual and visual content can not get profit from this marketing channel. Below you will find important tips on how to use Instagram for business and how to get profit from Instagram.
Use images that attract customers attention
The peculiarity of sales on Instagram is that images are the main content. Videos are one step behind but still are popular among users of the social network. If the video is too long, you can trim it to avoid loading into the IGTV, for example, here. Not so many people like to watch long videos on Instagram. Photos are easier to perceive than videos. You should follow some rules when choosing images for your Instagram account:
- The photo should be unique and original.
- Your products and services should be visualized. Think about how best to present the product. For example, if you sell exclusive handmade soap, then create an original wrapper or box for it.
- Add details to visual content. A lot of people pay attention to the details in the photo.
- Publish emotional and sensitive texts together with photos. Boring posts won’t attract anyone.
Below is an example of the right approach to choosing images for an Instagram account.
A Healthy Lifestyle Is In Vogue. Take Advantage Of It
Be a “healthy” brand. How? For example, remove harmful ingredients from products and tell your potential and current customers about changes in your product. This is a promising and modern trend that is in high demand. Right now, there are not so many businesses that are positioning themself as “healthy.” “Healthy hashtags” are not overflowed with posts. Here it is more opportunities to get the attention of the target audience.
Search by hashtag #withoutsugar
Design And Promote Product Collections
People like to buy sets and collections, especially when they look attractive. After all, it’s the perfect gift for a loved one. Such sets are more valuable for clients than separate products, plus they cost a little less. Sets and collections are a great way to stimulate sales on Instagram.
For example, if your business is handmade candy, design sweet sets for different holidays and occasions (weddings, anniversaries, International Women’s Day, Valentine’s Day, etc.).
If your business is cosmetic services, then offer different sets and combinations: for one and several girls, for couples in love. You can come up with interesting combinations: facial cleansing + decollete massage. This will stimulate your sales on Instagram and increase the number of clients.
Work On Your Content Strategy
It’s not enough to post a few photos or videos and wait until your audience starts to buy your products and services or write in DM. You have to build an effective content strategy that will work as well as any other marketing campaign. For example, the POSTOPLAN service has a built-in library of ideas that can help with an effective content plan.
Recommendations for Instagram:
- Analyze stats and track your competitors. Find 5-10 competitors (similar brands) and analyze their best posts over the past few months. Note any common features: colors used, types of photos, type of content. Analyze the information you’ve gathered. You don’t need to copy someone else’s content; analyzing your competitors will give you an idea of what your audience is interested in.
- Create content around similar topics or ideas. Similar to your product/services topics or ideas will provide you with content for a couple of months.
- Try to create content that is as unique as possible. Unique content is more appreciated by subscribers.
- Invest in photo editing apps. Whether it’s Adobe Photoshop or VSCO, your content should capture your audience’s attention. Beautiful, breathtaking photography always gets people’s attention, and photo editing apps will help you do just that.
Use Branded Hashtags
Hashtags are the most effective free promotion method on Instagram. They help clients find you and increase your account’s reach. Perhaps someone will object and say that hashtags do not work. They do if you use hashtags that are targeted to your account/business.
Conventional hashtags are crammed with posts, so it’s very difficult to get to the feed of your target audience with their help. It is more rational to create a hashtag or use relatively new hashtags. By the way, it’s critical to know how hashtags work, how popular they are, etc. With hashtag analytics tools, you can easily gain insight into keywords and frequently used hashtags on Instagram.
Researches show that 57% of users don’t follow brands on social media because most of their branded content is promotional. To avoid unnecessary advertising but still promote your brand on social media, use Instagram branded hashtags. Statistics show that 7 out of 10 hashtags on Instagram are branded hashtags. Your hashtag should be unique, memorable, and interesting.
Use Call to Action (CTA)
What drives users to subscribe and interact with accounts? Of course, calls to action. Having good photos helps engage users, but it’s not enough. To successfully sell products and services, you need to use CTA. Equally important are the profile descriptions.
People do what they are asked to do. So a post with the words “Like and comment this post” or “Don’t miss an opportunity, order now” will be more successful than a post without them. Also, don’t forget to use the CTA buttons in the Instagram account.
4 Mistakes That Hinder Sales Most Of All
Budding entrepreneurs often make mistakes when selling on Instagram:
- Publish only selling posts in their accounts.
- Do not respond to comments under posts.
- In the header of the profile, they write only the price of the goods – without delivery conditions, payment methods, location of the office.
- Not engaged in the additional promotion of the account, and hope that customers will find the profile themselves.
Conclusion
Sales on Instagram are not as easy as they sound. Now you know how to sell on Instagram and how to use Instagram for business. Apply all the tips from the article to make your first money selling products/services. Also, try not to make any common mistakes, and you will achieve success.
