Crush Your Instagram

Are you a professional service-based business owner that thinks "Why should I bother with Instagram growth? My prospects aren't on that platform...."

I get it. Social media is time-consuming and you want to put the time and effort where you'll get results.

Here's the thing though: There is no other platform that can do for your business what Instagram can do.

Gone are the days of selfies and dancing for vanity metrics that don't deliver the dollars (unless you're into that sort of thing, then go wild).

The truth is, if you're a professional service-based business owner, you NEED to be on Instagram.

And not just "have a presence," either.

You need to DOMINATE your niche.

Here's 31 ways Instagram can level up your business:

1. PROFILE GRID: Instagram is the only social media platform that has a visual grid format on the profile page. It gives you the opportunity to show how you help at the first glance.
2. STORIES: While other platforms have stories available, Instagram is the only place where you can use several different kinds of engagement stickers, post to Facebook stories simultaneously, and create highlights to save important information you share there.
3. HIGHLIGHTS: Instagram has a highlights section which can act like a mini website. Readers can see how to work with you, testimonials, services, etc. right there on the profile.
4. GUIDES: You can curate content into groups by topics so readers can find what they're looking for without searching your entire feed.
5. LINK IN BIO: Unlike LinkedIn, you will not be penalized for sending readers off the platform to your website, blog, or sales page.
6. MARKET RESEARCH: Instagram is one of the best places to conduct market research because the stories make is simple to do.
7. INSIGHTS: Instagram insights allow you to understand data patterns about your content so you know what works and what doesn't.
8. BTS: Behind the scenes video becomes a snap when you use Instagram reels and stories. Add trending music and captions to build your brand personality.
9. SEO: Google search results will display social channels a business uses as well as the website.
10. COMPETITION: Your competitors are there building relationships and brand authority-you should be there too.
11. BRAND AWARENESS: You can build brand awareness through the correct use of keywords, hashtags, and content topics.
12. BRAND PERSONALITY: Show the personal side of the business through IGLives and stories.
13. BRAND AUTHORITY: You can be seen as an authority by solving problems in your content for readers and giving them quick wins.
14. EXPERT STATUS: You can build a reputation on Instagram as an expert in your niche by being an industry resource for readers.
15. NETWORKING: Instagram is one of the best platforms for networking with industry peers by doing post, IGLive, or reels collaborations. Collabs mean more exposure for you.
16. TOP OF MIND: When you're active on Instagram, you're also active on Facebook so you'll be seen on both platforms consistently.
17. BUILD TRUST: When you demonstrate your processes in infographics, carousels, or reels, readers will know exactly what to expect when working with you and that builds trust.
18. REFERRALS: The relationships built on the platform often leads to referrals from complimentary businesses in your niche.
19. SAVED CONTENT: Your content can get even more exposure because it can be saved in folders by readers for reading later and sharing in guides.
20. STORY MENTIONS: Customers and industry peers can share your content in their stories and when the @mention sticker is used, you can see how many people visited your profile.
21. MARKET PENETRATION: Instagram is the best platform for niching down and penetrating a market deeply.
22. ENGAGEMENT: It's 10X higher on Instagram than Facebook and that means more social proof for your brand.
23. SOCIAL PROOF: When your industry peers and customers validate your content with valuable comments, your prospects are more likely to trust and buy from you.
24. CUSTOMER TRENDS: Instagram's insights can help you understand exactly what your customers are interested in so you can give them exactly what they want.
25. VISIBILITY: When your profile is well-optimized your account will turn up in a search made by people looking for your services on the platform.
26. PARTNERSHIPS: You can work with influencers in your industry to gain visibility to their audiences which will increase your brand awareness.
27. AFFILIATE REVENUE: Once you've built a highly engaged community of peers, there will be opportunities for affiliate revenue. Being a spokesman for your favorite tools and resources also builds brand authority and gets exposure.
28. SALES: Instagram is set up for you to make sales right from the platform.
29. HIGHER QUALITY LEADS: When you have demonstrated your ability to solve your prospect's problem and have the trust of your community, people are willing to spend more.
30. HIGHER CLV: Building relationships with your current customers on social keeps you top of mind and reinforces loyalty to your brand.
31. 85% OF USERS FOLLOW A BUSINESS: Wouldn’t you rather it be you?

CONCLUSION

While it's true that your prospects are not on the platform (much), using the Instagram platform to build a reputation as a thought leader & expert in your niche will open doors in many areas you might not have considered before.

The relationships you build with your peers often times mean referrals and opportunities to work on projects you would never otherwise have had access to.

And while building an Instagram community isn't a short-term quick-fix solution, very few worthwhile endeavours are.

The benefits of building brand awareness and authority on the Instagram platform outweigh the cost of the effort tremendously.

If you're going to be on social media anyway, you might as well DOMINATE IT.

Toni is an Instagram marketing strategist and data nerd who helps service-based businesses go from having a "presence" on social media to DOMINATING their niche.

Struggling with building online credibility? Steal her Crush Your Instagram Profile Guide and get seen today: Profile Guide check out her free tips on Instagram: @crushyoursocial , or visit the website .

#INSTAGRAM #SOCIALPROOF #BRANDAUTHORITY #SOCIALMEDIAMARKETING

RESEARCH SOURCES:

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media/instagram-for-business/#close

https://smallbiztrends.com/2018/03/reasons-to-use-instagram-for-business.html

https://www.business.com/articles/10-reasons-to-use-instagram-for-business/