How to use Instagram and make it profitable for your business

Nowadays, Instagram is the favorite social network for a lot of businesses. The possibility for marketing through posting photos is endless and gives businesses a chance to capture the attention of digital natives. Using Instagram for your business comes with a lot of benefits, but it requires a deep understanding of how to use it properly. I'll teach you how to use Instagram in a smart way to get the most out of it by earning from your followers.

In case you are still wondering if Instagram is a necessity for your business, I shall be quick to say Instagram is a great place to get customers interested in your business. It currently is the social media platform with the most active users globally, and the average user spends 25 minutes on the app per day. That’s a lot of potential impressions!

Here are some reasons why you should be using Instagram for your business:

1. Instagram is visual – Most people are visual learners, meaning they learn best by seeing things rather than reading about them. This means that photos and videos are more effective at getting people’s attention than text alone.

2. Instagram is mobile-first – Instagram was built for mobile devices, which makes it easy for users to navigate their feed without having to log in from a desktop computer or laptop every time they want to check out new content from brands they follow. It also makes it easy for those brands themselves to post new updates quickly and easily from anywhere they happen to be at any given moment.

3. Instagram allows you to reach highly targeted audiences – You can target specific groups of people based on location, interests, behaviours, gender, age, and much more through hashtags and location targeting options available on the network (for example, you could target people who live in Harare who have interests in fashion and design). This helps you get your brand out, targeting potential customers.

A guide to creating an Instagram Business Account

a)?????Create a business profile.

To get started on Instagram for your business, create a business profile. This is different from your personal profile and will allow you to access additional features such as analytics and an ad account.

Consider what you want to achieve with your Instagram account. Are you trying to sell a product or service, build brand awareness, or connect with customers? This will help ensure that your page remains consistent with your brand identity and content.

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b)????Create a brand identity.

When you start a business on Instagram, you want to make sure that your account is well-branded. Your business name and logo in your corporate colors should be the first things people see when they visit your profile.

You want your Instagram account to be professional and consistent with other marketing efforts. Choose a username that fits with your other social media accounts and branding strategy. If you don't have one yet, consider using your business name, or something else that clearly identifies you as a brand.

c)?????How to gain followers?

When you create an Instagram business account, you can adjust your settings to allow anyone to follow you.

To start gaining followers and getting your name out there, you'll need to post photos and videos that people want to see. Here are some tips for doing that:

??Post content that's relevant to your industry or niche. If you're a food blogger, share photos of food; if you're a fitness guru, share photos of exercise; if you're a fashion designer, share photos of clothing.

??Post content that's visually appealing. People do not want to follow accounts that don't look good or interesting — so make sure yours is both!

??Include hashtags in every photo caption as well as in the comments section below each post (if applicable). This will help other users find your content and could get them interested enough in following your account.

??Use filters and editing tools when posting pictures — they make everything look more professional and will help grab viewers' attention with ease!

??It's also important to make sure that you're posting regularly. If you don't post often enough, people will lose interest and stop following you.

??One other way to gain followers is by following other Instagram accounts. This can be done by searching for hashtags that are related to your business, or by searching for popular accounts in your niche. The first step is to find an account that has a similar audience to yours. Take note of how many followers they have and how often they post. If you want to get more followers, try to follow accounts that have a similar number of followers as you do but post less.

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d)????Use hashtags.

Hashtags are a great way to increase your visibility and make it easier for people to find your content. You should use them in every post you make, and you should also use them in your bio too. It's important to note that there are two types of hashtags: branded and unbranded. When choosing hashtags for your account, it's best to use both branded and unbranded ones so that you can reach a wide audience.

e) Engage with followers and other businesses.

Engagement is key to growing your business on Instagram. The more you engage with others, the more likely they are to follow you and share your content, giving your account exposure to a wider audience.

You can engage in several ways:

??Follow other businesses and individuals who post relevant photos or videos. Don't forget to follow back!

??Comment on other users' posts by liking, commenting, or sharing their content. This will not only help you build a connection with them but will also encourage them to do the same for you.

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f)?????Use influencers as a part of your strategy.

The ideology behind influencer endorsements is fairly simple in nature. When a celebrity, social media personality, or industry expert shares content about a brand on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, they typically include an image or video of themselves using one of your products or services. This allows their followers to see them using your product firsthand and makes them more likely to trust what they are saying.

g)????Advertise on Instagram

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You may be wondering why you should advertise on Instagram. The fact is that, like many other social media platforms, it is a great way to reach your audience and get your products in front of them.

With an advertising campaign on Instagram, you can:

??reach new customers

??increase brand awareness

??generate leads and sales

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Instagram is a great way to get people talking about and interested in your products or business. Offering deals on your posts, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the life of your business, are just some of the ways that you can build your brand on Instagram. The key is to be consistent and original in everything that you do.

Perhaps you want to use Instagram to promote your brand, but you don't have time to manage your account. This is where Digital Marketing Experts come in. Contact Calmlock to discuss the best Social Media Management package for you today. Our numbers are 0242754077 and 0713808777