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Instagram is now the number one social media platform for businesses that have a need for consumer influencers. There are many ways that companies can use Instagram to expand business reach. Let’s take a look at what’s on the cutting edge.
Personal & Business Overlap
The proliferation of Instagram Business allows a company to build multiple accounts for a company using Business and Personal profiles. Savvy companies take the opportunity to create a business hub with personal “satellites” to test multivariate strategies and provide several opportunities to analyze the business from the consumer and producer perspectives.
Using Stories as Commercials
Instagram Stories is a great way to hide a commercial. You can’t repurpose a commercial into an Instagram Story, but you can get a huge amount of traction if you play the game correctly. If it is done the right way, some of your prospects may not even realize that they are watching a commercial for your business. The secret is to adhere to inbound marketing principles and stay away from the hard sell.
Make a Star
Companies that used influencer marketing experienced an average 520% ROI. How much more could you get if you find the diamond in the rough? They don’t have the leverage to charge outrageous prices, and you can get more work from them if you find them early when their schedules are not packed.
Create an Instagram Newsletter
The new generation of buyers look at Instagram like Gen Y looked at email for business. Instead of trying to move your Instagram audience to email, why not create an Instagram newsletter? Use the same rules for succeeding in an email newsletter with a strategy that is modified to the Instagram platform, and you get the best of both worlds – the high returns of email marketing and the convenience of your social media placement.
Creating New Rewards
You might be surprised how much traction you can get with just a few original emojis or filters. You might also be surprised at how cheaply you can get these features made for you. Not only do you entertain your audience, but you also gain another opportunity to market your business. Every time one of your customers pulls up your branded smiley, you have another point of contact for all of the new prospects that are just discovering you. You also look more professional because you have yourself branded while your competition is still using templates.
Multivariate Keywording
Do you remember the multiple profiles that you created using Personal and Business accounts? Keep in mind that you can optimize those profiles to different aspects of your industry. The more precise your profiles are, the more likely they are to show up in hashtag searches. This is especially important in highly competitive industries where the general marketing keywords are being hoarded by competitors with million dollar budgets and thus creating a market-leading business there might be quite a challenge.
Although Instagram has over one billion followers and is already a staple in many marketing mixes, it is far from a saturated platform. There is plenty of room for a savvy business to grow and prosper. You must learn how to jump on opportunities quickly and find your way around the many tools that it offers, but there are few places that you can gain a real connection with an audience so quickly. Keep the tips above in mind as best practices for your business regardless of industry. Keep your ear to the street for new opportunities on Instagram as well. With all of the attention here, you can bet that developers and businesspeople are building for it as we speak!