Instagram is an increasingly popular platform for growing your business and cultivating a loyal tribe of consumers. However, owned by Facebook, Instagram also has an algorithm more complex than a Rubic’s cube and if you try to find a quick solution, you can find yourself going down an endless rabbit hole online. These are the top three tips for using Instagram with intentionality to promote and grow your business, regardless of industry and niche.
First things first, if you have not already made your account a business account, you should. An Instagram business account will allow you to have access to analytics that you cannot otherwise see like how many profile views you’re getting, the ability for people to email you with the click of a button, and demographic information about your followers. In order to create a business profile, your brand needs to also have a Facebook page that’s for your business and operates separately from your personal Facebook profile.
Create (and stick to) an Editorial Calendar
This is the biggest thing to help grow your Instagram and cultivate a loyal following. Creating and sticking to an editorial calendar will ensure that you’re posting regular and consistent content. This will also help you ensure that you’re using a consistent brand voice which is essential for converting followers into customers.
Build Your Brand’s Aesthetic
Your business is unique. Therefore, your Instagram profile should communicate the same feeling that spending time in your space does. Creating a customized Instagram filter that you use on each and every photo you share, even on IG Stories, helps identify your brand as people are scrolling through their feed. Creating a customized filter can be as simple as using an app like A Color Story where you can save your editing and apply it to every photo with one click.
Batch Your Content
Similar to using an editorial calendar, one way to help you stick with it is to batch your content. This means that you plan out a few weeks (typically two weeks) of content in one sitting. Using your editorial calendar as a guide and the help of an app like Planoly, you can edit, write your captions, load and schedule all of your posts at one time. This saves a lot of time and helps you maintain consistency when using Instagram, which is one way to help you beat the algorithm.
Here’s a bonus tip: take advantage of the features Instagram offers. It’s not enough to just post a photo anymore. Instead, use Instagram Stories, include up to 30 hashtags in each post, tag relevant brands/people in your posts, and include your location. The more you use the platform, the more you’re rewarded.
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