5 Effective Tips On How to Use Instagram for Small Businesses
The importance of social media marketing for small businesses has increased substantially in recent years, as more and more companies look to get their message out to as wide an audience as possible.
Let’s be honest, Instagram is one of the top social media channels without a doubt. But as a small business owner can you use this platform to get the best results?
Yes, you can. It’s no secret that Instagram has become a channel used by some of the largest companies in Tanzania. And these large companies have used their brands to push themselves to the next level and dominate the space on Instagram.
Currently, Instagram seems to be the latest and greatest way to market your business. However, it’s still a challenge if you don’t know what you’re doing. This is especially true if your business is relatively small.
Small business owners have a lot on their plates, doing everything they can to stay in business. One important task that often gets neglected is marketing their business online
The main reasons why small businesses should consider using Instagram for marketing are; building your brand, helping people understand your business, and connecting with new customers.
Is there a way for the little guy to get in the action? Yes, this post is written specifically for small businesses to help you determine how you can use Instagram to grow your business, and avoid some of the common traps that other small businesses have fallen into when trying to use Instagram to their advantage.
1. Start with your bio
Did you know, it takes less than 7 seconds for someone to see your bio?
Your bio is the first thing that potential customers see on your profile when they search for you.
We all want our brands to be approachable, relatable, and memorable. This is why bios are so important - not only do they help create an emotional connection with your target audience, but they also make finding you online easier. When people read your bio, they have a better idea of who you are, what you do, and what makes you different from everyone else.
The best way to fill your bio is by being authentic. Make sure you use real information, such as brand name, rather than making an impersonal bio.
Even if you think your bio is perfect, just re-write it a couple of times until it’s better suited for the role you want to play.
2. Find your ideal customers.
One of the best ways to find your ideal customers is to look at user accounts on Instagram and look at what they post about the businesses they’re following.
You can even analyze which accounts they follow based on the types of posts they send out, the images they post (e.g., product shots, promo photos), and the keywords they use in their captions. This is a powerful analytical tool and it can help you find the right Instagram followers for your business very quickly.
3. Create content
You know your target audience, but do you know what kind of content will make them engage with your brand on Instagram?
Content is king. If you want to drive leads and engagement, you need to create content that addresses their issues and concerns.
Whether it’s about their favorite sports team or their latest fashion trends, make sure your posts are designed to engage with your audience as effectively as possible. Bloggers who create content regularly are more likely to see higher engagement on their accounts.
4. Post-high-quality photos
The trickiest part of creating product photos isn’t thinking about what you want the pictures of your products to look like.
It’s thinking about how you will get the product photograph right. When you take a group photo of all your products, everyone looks like they belong in the same photo.
But if you all take different pictures of the product separately, with slightly different lighting and angles overlaid on top of each other – no one looks like they were taken at the same time.
Don’t worry, you don’t need professional skills or even a good camera to succeed. Your phone creates magic with this simple application; Adobe Lightroom, Canva, Pixlr, Inshot, and PicsArt.
These are applications that are very simple to use and edit your content through your smartphone.
5. Use hashtags
You want your Instagram posts to be memorable and easy to share, so use Instagram hashtags that will help you stand out from your competitors.
Be strategic about how you use them. For example, don't use the same tag three times in a row. Or choose one that’s highly popular among your users.
The key is knowing when to use them and when to avoid them. First make sure people are using them, stay relevant to the brand and create branded hashtags. Also, monitor competitors and key industry figures and use event-specific hashtags.
The proper using hashtags in your social media drive more people to your page. Also, it interacts with your content and expands your brand presence.
Conclusion
With the right Instagram marketing strategy, you can make your business look more professional and generate more leads. This means more sales and more money in the bank!
There is a lot that can be done by simply creating an Instagram account for your small business but it's not enough to just pop out a picture with your company logo on it and call it a day. There are so many Instagram accounts out there and so many ways you can promote your business with just a few clicks of Instagram.
More and more people are using Instagram to discover brands, learn about new products and services and connect with others who share the same interests as they do. For this reason alone, it's worthwhile checking into how Instagram can help your business grow.
This article was written by Nasra Mohammed, a Digital Marketing Specialist at Bridging Technologies Ltd.
How Tanzania Youths Can Benefits From Social Media
Article written by Eunice Tossy
Social media has become an important part of our everyday life. Worldwide, there are 3.80 billion social media users.
In Tanzanian, a large number of youths are avid users of these social platforms such Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. We use these tools to stay connected and informed. But most of us tend to be so well informed about issues surrounding our celebrities.
We are active on social media, and that's not always a bad thing. But are we making the most of it?
You have probably heard about people who have won scholarships, competitions, deals, got job and all these exciting opportunities after seeing them from social media, and you were left asking, 'which Instagram are these winners using?' Well, they get information about opportunities the same way you get information about Diamond Platnumz divorcing Tanasha.
If you don't want to miss out on important opportunities, or want to do more with social media, here is how you can benefit from these platforms, the same ones that winners are using:
Join groups or conversations that resonate with you
Don't be up to date with everything. That's draining. Be well informed about issues that really matter to you. Be it social change, world issues, sports or anything else. You need to have an information diet, you can't take anything in. Focus and engage on content that resonate with you only. Celebrity dramas is entertaining but time wasting.
Find your tribe and connect with them
Follow people who do things you love doing. If you're a digital marketer, find and connect with people in the digital marketing industry. You can also have virtual mentors on social media who inspire you and give you lessons through their posts. because all these people who live our dream lives, post about it. Why not learn and be mentored?
Brand yourself well
I used to hate this word, because I believe people are not brands. But again, your social media persona should just be you. Don't fake things because people will notice. Understand who you aspire to become and try your level best to stay out of trouble on social media.
Follow accounts that post opportunities
There are a lot of accounts and blogs that share opportunities and organizations that do things that you like. In 2018, I went to Malawi to work with When the Saints, an organization that works with girls who have been sexually abused. I got into contact with them after just I read about them from my favourite blog. I reached out to the founder and I got the opportunity to work with the organization for for three months.
Use your account to share your passion
I love blogging, and my Instagram is full of pictures and long captions (inspiring people and sharing tips), my Twitter is full of me connecting with other bloggers in the word. You love photography, share what you capture on your account, sell what you make, share your love for things etc. You might gain a following and might as well become an influencer. People pay bills using their social media accounts these days, why not you?
And those are the ways I think we can benefit from these digital platforms.
-Eunice💜
Eunice is a writer at abiblegirl.com, where she shares life tips for millennials. Connect with her on Instagram.