With all of the capabilities of today’s social networking, it’s no wonder businesses are looking towards social media to sell their products. Every business seems to take the first step of social marketing on Facebook. But companies are jumping at the chance to convert the Instagram audience into customers. With 500 million users, the Instagram opportunities are endless when it comes to selling your product. Here’s how to stand out among the 900 million images and videos posted each day.
Establish Your Brand
Instagram is based solely on visuals, so first impressions are critical. You want your post to catch the wandering eye of a potential customer as they are scrolling through their feed. Once they click on your profile, you want your company’s brand and aesthetic to jump off the screen. Your page’s tone must match your ideal customer so craft each post carefully. Choose a color and filter look that is visually appealing and cohesive. Post pictures that showcase your product in a clear and obvious way. Think of your followers as window shoppers, and each of your posts needs to invite them inside your virtual store.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags open up your brand to new followers. To lure that audience in, you’ll need hashtags made up of keywords that are specific to your product. They should be well-searched terms but not too popular where you get lost in the noise. Hashtags help users find your account while they are swiping through the app. Decide on a handful of hashtags and add them in your comments of your post. Writing the hashtags in the comments will be more subtle than posting them into the description.
Call to Action
Unfortunately, Instagram only allows one hyperlink. This link will be in your page’s bio. There is no way to link to your website on each post. This makes it very challenging to drive traffic to your website, and even more difficult for your followers to purchase your products. If your company only sells one or two specific products, add the link to your website in your bio. Instagram tried to address this last year, developing new adds that allow brands to create sponsored posts, specific to a product, which allow for more call to actions. They are:
- Shop Now for products
- Install Now for new apps
- Sign Up for subscription-based businesses and newsletters
- Learn More for more awareness campaigns.
Embracing the popular social media channels is one of the best ways to increase sales and get your products out there, but it isn’t easy. The audience is there; it is just up to you to visually engage them and sell your company and product. These tips will help to establish your company’s page and get the ball rolling. Looking for other tips on growing your brand on Instagram or other channels? Check out 5 Ways to Grow Your Social Media Presence
