Our top 7 Instagram basics for your small business

28 Aug

Instagram is the perfect platform for small businesses who want to connect with a wider audience and build their brand online

Instagram was originally created to showcase beautiful images. Traditionally used by photographers, designers and social influencers, Instagram has evolved into a highly sophisticated and lucrative business platform.

Instagram isn’t for every business, however it does suit most businesses who value social media as an effective marketing platform when used correctly.

Below are our top 7 tips in getting started using Instagram for your small business

1. CREATE THE PERFECT BIO

Look at some popular accounts you currently follow and you'll see their profile has been crafted to suite their brand and audience. You are limited to 5 lines and have only 150 characters so use them wisely.

Craft your bio first on your phone / latptop notes app so you can experiment with content and appearance. Don’t forget you can use emojis too, so get creative and use them sparingly.

Always add your website address to your profile (and email & phone number if you want people to contact you that way), as well as your logo or a good quality photo for your profile image.

The best and most popular accounts always seem to have a really consistent theme, which just means that all their imagery works well together and looks great when viewed 'as a whole' on their profile.

You can create a cohesive brand look through apps like Adobe Lightroom. Lightroom Presets have allowed brands and people create unique and consistent IG feeds to their photography. Check out Squarely’s set of Light Room Presets so you can create your own look too.

2. DECIDE ON A THEME AND STYLE

3. POST REGULARLY & WRITE ENGAGING CONTENT

Within your small business, you’re busy with so many things, so you don't have to post every day, but at least 3 times a week is a good amount! Instagram's algorithm technically doesn't really matter what time you post, because Instagram shows posts based on relevancy rather than by most recent. However it’s good practice to post (or schedule posts - Insta hack) when your followers are online (Instagram's analytics can tell you this).

When you post, your goal should be to get as many engagements as possible. If you’re a business “Likes” aren't going to pay your bills. The more comments and engagement, the more Instagram will show you to more people! So craft your captions with that in mind; you could try asking questions or starting discussions for this.

4. RESEARCH HASHTAGS & USE ALL 30!

Hashtags are an effective way to attract new followers to your business. Using effective relative hashtags with your posts can be a quick way to create a following and boost engagements. Did you know you can add up to 30 hashtags to a post? So use them all! It's great that Instagram also shows you how popular a hashtag is and shows you suggested hashtags while you're typing so.

Hashtag research is a topic in and of itself, however, check what your successful competitors are doing, and to try and use hashtags that are popular enough to have people following them, but not so popular that your content would get drowned out (think between 10,000 and 100,000 posts on a hashtag). There are also some great online tools for your to do some hashtag research like hashtagify.me and best-hashtags.com to name a few.

5. ADD YOUR LOCATION & TAG RELEVANT ACCOUNTS

When your posting for your small business on Instagram, always tag in your location as users will often search via location too and may in fact find you. Also tag in relevant accounts where you maybe. ie. If you’re at a restaurant tag in the restaurant, location of the restaurant, the wine you’re drinking and your guests.

Only do this if you're genuinely sharing your experiences with other accounts. Don't be spammy and annoying with tagging people who won't know why you've tagged them - it can just put them off, and do damage to your brand down the track.

6. FOLLOW RELATED ACCOUNTS & ADD VALUE

Try this. Head to your competitors accounts and see who is following them, chances are they might be interested in what you’re sharing as well! Go and follow those people and engage with their content by leaving comments that add value ie. Tip or advice, compliments, funny (but not creepy) comments. It will take some time, however it is worth it for growing a following for your business of people who are serious about keeping up to date with your brand.

7. INSTAGRAM STORIES

IG Stories is a wonderful and immersive part of Instagram. It is where you can make your brand come to life, and give you the ability to communicate to your audience in video, polls, questions… and the list goes on. Instagram stories are a series of 15 second video clips and images that last on your account for only 24 hours. Many people use them as a way to 'vlog' their behind-the-scenes content and provide unique snippets that may not fit with the theme of their more styled, curated profiles. Be creative, Be bold. This is where you can build a strong and loyal group of followers by creating engaging and effective stories.

× instagram small business faq ×

+ Is Instagram right for my small business, and why should I use it?

A For 'local' small businesses, like cafes/bars/restaurants/takeaways, hairdressers, bakeries, shops, and for creative businesses whose work is visual (think artists, interior designers, designers, fashion designers, photographers etc), Instagram is crucial! These days instead of just using Facebook or Google, we often search for businesses on Instagram before anything else if we want to see a visual example of someone's work, getting insight into a person more or even what to expect from a restaurant, will often head straight to Instagram to have a look.

Facebook is becoming harder and harder to reach your targeted followers without paying for advertising. Instagram is a great option for getting your brand 'out there' and engaging with your followers. With use of lives, IG stories, hashtags, "@" in relative people or brands, Instagram can be an effective marketing strategy for your small business.

+ Do I need a personal or Business Instagram account for my business?

A There has been talk of Instagram limiting reach to business accounts to push IG ads for a deeper reach, however to date we havent found that to be true. There are greater features for business accounts, more options for your followers to engage with you, and Instagram analytics on your stats, so unless your business is you ie. personal brand, we say get yourself a business Instagram account.

+ How much time should I dedicate to my business's Instagram account?

A Like anything, if you want results, you have to be the work in and be consistent over time for results to stick. This also applies to Instagram. Dedicating an hour or two a day to your Instagram account, will see you get good rewards and be able to build your following in no time. However with just 10-20 minutes a day of productive work you can create some great traction with your followers, and build your brand over time.

+ What should my small business post on Instagram?

A Well this all depends on what your business is, what it offers and where your target audience spends its time, and what your target audience wants to actually see. You can post a wide range of post types. Video, product images, behind the scenes, user generated shots ie. featured uploads of customers, inspirational quotes, Sale/promotional, Funny, Related industry events ...the list goes on. We can work with you on an Instagram content strategy to start to get your brand built online.