If you are not sure whether Instagram is the right sales tool for your business, think about it again and you’ll realize that it grants you access to more than a billion potential shoppers globally. You can hardly ask for a larger customer base, so the only real question is how to make the most of it and boost your sales results.
According to the report, over 80% of Instagram users discover new products and services on the platform. At the same time, 11% of social media users in the US shop on Instagram directly.
The platform obviously has major business potential, but how do you turn your Instagram account into a not-so-secret sales weapon? Keep reading to learn more about it!
- Grow your fan base
The first thing you need to do is to grow your Instagram fan base before you actually start boosting sales through this platform. There are two basic ways to increase follower count:
- Publish lots of high-quality posts. The most popular Instagram accounts attract thousands or even millions of followers simply because they frequently post amazing images and videos.
- Organize giveaways and contests. People love competing and getting stuff free of charge, so you can launch contests and giveaways to maximize the reach.
- You can also use Nitreo, a service that helps grow your Instagram followers.
- Publish product photos with a tweak
Instagram users are not exactly thrilled about blatant promotion, which means you shouldn’t publish too many posts focusing on your products directly.
Jake Gardner, a digital marketing manager at https://www.bestessayservicereviews.com/, says you can take a different turn and publish product photos with a tweak: “The idea is to put things into perspective, tell a visual story, and create an environment in which your products can make subtle but powerful impressions on the audience.”
Take Nike as an example here because they always tell stories through their posts, so products can act from the background.
- Use the link in bio strategically
You know that Instagram allows users to add only one link to the bio section, so you might as well use it strategically to grow sales. For instance, you can create a series of posts promoting a specific product or service and support it with a bio URL that leads consumers to the landing page.
- Create shoppable posts
We cannot speak about Instagram-oriented sales without mentioning shoppable posts. It’s a relatively new function that makes Instagram a business-friendlier platform. A shoppable post comes with a call to action “Tap to View Products” and leads users directly to the product description.
This feature practically turns your Instagram account into an online store and converts your followers into verified leads. Although it is still too early to make definitive conclusions, initial reports suggest that shoppable posts are gradually revolutionizing Instagram marketing for businesses.
- Add links to your Stories
Another detail you should not forget is that Instagram allows you to add links to the Stories. More than half of Instagram accounts use Stories daily, while over 30% of the most viewed Stories come from businesses.
The strategy is similar to the bio URL, but keep in mind that it only applies to business accounts with more than 10 thousand followers. This is yet another proof that the first tip on our list (Grow your fan base) is pivotal to the success of Instagram sales and marketing.
- Advertising is a must
Creating premium quality content is fundamental, but a fair share of Instagram advertising is a must if you want to skyrocket the sales results. You probably know that Instagram advertising is controlled via Facebook Ads, so we will only remind you of the basic targeting abilities:
- Core audiences: You get to choose how to target Instagram users based on demographic indicators.
- Custom audiences: It is also possible to target people who know and interact with your brand already.
- Lookalike audiences: The third option is to reach out to consumers who look like your current customers.
Of course, this is only the beginning as Instagram advertising gives you a plethora of other targeting features and subcategories.
- Use the right hashtags
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Unfortunately, things are not that simple when you select the right hashtags for Instagram posts. Our advice is to use up to four or five hashtags that perfectly match the intent of your post and the preferences of the target audience. Anything more than that could be considered spammy and irrelevant.
- Partner with influencers
The last tip on our list is a no-brainer, but it is still very important to mention influencers as one of the strongest driving forces behind Instagram marketing. As a sales-focused brand, you should probably partner with micro-influencers because they are most likely to drive user engagement and generate product purchases.
The Bottom Line
Instagram has quickly turned from a simple communication platform into a full-time sales tool, so you simply have to exploit it for conversion purposes. In this post, we discussed eight ways to make Instagram your not-so-secret sales weapon. Do you think you can make it work for your brand?
AUTHOR BIO
Thomas Lanigan is a blogger and a writer of college paper.org reviews. As a standout academic writer, he can provide you with the best assignment help or argumentative essay help. Thomas is the father of a lovely toddler and a passionate traveler.