Previously I wrote an article about the importance of hashtags, and how you can use them for your business to increase your exposure organically, through this article I'm going to explain how to target the correct audience, which will yield a higher chance of conversion.
You have more than just your personality to share with your Instagram followers -- you have products and services as well.
So you're looking to transform your followers into customers. But how do you go about doing this?
Many brands struggle with using IG to attract and convert leads into paying customers.
But no more.
This guide will show you how you can create an IG strategy designed specifically for selling your products or services, which will help your organic Instagram growth
Let's get to it!
Who Are Your Target Customers?
Before you can begin "selling" on Instagram, you first have to find leads. And the best way to do this is to know who your target audience is.
Without this knowledge, you won't be able to design a campaign that converts.
So who are your target customers? If you don't have the answer, then it's time to do some research. You need to figure out their age, location, and interests.
The more you know, the better.
Take all the information you gather and create buyer personas and profiles so you can use them when you're coming up with content ideas.
You'll need to segment your audience so you can create content that caters to each of them.
When Are they On Instagram?
After figuring out who your customers are, it's time to learn about their habits and behaviors. For example, what days and times they're on Instagram.
To determine this, you'll need to analyze each segment you're marketing to. Since Instagram comes with analytics data (for business profiles), you can use this to gain insight.
After several months of posting, you can learn which posts perform the best and when they receive the most engagement.
See if there's a pattern, such as Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays between 5 pm and 8 pm.
You should segment your content just as you do your audience. For instance, you can use Stories, photos, live videos, memes, infographics, and so on based on the customer persona you're targeting.
It's also recommended that you keep an eye on your competitor's content. What are they posting, when are they posting, and how much engagement are they getting?
And let's not forget about hashtags -- see what competitors are using and which are trending. Experiment with them to see which help you reach your target audience.
Optimize Your Instagram Profile
Now that you know your audience and the best ways to reach them, it's time to optimize. To start, you need to ensure you have a business profile on Instagram.
Fill this out with a bio, link to your website, and a professional photo. This can be your brand logo or an image that best represents your brand.
For example, if you sell fitness products or services, then you can have an image of models (or the owners) working out or posing with their fitness gear on.
Since this is all about branding, you want to ensure your name and photo are consistent. This way, people can quickly identify your content when they see it.
In your bio, you should talk briefly about who you are, what your brand is about, and what how you can help others (particularly your followers).
Don't go too in-depth but cover enough to pique the interest of followers. Avoid being salesy and talk a little about the photos/videos you plan to share with your audience.
This isn't the place to sell your brand, but it is an opportunity to help folks understand your mission so they can decide whether to be a part of it (aka follow you).
Show Off Your Products and Services
Your purpose is to drive leads and conversions, but how can you do this if you're not allowed to sell? Well, there's a way to promote your brand and what it has to offer without coming off as a salesperson.
So the idea is to soft sell, not hard sell. For example, rather than asking (or begging) people to buy, you can show them why they should.
The theme here is -- show, don't tell. And Instagram is infamous for showing off.
Plus, people are susceptible to learning about brand products and services via social media. Data shows that 38% of people are influenced by brands on social media.
One way to do a soft-sell is to show your product or service in action. Stories and live video are excellent tools for this.
Plus, you can get creative with your photos and cinemagraphs. Some brands create themes around their product props to give it visual appeal. Then link to where users can find those items and other products.
Ensure Your Content is High-Quality
When you think of a full-page ad or spread, magazines likely come to mind. Remember how glossy and beautiful those pages were?
That's what you need to duplicate when you're creating visuals for your Instagram account. The best way to pull this off is to develop high-definition photos and videos.
For images, you want to aim for 612 x 612 pixels so that they're large enough squares.
When saving your photos, you should double the resolution size to maintain its quality. For instance, if you're using Photoshop, you can save it as 1024 x 1024 while still maintaining its crispness.
Create an Event On Instagram
Now, there are several types of events you can use to attract people who may be interested in your product or service.
For instance, you can host a live Q&A session so users can ask questions about your brand. This could be a game changer if they were on the line about purchasing from you or a competitor.
Make sure to promote the event at least a week or two in advance, so folks have time to mark it on their calendars.
Another option is to create a contest on Instagram. This will get your followers and non-followers engaged, especially if it's something they find interesting and worthwhile.
For example, you can give away a free sample of a product or free month of service. It's a good idea to include a branded hashtag, a high-quality photo or video (showing the grand prize), and the word "contest" in the post.
There should also be a deadline for the contestants to enter and submit whatever it is they must submit. To really get users engaged, you can ask them to post a video or image of them doing a particular thing in a particular place (as long as it's something someone can do wherever they are).
For instance, taking a photo with their favorite somebody at their favorite restaurant.
Include Calls to Action in All Your Posts
Each piece of content you publish on Instagram share a common goal -- to drive leads to your website. So it's ideal to include a call to action (CTA) in every post.
Otherwise, people will just view your post and move on to the next item on their feed. At best, they may hit the like and follow buttons.
The CTA should match the post and its caption. For example, if you're sharing a video about a product, you can invite users to visit the product page.
Or if you're publishing a quick tip or tutorial on how to achieve a goal using your product or service, then you can ask them to download your guide or e-book (make sure to include the link).
Buy Real Followers from Your Target Audience
Sometimes it pays to pay -- especially when it comes to marketing. Today, you can work with agencies like Hashtags For Likes, which can help by attracting followers from your target audience through the use of popular hashtags.
This isn't your run-of-the-mill company that uses fake bots and accounts to spruce up your follower count. By using the correct hashtags you can successfully increase your exposure
And, in turn, you can potentially turn them into customers.
Use Location Tags in Your Stories and Photos
If you offer services to specific cities, then it's a good idea to include location tags in your posts. This will help local users find your brand when they're conducting searches in your industry.
In doing so, you'll broaden your reach since anyone can see your public posts.
The same goes if you're attending a local event -- geotag it to help gain traction for your content.
Reach More Potential Buyers Today!
These are just some of the ideas you can use to drive targeted traffic to your IG account and website. With the right strategy, you can target customers that are most interested in what you have to offer.
Quality content, giveaways, and other methods can all help make this happen.
So turn this into your to-do list and let us know how it helps improve your IG conversions!