As Instagram continues to grow and change; many entrepreneurs, small and big businesses noticed the various opportunities of Instagram to market various products. As it is dynamic and visual, Instagram allows real-time interaction with users, who get to view your products as soon as you post an image. Thus, Instagram is the best channel to sell your products due to its visual potential and active users.
Here are 7 strategies that will help you in using Instagram to sell your products:
Optimize your Business profile
In order to consistently build hype and get people engaged in your product, you have to create a carefully planned and well-thought-out timetable. You have to define your goals so you can properly plan out your posts for your marketing campaign. A timetable is a critical component for having an effective social media campaign.
Instagram profiles serve now as a homepage where more users are turning to Instagram instead of Google to search and look into the products of a brand. That is why it really matters to spend your time and resources in making a good quality feed. Your Instagram business profile is your first opportunity to make a great impression and entice people to follow your business.
An Instagram profile should include:
- Profile Photo: Choose a photo that represents your company such as a brand logo.
- A Well-Crafted Bio: Your bio is a clear description of your business that speaks to the audience. Make them know what you are offering to them.
- Link to shop: This is the URL clickable link that you can add to your Instagram page. Make sure that you’re using and it is updated. Creating a unique URL for this section will give you the opportunity to track visits to your websites from Instagram.
Use Ads to Reach Target Audience
One important strategy in marketing is to understand your demographic if you want to maximize your sales. Defining your target audience will give you a solid foundation from which to create and promote all future Instagram content. From this, the ads that you will use to market your product is targeted towards your audience and should be seen by everyone who falls within the demographic. You must post relevant photos and videos to captivate your audience.
It is always refreshing to take inspiration from similar brands that have used Instagram to sell their products since it will definitely bolster your brand’s marketing strategy. Just make sure that you do not become a ‘copy-cat’ brand because this would just hurt your business more than help.
Effective Hashtags
Use hashtags that are relevant to your brand and product to maximize its exposure among your followers. For example, if you’re into cosmetics, then you will use hashtags like #lipshades #uncomplicatedbeauty #makeups and others to describe the products that you offer. It is also important to use your brand name in the form of a hashtag in your post. This will surely increase the visibility of your product and for your company as well.
Instagram Story Ads/Product links
Instagram Story Ads
In 2017, Instagram has released advertising in Stories which offers paid opportunities for businesses to reach more people. These ads make your brand personally relevant to your target people. As you follow an account, these ads pop up in between Instagram Stories and can make a large impact on potential customers.
Product links
If you notice, there is a Call-to-Action (“Shop Now”) text below in these ads. A call-to-action below is very helpful for those who are interested to know more about the product. You can create a video or a photo as an Instagram ad in your Stories, just make it sure that it is attention-grabbing to catch the eyes of your audience. Instagram Stories allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level on a daily basis. This is a great opportunity to reach your followers in a more accessible way just by viewing your Instagram Stories. Make it count!
Shoppable Feed
Creating a shoppable feed is a popular strategy for businesses looking to drive sales through Instagram. It allows business to tag products that are available for sale and then let the users purchase them directly within the app. The Shoppable Instagram Galleries is a Shopify plugin where a visitor can add to cart and buy the liked item directly from images on your feed.
Later’s Linkin.bio feature is a popular strategy used by business in creating a shoppable feed. It drives traffic and makes sales from Instagram since it links your Instagram posts to the right products or pages. It sends your followers anywhere by linking your Instagram posts to a specific product or blog post or websites.
Instagram only Promotions
Shoppers would love to see if there are any promotions such as sale, promo products and others that capture their attention. You can either include this in your Instagram Stories or in your posts. You can actively engage your followers through a contest. To create a contest, it must have a clear goal and well-structured set of rules for the participants so it won’t create confusion for them. If the instruction is unclear, it would discourage them from joining. Most likely, users would share your post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, allowing your marketing campaign to grow larger.
Aside from contest, you can also get popular people or companies endorse your product on their Instagram and other social media accounts.
Partnerships with Influencers
Instagram influencers have a huge part in social media strategies today. Consumers would most likely to trust an advertisement from a person that is influential or is an expert on a specific field. In partnering with influencers, you are also widening your engagement to other potential customers as well.
One of the best ways also to build your brand is by gratifying your followers. This is one way to make your followers feel special. You can routinely repost some of the best content of your followers and credit it to them. In effect, it creates a positive image for your brand and a trusting relationship with your followers.
Conclusion
There you have it! You can use either of these strategies that are applicable and can work best for your business. Hope these strategies will help you and feel free to comment on any ideas or experience with your Instagram account.
