Lauched in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom, Instagram is a popular social networking platform that allows people to share photos and videos with their followers. With roughly one billion monthly active users, it has become a powerful tool for businesses to showcase their products and services through visual content to a massive audience. Indeed, using Instagram makes it easier for companies to establish a strong online presence by engaging with consumers and building a brand identity. In this article, we will explore how to create an effective Instagram strategy for your business and how to measure its success.
Creating an Effective Instagram Strategy
When it comes to creating an effective Instagram strategy, businesses need to target a specific consumer segment that speaks directly to them. Certainly, understanding their interests and pain points by addressing the consumer’s needs on the platform is important for your brand to attract and retain the right people for your products. Companies should then consider the different types of content they can post. Indeed, there are six major content categories that brands can utilize: news feed posts, reels, stories, lives, guides and Instagram shopping. We will discuss in depth the most popular activities on the platform: the use of news feed posts and stories.
News Feed Posts
News feed posts are crucial for developing and improving your brand image. As a matter of fact, the content that can be found on your profile page should be of high-quality and align with your company’s aesthetic. Users need to be able to identify your company’s personality from the feed. Using high-resolution images, eye-catching colours and action shots of your products are examples of ways to attract potential consumers to follow your business on the platform. Moreover, including hashtags or tags that are related to your brand and posts such as location, people and interests will boost your organic searches. It is important to engage with your followers by responding to messages and comments you receive on your page. Collaborating with other companies or influencers from the same niche is also an efficient way to increase your audience.
Instagram Stories
Stories are considered easier and simpler to create. They are a fun way to engage and interact with your community by using polls, questions and links. However, since these posts only remain for 24 hours, it is essential for your brand to be consistent by posting daily to allow visibility and to reach your audience. Behind-the-scenes footage and announcements can be promoted with this type of content category.
Best Practices for Measuring the Success of Your Instagram Strategy
Measuring the effectiveness of your efforts and making data-driven decisions for your business is necessary to optimize your campaigns and drive growth. Here are some best practices for analyzing the success of your Instagram strategy:
Tracking Engagement Rate
This metric refers to calculating the percentage of followers who engage (likes, comments, shares, saves, etc.) with your content on the platform. Indeed, it is the level of interaction between your content and your audience. A high engagement rate means that your audience is interested in your brand and enjoys what you post. To calculate this rate, simply divide the number of engagements by your total followers and multiply by 100. Don’t hesitate to experiment with the different types of content categories to gain insight on which format drives the most engagement for your business.
Measuring Conversions
It is important to keep track of your conversion rate if your strategy aims to boost sales and leads. As a matter of fact, conversions refer to any action that is taken by your target audience (clicking on a link, filling out a form, visiting your website or making a purchase, etc.). Adding a call-to-action in your bio on Instagram is an example of a tactic to increase conversions. Tools like Google Analytics can help you keep track of your traffic and sales.
Sources
https://www.statista.com/statistics/325587/instagram-global-age-group/
