4 Tips for Business Owners on Instagram: Easy Strategies that Work

Instagram is a social media platform that has been growing in popularity with business owners for some time now. Instagram provides a way to connect with people and share your story visually. 

It's important to keep up with the latest changes on the platform if you want to see results from using Instagram as part of your marketing strategy. This blog post will cover four Instagram tips for business owners that are proven to work. 

Five Instagram Tips for Business Owners:

1. Instagram Reels

2. How often to post on Instagram

3. Using both videos & graphics

4. Building community and not just selling things on Instagram.

Instagram Reels

One of the most popular Instagram features is Instagram Reels. Instagram Reels are engaging short-form videos, and many Instagram users leverage them to share industry-relevant tips, short tutorials, product reviews, and many more ways.

Instagram Reels have been a great way for business owners to show off their products and services by giving them one place to create a unique experience for their viewers.

Here are some ideas for your next Instagram Reels: 

• Create a behind-the-scenes video. This works for both product sellers and service providers.

• Share a client/customer testimonial.

• Create a transition reel, just search for #transition and then filter by Reel, and you'll find lots of inspiration.

• Share a tip of the day/week. It's simple, but it's quite effective in growing your visibility.

The sky's the limit. Test the waters, pay close attention to your data and see what works for you. 

How often to post on Instagram

This is a question that comes up quite often, and truthfully, there are no right or wrong answers, as you guessed it.... no two businesses are the same.

If you are new to the platform, having some guidelines would be helpful. Later Media released a helpful guide detailing how frequently one should post on Instagram after analyzing 81 Million posts.

I recommend spending time reviewing the guide and learning how frequently you should post based on where you are at in terms of your audience size. Also, remember that if those figures are overwhelming, you can start by building consistency that you can sustain. This will always pay off.

Using both videos & graphics

It's important to remember that Instagram is, at its core, a visual platform. Instagram provides many opportunities to share your vision for your company with the world through videos and graphics.

Here are some tips for using videos & graphics on Instagram:

Use Instagram Stories to create content in which you want people to engage strategically. If you are hosting an event, consider inviting followers who have interacted with you before the event. Also, offer exclusive Instagram Story content!

As a business owner, offering exclusive Instagram Story content is not hard. You simply want to create a “close friends” list, and the trick is done. When you share your story, instead of deploying your story to “your story,” you will choose “close friends.”

Use Instagram videos as a way to generate feedback by asking followers if they'll be interested in seeing more of what you're posting or not. This is also a great way to show that your community matters proactively.

Asking for feedback via email or in a social post or a survey link, that you send to your members, is one thing. Showing up on video and sharing "why" you are collecting that data and what you plan on doing with it is even better.

When it comes to using both videos and graphics, another Instagram tip that I can give you is to get familiar with your demographic. The more you understand who is in your audience, the better you can serve them.

Building community on Instagram

In order to build a sense of community on Instagram, you mustn't use Instagram only as a platform to sell. Instagram is about more than just selling products and services. I would say that it's primarily about giving people a voice and building relationships.

Here are some tips for using Instagram to create a sense of community: 

• Don't fake it until you make it. This may sound like a prominent piece of advice, but it's indispensable to know for taking your audience on a journey. Allow them to observe your growth, your challenges and celebrate your wins with you are all steps to build trust and relationships.

• Answer your messages. No matter how big or small, your business should have someone that monitors your social inboxes, including Instagram. I had the opportunity to host a focus group last year and hear both business owners and consumers on their frustrations about social media.

  One thing that came up multiple times was that both business owners and consumers had experienced sending a message on Instagram, seeing that the message was read and never receiving a response.

• Make an effort. While I understand that we live in a busy world, you still need to make an effort, reach out to members of your community on social media and engage with them. Engagement is a two-way deal.

  I regularly recommend to business owners that their social team should read out to followers and community members who are frequently engaged. Yes, it takes time, but it pays off.

Now you have some important tips and strategies that will allow your brand to shine on Instagram. Remember, everything you do on social media will look a little different from one business to another. Being unique and standing out is the whole point. I hope you enjoyed these Instagram tips.