14th Feb 2019

7 Ways Your Business Can Leverage Instagram in 2019

Each fiscal year should inspire business owners to test new ideas and marketing plans to boost your profit making margins. Calgary social media marketing demands a multitude of innovative ideas and strategies to take your business to the next level. This article primarily focuses on how to use Instagram as a marketing tool. Instagram is much more than social media, it is a powerful tool to grow your business. If you haven’t already started making use of Instagram, now is the time to start.

Formerly, businesses had to launch massive, general campaigns and adverts to reach prospective customers. That is no longer the case. Instagram allows you to create unique, personalized campaigns that directly target your demographic. Allow your creativity to flourish with this streamlined approach.

With a user base of 10.4 million Canadians, Instagram offers you a large pool of prospective customers. This pool of customers can be taped into with creative Calgary social media marketing.

Lucky for you, we have outlined and reviewed 7 important Instagram tools that can benefit you this year. Paying attention to these tools will help you gain followers and build a successful brand!

Note: It is important to remember that when creating a business page, you should keep it strictly business oriented! Refraining from posting personal information will help you create a professional, polished image. Now let’s get into some of the amazing Instagram business tools.

Instagram Stories

Believe it or not, Instagram is one of the most competitive places for businesses who wish to market their products. This environment means every single post and campaign counts!

Instagram stories are a somewhat recent addition to the application that allows you to connect to followers via video. Followers might not always see your posts, so this is a great way to stay relevant and constant.

Therefore, it is imperative that your story is eye-catching, interesting, short and informative. Since Instagram is an image based platform it is essential that your stories are aesthetically pleasing. When creating a story, keep your brand guidlines in mind! Try to make sure you use images that are clear and on brand. The better your content, the more traffic you will get yo your page! In turn, this leads to a higher probable consumer base. If you have trouble designing and creating eye-catching graphics for your stories, hire a professional to do it for you.

Live 

Instagram now allows you to broadcast live videos to your followers. The platform informs your followers that you are about to go live and lets them tune in! Additionally, they are able to comment and interact with the content producer. This is a great way to create hype around a new product or offer in-depth, lengthy information. The use of this particular tool for your Calgary social media marketing is limited only by your imagination. Try using a spokesperson for the company who is well-spoken and knowledgeable when going live. When it comes to going live, practice makes perfect. Apart from that, one should remember to make every broadcast professional as possible.

To avoid your followers losing interest by reserving live video for important announcements. Over-using this medium can reduce its effectiveness.

Post Notifications

Most Instagram users find it difficult to keep up with all their favourite pages. Every day they are overwhelmed with content making it difficult for them to see your posts! Post notifications are a great way to ensure you are connecting with your customers. This feature isn’t automatic, so it’s up to you that you encourage them to turn them on! These notifications keep your viewers informed on any new posts or even live broadcasts you may wish to share with them.

Shopping Posts

Recently, Instagram has made it easier for users to buy products directly from the app! Business pages have the authority to post shopping posts. These images generally feature the product with a link that showcases the price with a link that leads to the brand’s website. This allows people to browse Instagram for desirable products and makes purchasing those items easier than ever. Gone are the days you have to search a businesses webpage for a product. They are easy and accessible. Here is where your work comes in. You should focus on creating eye-catching displays of your goods. Since Instagram is all about aesthetic, create images that showcase your work while staying within your brand guideline. This tool works particularity well for clothing, jewelry and furniture.

Swipe-Up Links

This relatively new tool is ideal for sharing sales and products with your customers! Swipe-up links can be added to your story allowing your user to head straight from your story to the products page etc. This means they bypass all the nuances of Instagram and go straight to your website with a single swipe. Usually, this happens when the viewer’s curiosity has been indulged or when he or she has an interest in the product you may be advertising. This is one of the major strengths of good Calgary social media marketing! It encourages business owners who market on Instagram to be as creative and innovative as possible with their posts.

IGTV

Instagram recently launched Instagram TV. This feature allows you to post videos of up to 10 minutes! This is a great option if you have long, in-depth content. However, since it is similar to YouTube, you might not get the views you are looking for.

 

Need a hand bringing your Calgary social media marketing up to date? Our social media management team help. Click HERE to learn more.