Instagram is the number one image-based social media platform in the world. Your Instagram marketing campaign there has the opportunity of adding much extra value to your brand.

Post summary:

• Instagram – the basics

• Instagram marketing tips

• Facts about Instagram

Here are some stats as to why businesses should not ignore Instagram:

• 700 million monthly users

• 400 million daily active users

• Over 40 billion photos shared

• 95 million photos shared daily

• 68% of users are female

• 80% of users are from outside of the U.S

There are a few things you should know before you start planning your Instagram marketing campaign.

First, Instagram is not a word-based social media platform, so the picture or video is the main focus of your post.

Instagram videos get three times more engagement than photos in any other social media platform. With that said, there is so much more to Instagram than posting pictures and videos.

Instagram has regular engagement with 4% compared to other social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, where it is under 0.1 %.

But Instagram is not about pictures. It shows your brand's personality, so you should choose what and how you want to publish there.

Instagram basics

Things to consider

Instagram is not like most social media platforms. It would be best if you used it with a clear strategy to represent the unique way your brand sees the world.

Instagram doesn't allow you to add links to your posts unless you are an advertiser. It allows you one link on your profile so you should use that opportunity carefully.

As your Instagram page probably isn't your only marketing platform, connect it to others.

Create an Instagram tab on your Facebook page, which will make it easier for you to share your content on Facebook as well.

Images posted on Facebook via Instagram get more engagement than natively published images.

Images

The pictures you post on Instagram will be the main focus of your post so keep a clear vision and visual style. To ensure people that your profile is the official one for the company, use your company logo somewhere.

Instagram is an image-specific platform, so in choosing your pictures, you should keep in mind the following:

• composition

• colour palette

• fonts

• format

• filters

• content

When posting product pictures avoid showcasing your products on an office table. Take your products and put them in different settings and display them in use to increase the impact of your brand.

Also, a useful fact to know is that pictures with faces get 38% more likes and 32% more comments.

The built-in filters will help you maintain a uniform line. Instagram filters can have a significant impact on your picture, so you should carefully select which ones represent your brand and stick to them.

Colourful backgrounds help your posts stand out in the Instagram, but keep in mind your brand and try not to stray far from it.

When talking about images on Instagram, we should not only be talking about pictures since it is not the only medium.

Video

Videos in Instagram get twice as much engagement as pictures in other social media platforms, so you should use them wisely.

Animations that explain your product are always a good way to go, as they are compact but still manage to show much information. Animations are cheaper than producing live-action videos.

But creativity and content are also a considerable part of your videos. If you produce a well-thought-out video, you can show behind the scenes action and people behind the product or your brand.

The content and style should, of course, be for your target audience so take that into account when creating them.

Instagram offers extra options for posting videos. The newest trend there at the moment is Boomerang that loops your footage and creates a repetitive video. Using this tool and other video-posting options is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd.

Stories

Stories are one of Instagram's newest and most popular features. They are a fun way for you to show your day.

Stories provide a business opportunity since, with a verified account, you can use a 'See more' action that allows businesses to share links to their content in IGTV.

Added to the distinct business advantages, there is, of course, the content value. Since stories do not stay on your feed and are viewed at a particular time, they should be relevant and be very specific for that time.

Hashtags

Hashtags are an essential part of your Instagram post.

Adding general hashtags to your post can get you more exposure. Using a more specific or your company-based hashtag can help you raise awareness of your brand and give you a better idea of your audience. This also applies to your marketing campaigns and creating unique tags for them.

Instagram is a picture-based, not a word-based platform. You shouldn't overwhelm your posts with hashtags; otherwise, you will be casting too wide of a net to reach your target audience, and it can look spammy.

If you do add hashtags, then add them in a comment beneath the post. This way, you'll not distract from the main picture, yet still, cast a wider reach.

As hashtags are a way to get new audiences and connect your images to the themes you wish to associate with your product and brand, you should choose them with care.

With choosing, you should consider your brand, your target audience and also top hashtags.

Getting hashtag ideas from other similar companies is an excellent way to understand what hashtags you should or should not be used to reach your target audience.

Campaigns

One way to grow your follower base on Instagram is contests.

Of course, there are the typical 'like', 'share' or 'comment' to win, which will grow your audience. Still, there are also other methods of holding a successful marketing campaign on Instagram.

To make a successful campaign, you need to determine your goals. Whether you want to grow your following, get revenue or enhance your brand.

When offering a prize for your contest, it should be related to your brand and of enough value to get people interested.

On Instagram, even when holding contests, pictures are still the main focus. So you need custom content to post about the giveaway to get people actively participating. Since words are secondary on Instagram, you should keep it simple and clear.

Hashtag campaigns and having users do your work for you by encouraging them to use your product and your hashtag are just a few ideas for Instagram campaigns, but keep it innovative.

Instagram marketing tips everyone should know

Post regularly

When you are trying to maintain or grow your audience, posting once a month isn't enough. You should post content regularly since on average businesses publish 1.5 posts per day.

A study by Union Metrics found that on Instagram, the frequency of your posts doesn't influence your engagement. So even if you post more than twice a day, your engagement rate per post will still be the same.

Interact

When you interact with your Instagram followers by answering comments, it can show your personality and help you to relate to your target audience.

A positive tone will get you further, especially when you pay attention to every word that you and your followers are saying.

Be creative

To keep up with the millions of photos posted on Instagram, you should think outside the box. When creating your Instagram marketing strategy, you should think about promotion.

Still, not only Instagram advertising, as a big part of your presence should represent your brand, and it's uniqueness.

Instagram is a fast-moving platform and changes occur frequently. So it's essential to keep up with the latest trends and innovations and be on top of them before others.

If you choose the right way to do that, then you can promote any business on Instagram.

Still not sure Instagram's worth the trouble?

Here are some interesting facts about businesses on Instagram:

• 48.8% of brands use Instagram (25 million)

• 70% of users have looked up a brand in Instagram

• 62% of users follow a brand on Instagram

• Only 36% of marketers use Instagram

Instagram isn't going anywhere any time soon as it keeps growing. Now is your chance to start planning your Instagram marketing strategy.