Author: Jennifer Lonoff Schiff / Source: CIO Credit: Thinkstock/Instagram Over 600 million people share or view photos and videos on Ins
Over 600 million people share or view photos and videos on Instagram each month, with 400 million people visiting the site daily. And 60 percent of Instagram users said they discovered new products on the platform, while 75 percent said they had taken action after being inspired by a post. For business owners, that translates into millions of potential customers for their products or services.
[ Related: How to market your business on Instagram ]
But just posting a photo or video on Instagram won’t send viewers to the business’s website or landing page – or that it will even be viewed by the right people (or anyone).
So how can business owners use the popular mobile photo- and video-sharing platform to showcase and sell their products and services? Here are 11 suggestions from Instagram pros, business owners and social media marketers.
[ Related: 5 digital retail trends that will be big in 2017 ]
1. Open an Instagram Business account
“You can now create your own Instagram Business account,” says Shaun McGuire, senior product analyst for social media, Netsertive. “Having a business account lets people find you in searches on the platform,” and 70 percent of Instagrammers follow at least one business, according to the site. Moreover, Instagram Business is “packed with tools [that give you] insight into your social following and [provide] analytics on your posts. [So] if you’ve been using a personal account on behalf of your business, convert it to a business account.”
2. Maximize your Instagram bio
“Create a catchy bio, have a good profile picture and [include] a link [to your website or a landing page] where [Instagrammers] can easily buy [your products],” says Huseyin Aksu, CEO & webmaster, Fantasy Couch.
3. Post great photographs (and videos) – preferably ones that tell a story or show people using your product
“Instagram is an almost entirely visual medium,” says Jennie Pastor, founder & CEO, Kavador, an online jeweler. So to catch someone’s eye, “images must be crisp [not blurry or hard to see] and interesting.” Moreover, “images [should] tell a story to help potential buyers imagine themselves using or wearing the product, to compel a purchase.”
4. Focus on lifestyle
“Instagram’s success is rooted in the ability of its users to offer glimpses into their lives through compelling imagery,” explains Nate Stewart, group product manager, BigCommerce. “Brands should take that same approach, and aim to convey the lifestyle their product enables rather than overtly selling the product itself.”
Furthermore, “build up a ‘lifestyle’ theme” on your Instagram page, says Pastor. And make sure your photographs and videos are “cohesive and consistent,” so customers immediately get the feel for your brand.
5. Use hashtags (wisely)
Research hashtags to find the ones best suited to your…
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