Marketing projections for 2019 only further emphasize an increase in the role of social media for marketers. Considering we’ve already covered all things Facebook and Twitter, we’re adding to our collection of social media advertising best practices with Instagram. As a platform with over 1 billion users, Instagram has become a mecca for brands looking to reach their audience in a unique way.
As a platform owned by Facebook, Instagram is a part of the Facebook ad network. However, it is crucial that marketers realize these two platforms are governed by separate rules of engagement, unique to each platform. Considering that Instagram was created to be a visual platform, it’s unique offering to advertisers is all about inspiration, discovery, branding, and the continuation of customer journeys. Keeping in mind the unique opportunities that lie within Instagram for marketers, we’ve compiled some best practices to consider:
- Consistency is Key
Whether it be maintaining a brand voice or following a posting schedule, Instagram is an app that thrives on consistency. Frequent posting allows followers to familiarize themselves with your brand and its offerings. Therefore, it is imperative that brands are creating a constant flow of content that reflects the brand’s tone accurately.
- A Picture Truly Speaks a Thousand Words
As a visual platform, photos and videos should speak for themselves without the need for lengthy captions. Therefore, it’s important to use high-quality images that illustrate your brand clearly and effectively through the photo alone. Instagram serves as an outlet to let creativity loose, so be sure to create distinctive images that stand out in users’ feeds.
- Implement Story Ads
Considering 500 million Instagram users view Stories each day, there is a huge population to be reached through incorporating story ads into your marketing strategy. The platform offers businesses various options that enable Instagram Story ads to appear as normal video or photo posts. Due to the fact that Stories expire after 24 hours, they also serve as the perfect medium for sharing limited-time promotions. Businesses can even create a call-to-action with Stories through a swipe up feature that directs the audience to your website from the ad. On that note…
- Take Advantage of Call-to-Action Features
In addition to its unique CTA offerings in the realm of photo and video sharing, Instagram offers supported CTA buttons that appear on business profiles. In addition to the existing call, text, directions, and email buttons, there are four new action buttons: Book, Buy Tickets, Start Order, Reserve. While of course these buttons are not suited for every business, the incorporation of a CTA button on your profile serves as an excellent opportunity to drive traffic to your business.
- Test Out Different Ad Types
This is a crucial practice for social media advertising in general, and Instagram is no exception. In order to discover the type of content your brand’s audience is most receptive to, experimentation with ads is key. While of course, selecting a target audience through the app’s internal mechanics will aid in this process, the best experiential knowledge is gained through trial and error.
Since its inception in 2009, Instagram created new opportunities in the realm of photo sharing and has since expanded that opportunity to businesses through the various advertising features available on the app. As 80% of Instagram users follow a business and 200 million users visit a business profile every day, this is certainly a population valuable to marketers on Instagram!