Tips for a Winning Instagram Marketing Strategy

Optimize your Profile

• An intriguing Instagram bio that sums up your brand.

• A call to action to click your bio link.

• A high-quality profile photo (a headshot or logo).

• Stories highlights and well-designed covers.

• The great thing about digital marketing is nothing is set in stone. Don’t sweat about making the perfect Instagram profile. You can always tweak it later.

Up your Graphics Game

Instagram is a visual platform. While no one’s expecting a small business to have the same resources as a megacorp, you still need to create eye-catching posts that attract your audience.

Besides hiring a professional photographer to take your product shots—which you really should—try:

• Sourcing inclusive stock photography, like Vice’s Gender Spectrum Collection and others who showcase the full range of the human experience.

• Start with Reels – If you don’t know how to make them, try a Reels template.

• Use graphic templates to up your style without spending a lot.

Champion User-Generated Content

The best way to boost your Instagram for free? User-generated content. Encourage your followers to share photos or video of your products. Not every shot will be an James Beard-worthy one, but you can’t beat the authenticity of real customer photos and stories. Instagram makes this easy with the Tagged tab, which shows all the posts other users tag you in

Develop a Brand Aesthetic

Speaking of style… have one. While your audience isn’t going to hand over their wallets solely due to good looks, make an effort to create a cohesive-looking profile. Why? Because people will see one of your posts in their Instagram feed and instantly know it’s from you before even seeing the account name. They’ll recognize your style. That’s branding at work.

…But don’t be too concerned with aesthetic

Yes, having a recognizable look helps you attract the audience you want, but style without substance isn’t a strategy. 58% of Instagram users say they like it more when brands share candid, unpolished content. Don’t let the fear of your content not looking

“pretty” enough stop you. Post it anyway.

Use Reels

It seems like all you see when you open Instagram now are Reels, and there’s a reason for it: They get engagement. Some may not get many views and that’s okay, because when one of yours does go a lil’ bit viral? It’s all worth it. Anyone can be successful with Reels, it just takes practice.

Use Stories

Reels may be newer, but Instagram Stories aren’t going anywhere. Popular for more informal content, Stories allow you to develop relationships with your audience in a unique way. It doesn’t take a ton more work to see a big effect, either. A yearlong study found that when companies shared one Story per day, it resulted in a 100% retention rate. Not only that, but 500 million people use Stories every day. I’m not great at math but having 100% of your audience remember your content, with a potential reach of 500 million people? That’s a no brainer.

Reply to comments and DMs

Engage with your audience! Reply to their comments, messages, carrier pigeons, etc. Because a higher engagement rate looks good on your analytics reports, right? No! Reply to your followers because it’s the right thing to do. Yes, it also boosts your engagement rate. But more importantly, it encourages your potential customers to start conversations with you.

Try Instagram Live Video

Live video doesn’t need to be scary. It’s a powerful tool for Instagram growth and deepening your relationship with your audience.

Try:

• Hosting a workshop or class.

• A Q&A session with your Chef.

• Cocktail making demos.

Measure your ROI

You see the positive comments customers leave, the sales coming in, and your follower count going up. But how do you put a number on it? What are the real results of your efforts?

Measuring your ROI, or return on investment, is important for determining success but it can also help you justify establishing or increasing your posting.

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