Instagram Marketing

Objectives:
 Understanding the usage of Instagram

 Does Instagram work?

 Getting Set Up for business account

 Best Practices

 Ads Campaigns

What is Instagram?
Instagram is a social media marketing platform used for growing
brand awareness and introducing products. 70% of Instagram users
have spent time looking up a brand on the platform. Instagram
allows you to promote your brand and product in a friendly,
authentic way without directly selling to your customers.

Okay, so you’re officially fired up about Instagram but maybe you’re

unsure about how to get started. No problem! We understand that a
visual, in-the-moment platform like Instagram can be a little
intimidating at first. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate Instagram
marketing guide.

 INSTAGRAM HAS 700 million monthly active users.

  OVER 95 million photos and videos are shared on Instagram
every day.

 MORE THAN 75% of Instagram’s user base consists of people

living outside the U.S.

How to Create an Instagram

Business Account
So you’re ready to be instafamous? Great, we can help get you on
your way. Before we begin, it’s important to note that Instagram is
meant to be the place to share visual content the moment it
happens. To stay top of mind, you’ll need to invest time in regularly
posting photos and videos to the platform. If you fail to keep your
profile up-to-date, you’ll start to lose followers and your engagement
will drop. Be sure to follow along to learn the best tips for
maintaining a successful profile.

1) Download the Instagram App

Okay, let’s do this. First things first, you need to download the app.
Instagram does not have a desktop version that includes all the
functions of the app. For example, you can view content on
Instagram’s website, but you can’t upload it via your desktop.
Instagram is available for free in both the Apple App
Store and Google Play. 
2) Create an Instagram Account
Once you’ve downloaded the app, it’s time to create your account.
When you open the app, you’ll have two choices -- Log In With
Facebook or Sign Up With Phone or Email. Don’t be tempted by the
Facebook login! Sign up with a business email to ensure your profile
isn’t linked with your personal Facebook account.
Next, enter your details. Your Full Name is the name that will be
displayed on your profile; it isn’t your account username -- or handle.
Enter your actual business name so your profile is recognizable to
visitors.
3.) Pick a Username
You’ll then be prompted to choose a username. Your username is
unique to your profile and allows other accounts to engage with your
brand. Pick a username that is recognizable and easy to find. If your
business name is taken, try to keep the first part of your business
name in your username. Note: You can update your username later
in your account settings, so don’t worry if you want to change it in
the future. 
4.) Choosing the Right Profile Photo 
Now it’s time to choose a profile picture. Your profile picture will be
one of the first things people see when searching for and visiting
your profile so keep your image consistent with your branding and
visual markers. Consider using your logo or another familiar image.
Notice that your profile image is circular. Instagram will
automatically crop your photo to fit inside the circle so leave room
around the corners of your image. 
5.) Optimizing Your Instagram Bio
Your profile is coming together, but don’t start posting yet! You need
to optimize your Instagram bio. Instagram bios have a 150-character
maximumso you’ll need to be direct and concise. Tell your audience
who you are and what you do using a hint of personality. Don’t worry
about trying to use keywords and hashtags because they aren’t
searchable on your bio. 

You can also encourage users to take a specific action like using a
certain hashtag or visiting your website. Your bio is the only place
where you can feature a clickable URL and drive traffic to an external
site.

It’s common for businesses to update their featured URL to align

with their most recent post. If you decide to add a link, be sure use a
link shortener such as Bitly or Goo.gl to keep your profile from
looking cluttered and to better understand the amount of traffic the
social network is driving to your campaigns or website.

Click on the “Edit Profile” button on your profile to make revisions to

your profile photo, profile name, username, bio, or URL.
6.) Managing Your Settings 
Last but not least, be sure to update your account settings. Click on
the small gear (dots if you’re using an Android) icon in the upper
right-hand corner of your profile. There you’ll be able to do things
like change your password, check out posts you’ve liked, enable
notifications, and much more. Here are a few things you should
check out right away:
Story Settings: You can manage who can see and reply to your
Instagram Stories in your “Story Settings.” We recommend allowing
all your followers to see and reply to your Stories to increase brand
engagement.
Switch to Business Profile: Last year, Instagram unveiled its
new business tools feature. The tool allows users to identify
themselves as a business, making it easy for their audience to
contact them. Business profiles also provide more in-depth insights
and make it easier for you to promote content. Note: Your business
must have a Facebook business page to switch to an Instagram
business profile. 
  

To switch to a business profile, view your profile, and click on the

gear icon in the upper right-hand corner to view your settings. 
Scroll down and click on “Switch to Business Profile.”
Log in with Facebook, and allow Instagram to manage your Pages.
Select a Facebook Page to connect with your Instagram profile. Note:
You must be a Facebook page admin to connect the two platforms.
Instagram will automatically import relevant information from your
Facebook page for you to edit.
You now have an Instagram business profile. Be sure to check out
your profile insights and account settings!
Private Account: Instagram will automatically set your profile to
public -- do not adjust this! If you’re a business, you’ll want users to
be able to automatically see your posts and follow your business
without any obstacles.
Comments: Receiving comments on your content can be exciting and
encouraging, but certain comments may go against brand values or
offend your audience. Instagram can automatically hide comments
that contain certain keywords or phrases. For example, you may way
to hide comments that contain offensive expletives. To do this, you
must enter the specific words and phrases into your Instagram
settings and turn on the feature. 
Adding Additional Instagram
Accounts: 
Do you manage multiple accounts? No problem! Instagram allows
users to add up to five accounts so you’re able to quickly switch
between them without logging in and out. They also allow you to
have multiple people logged into the account at one time.

Just be sure you have an up-to-date editorial calendar so everyone is

aware of what to post and when to post it. To add an account, click
on the gear to reveal your settings. Scroll to the bottom and click
“Add Account.” Enter the username and password of the account
you’d like to add. To switch between accounts, go to your profile and
tap your username at the top of the screen. Simply click on the
account you’d like to switch to.

How to Create Videos for Social Media

View Now

Instagram Post Types

Now that you’ve created your account, it’s time to fill it with
awesome content. Instagram allows you to post several types of
content including photos, videos, and Stories. Let’s talk about the
different Instagram post types and some best practices for
encouraging engagement.
Images
The most common type of post on Instagram is an image post. When
creating image posts, it’s important to post a variety of photos. Try to
capture the culture of your brand with lifestyle shots and behind-the-
scenes looks.
Avoid posting too many photos of your product. Instagram users are
looking for genuine posts from brands, not blatant advertisements.
For example, Nike includes photos of its products, but the majority of
the images show athletes, concerts, and other types of content that
focus on its brand personality.

As you start to explore the platform, you’ll see there are countless
kinds of images you can post to your account. Get creative! Take
note of any concepts or styles you think would work well for your
brand. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list with some of the
most successful Instagram image types.

1) Behind the Scenes Posts

These posts are designed to offer a glimpse into a part of your
business or brand that people don’t normally see. It’s important that
they do not look staged as authenticity is key. Aeronaut Brewing
Company provided an inside look at its company culture by
showcasing its employees at work.

2) Repost from Employees

Sometimes you don’t need to look any further for great content than
your own employees. Reposting great photos from your employees is
an easy way to curate authentic content and help humanize your
business. Not only will your audience engage with your brand, they’ll
start to “bond” with your employees. For example, Fenway Park
often reposts images from its grounds crew preparing the stadium
for a game. Just be sure to tag or credit the individual who posted
the media first.

3) Educational Posts
Educational posts offer quick tips on how to do or make something.
The photos or videos usually present the instructions in a way that is
quick and easy to follow. The popular Tasty recipe video series from
Buzzfeed is a fantastic example of how you can be educational yet
entertaining.
4) Influencer Posts
Influencer posts piggyback on the fame of a celebrity or well-known
public figure to draw attention to your brand. These posts often
include a visual of the influencer using or interacting with your
product. One of the benefits of influencer posts is that you gain the
attention of another audience.
For example, this post from Goal Zero shows renowned rock climber
and photographer Alex Honnold using one of its solar power charging
stations in the field. Not only is Goal Zero reaching its own audience,
it's also reaching Alex’s more than 499,000 Instagram followers.
5) Motivational Posts
A motivational post usually combines a simple visual with some kind
of uplifting text or quote overlaid on top. They can be a great way to
encourage your audience and amplify your brand values. While
effective, try to post these sparingly to avoid looking cheesy. Apps
like Quipio and Typic can help you add text to photos in a way that’s
consistent with your brand guidelines.
  

6) User Generated Content

Similar to employee posts, user generated content is curated content
from your fans and followers. Take a look at your tagged photos or
posts using your brand hashtag and consider reposting high-quality
images that capture your brand’s style. Not only does it make the
original poster feel good, it shows that you truly care about your
customers -- just be sure to @mention the original poster in the
caption. To repost user generated content, screenshot and crop the
original post or use a reposting app like Repost for Instagram.

WeWork conducts an annual #DogsOfWeWork campaign where it

puts the best submissions together into a calendar each year.
Although it doesn’t repost every image on its Instagram account, the
popularity of the campaign helps create a tremendous amount of
additional reach and engagement for the company.
7) Newsjacking
It seems like there’s a “holiday” for everything these days! Fun
events like National Sibling Day and National Ice Cream Day generate
a ton of engagement on social media. Join in the fun by participating
in a local, national, or world trend. A newsjacking post is a great way
to post humorous content that relates to light-hearted events.
Check out this fun post by Cava Mezze Grill about The National’s
Opening Day. The American restaurant chain tapped into a popular
American pastime.
Instagram Photo Size
Now that we’ve explored what you can post on Instagram, let’s go
over some tips for success. Unlike other social media platforms,
Instagram’s simple profile layout forces you to focus on the content.
While this is great for engagement, it also means that can’t hide
mediocre content.
As a result, it’s important to use high resolution images on your
Instagram feed. For the most part, images should be 1080 px X 1080
px -- a square. The site also now allows for landscape photos or
photos with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1, but viewers will have to click
on the image’s thumbnail to view the full photo. In a feed, the image
will appear cropped to a square. You can also post portrait photos
that have an aspect ratio of 4:5.
How to Take a Great Photo With Your
Smartphone
Okay, you might be thinking “How am I supposed to capture the
perfect, high-quality shot without a high-quality camera?” No
worries! The phone camera technology has become so advanced
that it now rivals cameras worth thousands of dollars. You no longer
have to be a professional photographer to take photos like one. You
can take great photos your audience will love using a tool you
already have in your hands. Here are some tips to drive follower
growth and Instagram engagement:

Follow the rule of thirds

Are you hoping to improve your photo composition? Turn on your
camera gridlines. When composing your photo, you should aim to
place your subject at the intersection of one set of vertical and
horizontal lines. This technique, known as the rule of thirds, was first
popularized by painters and illustrators but also applies to
photographs. By placing your subject off center, it creates a slight
imbalance that will catch a viewer’s eye. To switch the grid on in an
iPhone, go to "Settings," choose "Photos & Camera," and switch
"Grid" to on.
 

Focus on a single subject

It is sometimes said that a photographer’s job is to create simplicity
from chaos. A crowded background with multiple subjects in the
frame will distract from the focus of your photo and can even
confuse your audience. Instead, try to focus on a single subject in
each photo and remove distractions by cropping them out or finding
a clean background to shoot against.
 

Take advantage of negative space

Negative space is the empty space around your subject. Allowing for
empty negative space around your subject will draw attention to the
desired focus of your image and prevents it from looking crowded.
 

Look for interesting perspectives

People are used to seeing the world from eye level. To create
interesting and fresh photos, National Geographic photographers
commonly use shots from different perspectives to break up the
monotony. Try to shoot from up high to capture a bird’s eye view or
from down low to get a worm’s eye view. Experiment with different
angles to find new perspectives on common sights.
Symmetry
The human eye is naturally drawn to symmetrical shapes and
objects. For symmetrical images, it’s sometimes best to break the
rule of thirds and center the scene in your frame so it's a perfect
match on each side. Leading lines are another more specific form of
symmetry that pulls the eye into the photo. 
Patterns
Just like with symmetry, people are also drawn to patterns.
Sometimes a pattern could be man made, such as a tiled floor, while
other times it could be natural, such as petals on a flower or vines on
a wall. To make things really interesting, break up the pattern with
your subject.
Use natural light
Overhead electric lighting creates harsh shadows and highlights that
can create unwanted dark and light areas in your photos. Try to use
soft natural light wherever possible to prevent this from happening.
Try taking photos next to a window where diffused light from
outdoors spills into a room. For outdoor shots, the half hour just
before and after sunset and sunrise often offers the most striking
lighting because the sun is low in the horizon.
Adding Filters and Editing Photos
Why do some photos just look so good? Chances are it has a lot to do
with the edit. Editing photos only takes a few minutes and can have a
huge impact on the quality of your photos. Thanks to Instagram’s
built-in tools and filters, editing photos is simple. Be sure to follow
these tips to make your homemade lunch look like a culinary
masterpiece. Fortunately, you can also start editing like a pro in a
few simple steps.

First, start with a great photo. No amount of editing can fix photos if
they have poor composition or lighting. Next, try editing in apps
other than Instagram. Snapseed is a great free editing app that
allows you to apply effects like HDR and tonal contrast as well as
pinpoint specific areas of a photo to adjust brightness, contrast, and
saturation. VSCO is also a popular editing app with numerous free
filters designed to emulate popular film stocks.
When you upload your edited photo to Instagram, the platform will
automatically crop your photo to a square. To change it back to the
original width, press the “Expand” icon (the two outward facing
arrows).

Try adding additional Instagram filters -- but don’t go too crazy. Each
Instagram filter has its own personality that can drastically change a
photo.
  

Next, try adjust your photo lux. According to Instagram, “Lux

balances the exposure, provides much needed brightness” to photos.
This make can make your image more vibrant and bring out details.
To do this, press the sun icon at the top of the screen and adjust the
level.
  

Make any final tweaks using Instagram’s editing tools. Press the
“Edit” button to adjust your photo’s alignment, brightness, contrast,
structure, and more. Press “Next” when you’re done to add final
details and publish.
Videos
In addition to photos, Instagram also lets you upload videos up to 60
seconds in length. You can download videos from your computer
that were edited using professional editing software or edit together
videos yourself using mobile apps. Splice is a popular free editing
tool from the makers of GoPro that allows you to cut together
multiple clips and add transitions, titles, and even music.
When editing your video, keep in mind that Instagram videos begin
playing without sound. So make sure your videos don’t need sound
to be understood or prompt viewers to turn on the sound in your
caption. Purina has a great example of a video that delights viewers
with cute dogs. 
 
Boomerangs/GIFs

When you swipe right to take a photo within Instagram, you can
switch between the normal camera, live stream, Boomerang, and
hands-free mode. Boomerangs and GIFs allow you to put a quirky
spin on traditional video by adding repetitive, looping motion. A
Boomerang post takes a burst of photos and then converts them into
a perfectly looping short video that plays over and over again. These
kinds of posts are great for anything with repetitive motion like
someone jumping, toasting glasses, or high-fiving.
Hyperlapse
Do you have a longer video that would make a great post on
Instagram? Check out Hyperlapse! Hyperlapse from Instagram is a
separate app that allows you to condense lengthy videos into
shorter, engaging content. It also creates smooth, time lapse videos
with built-in stabilization. To create your own Hyperlapse videos,
begin by downloading the free Hyperlapse app on your mobile
device. If prompted, allow it to access your camera. Tap the circle
once to begin recording, and again to stop. Once you’re done
recording, you can choose a playback speed between 1X and 12X.
Save the final Hyperlapse video to your camera roll to upload later.
Stories
Instagram Stories allow users to post at a higher frequency without
overposting and clogging up your main feed. Stories are great for
behind-the-scenes content and usually feature less polished images
and videos. Like Snapchat Stories, your Instagram Story disappears
after 24 hours.
Remember to be authentic. While your profile feed should feature
polished photos, Stories can be a little more raw. Use the feature to
give a behind-the-scenes look at your brand or showcase your
company culture. Do you have dog-friendly office? If so, Stories are a
great place to share photos and videos of all the cute dogs running
around. Stories are also a helpful tool to showcase live events your
business hosts or attends.

How to Post to Your Story

Instagram offers three options for posting to your Story. You can tap
the camera in the upper left, tap the Your Story + button above your
feed, or just swipe right.

Take a photo by tapping the shutter button or press and hold it to

take a video. Like your typical phone camera, the thunderbolt lets
you control the flash and the arrows switch the camera view
between front and forward facing.
Add some personality to your content! Select one of the pens to add
a doodle. To choose a precise color, press and hold one of the colors.
  

Press the “Aa” symbol to add text or an emoji with your keyboard
and the smile icon to add stickers. You can then swipe to the left or
right to add a color filter.
  

Instagram also allows you to tag another account in your Story. This
is a great way to connect with other businesses and marketing
partners. To tag someone, type the “@” followed by the username of
the person or brand you’d like to mention. When someone views
your story, the username will appear underlined indicating that they
can tap it and be directed to the profile. You’ll receive a notification if
you’ve been mentioned in someone’s story.
  

When you’re ready to publish, press the Your Story + icon or save it
to your camera roll to publish it to your Instagram account later.
Stories appear at the top of the Instagram feed and in your profile
picture. To see who viewed your content, swipe up when viewing
your Story.
You’ve probably realized the similarities between Snapchat and
Instagram Stories. Yes, it’s a Snapchat competitor. And yes, Snapchat
does has facial recognition and Lenses (or filters). But Instagram’s
active user base combined with its search capabilities provide a great
opportunity for businesses to be discovered. So if you’re wondering
if your business should use Stories, the answer is “yes.”

Instagram Live 
Instagram also has a live video option to share content with your
audience in real time. To start a live video stream, open up the
camera within the app, select the “Live” option from the menu at the
bottom of your screen, and click the button to “Start Live Video.”
Once you start the live video, any of your followers who are currently
on the app will receive a notification so they can watch. Live viewers
can also comment on the live video using the built-in chat feature.
Live video should be used sparingly to showcase exciting, real-time
content or engaging moments like Q&As.

How to Write an Instagram Caption

Okay, let’s talk about captions. A picture may be worth a thousand
words, but there’s something to be said about the context words
bring.
We get it, writing good Instagram captions is a lot of pressure! That’s
why we’ve come up with some tips to prevent your caption from
becoming an afterthought.
First of all, you can’t rush the process.
Try writing several drafts and asking your friends or co-workers
which caption they like best. While it’s important for your content to
be timely, you also want it to be engaging. In fact, Instagram changed
its algorithm so that a user’s feed is curated based on what they’ll
likely find engaging.

The visibility of your posts will depend on the number of Likes and
comments it receives. Take the time to create content that will
delight and engage your customers. 
Second, consider your caption’s length. The maximum character
count for a caption is 2,200 characters. That’s pretty long considering
that Twitter only gives you 140. But remember, users will only be
able to see the first 3-4 lines of the caption before they are
prompted to view “more.”
Put your most important language at the beginning of the caption to
keep it from getting cut off. That being said, don’t be afraid of long
captions. Instagram can be a great way to share a story. For example,
Humans of New York writes longer captions with quotes from the
people they photographed. 
Include a call-to-action in your caption. Encourage your audience to
“like” your photo, comment on it, or share it with their friends.
Finally, remember how Instagram allows you to add a link to your
bio? Ask your audience to check it out. For example, you can
encourage customers to check out a new product or blog post by
using your caption to direct people to the link in your bio. Just
remember to change out the link so it corresponds with your most
recent post. Tip: Use shortened tracking links in your URL so you can
see how much of your traffic came from your Instagram account.
Also, be sure to include a geotag. Did you know that posts tagged
with a location see 79% higher engagement than posts without one?
Adding a geotag to your posts gives users another way to find your
content. If more people view your content, you’re more likely to
have higher engagement.
Finally, find your Instagram voice. It may sound silly, but every social
platform has a distinct voice. What may work on Twitter may not
translate to Instagram. Posts with a lighthearted, authentic tone tend
to perform the best.
Try experimenting with emojis and other fun tools to give your brand
a distinct feel. Don’t give up if you don’t get it right the first time. It
can take a while to develop your brand’s voice.
Still struggling? If you’re ever in doubt about what to write, keep it
short. There’s little correlation between caption length and
engagement, but short captions allow your visuals do the talking.

How to Use Hashtags on

Instagram
You’ve seen them before and you’ll see them again -- hashtags have
taken over the internet. Originally made famous on Twitter, these
can now be seen on multiple social networks. Hashtags are a
keyword or keyword phrase that are spelled without spaces and
prefaced with a pound (#) sign. They are generally used to reference
events, conferences, pop culture, entertainment, or reoccurring
themes and are a great way to make your content more visible.

How Hashtags Are Used on Instagram

Like most social platform feeds, Instagram feeds are always
changing. This makes sense considering that 80 million photos are
shared everyday on the platform. With that much content, it can be
difficult for your account to get noticed. That’s where hashtags come
in handy.
On Instagram, hashtags connect posts from users who aren’t
otherwise connected into a single feed. This means if your account is
public, anyone searching the hashtags you used can see your post.
Instagram’s hashtag feeds are very simple and make it easy for users
to find related content. They’re split up into three parts -- top posts,
most recent posts, and related hashtags. Top posts appear at the top
of a trending hashtag or location feed and feature nine posts that
have seen a lot of engagement. Most recent posts features a live
stream of every post that has used that specific hashtag in
chronological order. If you’re using a popular, trending hashtag, your
post will move down the cue pretty quickly.
Related hashtags is a great way to find other hashtags people are
using to discuss a topic. For example, if you’re planning on tagging
your post with #coffee, you may want to tag related hashtags like
#latte, #cappuccino, #icecoffee, or #coffeebreak to broaden your
post reach.
Using hashtags is easy! Simply create hashtags using characters,
numbers, or emojis and add up to thirty to your post’s caption or
comments. Just remember, your account must be public for your
posts to appear on hashtag feeds.

Choosing an Instagram Hashtag

Okay, now that you understand how important it is to use hashtags
on Instagram, you’re probably wondering how to choose the right
ones for your post. Brainstorming keywords and researching trends
is easiest in the Instagram app itself. If you’re searching from the
beginning, your best option is to start in the “Explore” tab. There you
can click on popular posts to see what hashtags were used.
If you already have a hashtag in mind, you can also use the “Explore”
tab to find popular, related hashtags. To do this, click on the
magnifying glass at the bottom of your app and type the hashtag in
the search bar. Filter your results by “Tags” to see how many posts
have used that hashtag and other related hashtags.

Be sure to pick a mix of general, popular hashtags and more specific

hashtags to increase your post life. In some cases, you may want to
create your own branded hashtag. Businesses have created their
own hashtags to roll out a new product or Instagram campaign,
promote an event, and much more.

If you’re planning on using your own hashtag, be sure to do some

research to make sure it’s not being used for another purpose and
encourage your audience to use it.
Formatting an Instagram Hashtag
You’ve chosen the perfect mix of hashtags and you have a great
piece of content -- all that’s left to do is figure out where to
incorporate those hashtags in your content. First, don’t be spammy.
Hashtags should feel natural in your caption. In a study of 100 top
Instagram brands, captions averaged 2.5 hashtags per post. Aim to
use 1-4 hashtags to avoid overwhelming your audience.

If you’re having a hard time fitting your hashtags into the language of
your caption, put them at them at the end of your caption or in the
first comment. Don’t feel pressured to incorporate them directly into
your caption copy -- they work the same no matter where they’re
placed.
 How to Present & Prove Social ROI

How to Create an Instagram

Marketing Strategy
You know you need to be on Instagram, you want to be on
Instagram, but you don’t know what to do once you’re on Instagram.
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Many businesses feel
pressured to be on every social media platform without thinking
through their strategy.

Since Instagram is very different from other popular social sites, it

requires a different marketing strategy. Think through the topics
below to start developing your brand’s own unique style.

Determine Your Instagram Audience

Just like on any other platform, it’s important to determine the
audience you want to reach before you begin marketing on
Instagram. If you already have other marketing strategies in place,
you can draw from those to help. Some helpful factors to consider
when narrowing down your target Instagram audience are age,
location, gender, income, interests, motivations, and pain points.
Don’t know where to start? Monitor popular event and interest
hashtags that are related to your business. Find out who’s using and
engaging with the hashtags and check out their profiles. You can also
take a look at your competitor’s followers. Sometimes determining
your audience is easier than you think.
Competitive Analysis for Instagram
After you determine your Instagram audience, do a competitive
analysis to see what other marketers in your field are posting. If you
already know your top competitors, start with searching for their
Instagram profiles. If not, try searching for terms related to your
business or industry to find similar accounts.

Conduct a quick audit of related accounts to see what types of posts

are getting the highest amount of engagement, what popular
hashtags they are using, what kinds of captions they are writing, how
often they are publishing, and how quickly they are growing. This
information will serve as a benchmark as you start growing your own
account.
While you’re auditing your competitors’ existing content, be sure to
take note of any opportunities they might have missed. Adding
unique content into the mix will help your business to stand out from
the rest.

Setting Up an Editorial Calendar

On average, brands post about six images per week on Instagram --
that adds up to over 300 posts per year! With that many posts, it can
be difficult to keep track of all the content you need to post as well
as what you’ve already posted. Creating an editorial calendar is a
helpful way to cut down on the amount of time required to manage
your Instagram presence.

You can fill in your calendar with some of the popular Instagram post
types discussed earlier and plan out your captions, hashtags, and
posting times in advance. Your editorial calendar is also a great place
to record any key events you want to highlight on your Instagram
account such as new product launches or special offers.
Without an editorial calendar, you can be left frantically trying to find
any content to post instead of keeping an eye out for real-time
opportunities.

Building a Consistent Brand

on Instagram
Random or disjointed content will confuse your audience and will
likely cause your account to lose followers. To prevent this, it’s
important to maintain a consistent brand aesthetic on your
Instagram account. To determine what this looks like, start by
thinking about your brand personality. What are your brand values?
Are you bold, playful, gritty, adventurous?

For example, Apartment Therapy took the popular concept of

#foodporn, delicious looking meals laid out in an appealing way, and
applied it to apartments. Its brand personality is bright, clean, and
organized, and its account reflects all three of those traits. Ideally,
someone should be able to see a picture in their feed and instantly
know that it’s from your brand just by looking at the photo.
Taco Bell is another great example of sticking to a brand aesthetic. Its
feed focuses on the bold, on-the-go lifestyle of its millennial
audience and features fun images to drive engagement with its
target.
Once you determine your brand personality, you can begin to refine
your content to match. This can even apply to the color palette used
in your photos.
You should also aim to post images with your brand narrative in
mind. Including compelling stories in your captions can make your
brand more relatable. For example, Red Bull’s feed features plenty of
high-energy images and videos that add to its brand’s story.
How to Convert Instagram
Followers Into Customers
Once you establish a dedicated follower base you can start to
convert those followers into paying customers. There are several
ways to do this including:

1) Promotions: Deals, discounts, BOGOs, and other

promotional offerings are a great way to drive first-time sales with
your Instagram audience. Be sure to mention exactly what is needed
to receive the promotional offer and include when the offer expires
to create a sense of urgency. 
2) Contests: What’s a better way to make someone a
customer than letting them try your product? Promote contests by
asking users to follow your account or post content with a specific
hashtag to enter.

3) Charity: According to a recent survey, 81% of millennials

expect companies to make a public commitment to giving back.
Doing so can build affinity for your brand and help turn followers into
customers. For example, Gap partnered with The Global Fund to help
fight AIDS in Africa. Since 2006, it has helped raise over $130 million.

4) Teasers: Instagram is a great platform to show your

audience glimpses of new products before they become available.
While you don’t want to spam your followers’ feeds with only
product photos, a few images can build excitement.

5) Launch a Product Live: For certain launches, it

may even make sense to showcase a new product or service using
Instagram Live. You can quickly drive users to purchase by including a
purchase link in your bio.

How to Get More Followers

on Instagram
You’ve created all the right content and used all the right hashtags --
now you’re probably wondering how to get more followers on
Instagram. Whether you’re an established business with thousands
of followers or you’re just starting out, growing your following takes
serious time and energy.
You may be tempted to take the easy way out and buy followers
-- don’t do this. Purchasing followers won’t get you any future
engagement, which is exactly what you need to make sure your
posts are seen in a user’s feed. Luckily, there are a few things you
can focus on to start gaining more followers the right way. Let’s get
started!

First and foremost, make sure your username is recognizable and

searchable. If people can’t find you, they can’t follow you! Next, fill
out your bio. It’s the last thing someone sees before they make the
decision to follow you so be sure to include who you are and what
you do.

Once your profile is optimized, start posting! It’s a good idea to get a
solid number of posts up (15 or so) before you really start engaging
people and working hard to get followers. If users visit your profile
and find it empty, they likely won’t follow. Since you’ll only have a
few posts up, be sure they’re all high quality. Your Facebook and
Twitter followers might overlook a couple of subpar posts, but your
Instagram followers won’t. If you post a bad photo, it could throw
off your whole profile.

After you’ve posted some content, start following accounts that

interest you and relate to your business. Think of Instagram like a
community -- look for other businesses in your area or influencers
who might enjoy your product/service. After you follow an account,
interact with their content. It’s the most natural way to draw
attention to your own Instagram account without coming across as
spammy. When you follow or interact with an account, the account
owner will get a notification. This could prompt them to check out
your account and start following you. Remember to appreciate your
followers by responding to their comments and engaging with their
content.
Next, encourage others to share your content. Invite brand
ambassadors to share your account or collaborate with similar
accounts. For example, a local store could partner with a well-known
stylist to highlight the season’s latest styles.
Last but not least, be sure to promote your Instagram on other
channels. Include an Instagram social share button on your
website or encourage your followers on another platform to follow
you on Instagram. Sometimes the fastest way to gain more followers
is to simply ask for them!
How to Create Videos for Social Media

6 Little-Known Instagram
Hacks
Now that you’ve gotten the hang of the basics of Instagram, it’s time
to explore a few little-known Instagram hacks to really make the
most of the platform. We recommend downloading the latest
version of the app to follow along. 

1.) The Best Time to Post on

Instagram
Because Instagram is a mobile app, users are on the platform at all
times of the day. However, there are a few optimal times to post on
Instagram for peak engagement. The best times to post are
Mondays and Thursdays at any time except between 3:00 p.m. and
4:00 p.m. for the time zone of your target audience. Many users
tend to engage with more content during off-work hours on
weekdays.
2.) How to Link Instagram to Your
Facebook Page
One of Instagram’s unique features is that it allows you to share your
content seamlessly across other social networking sites. While this
may seem like a good idea, we don’t recommend automatically
linking to your other social platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
What works on Instagram probably won’t yield the same results on
other channels.

It’s important to tailor your content to each platform.

However, linking your Instagram to your other social accounts like
Facebook does increase the number of eyes on your posts. Note:
Your Facebook Page will already be linked to your Instagram if you
set up an Instagram business profile.  
If you do decide to do this, Instagram makes it pretty easy. To link
your Facebook page to your Instagram account, start in your
Instagram profile by going to the gear in the upper right corner. In
the “Options” menu, scroll down to “Settings” and look for “Linked
Accounts.” If you’re not already logged into Facebook on your
phone, you’ll be prompted to do so, and then you’ll need to pick the
Facebook Business Page you’d like to link. Next, you’ll be directed to
the “Share Settings” menu. The Facebook logo should be blue to
indicate that sharing is on.

3.) How to See Posts You’ve Liked

Ever wish you could easily find all of the post you’ve Liked on
Instagram? You can! Check out all the posts you’ve Liked in the
“Options” menu of your profile. Press the gear icon and select “Posts
You’ve Liked.” Then scroll down until you find the photo or video
you’re looking for.

4.) How to Reorder Instagram Filters

To save time when uploading photos in the future, Instagram lets
you reorder filters so you can position the ones you use most often
at the beginning of your options. To reorder or hide filters, begin
editing a post like you normally would. Scroll to the far right in the
filter options and click the “Manage” gear icon. Hold your finger
down on the three gray lines and drag the filter up or down. To hide
a filter, uncheck it on the right side of your screen.
  

5.) How to Insert Line Breaks in Your

Captions
You might have noticed that when you write a caption on Instagram
the “enter” or “return” button is missing on your keyboard. The trick
to reveal the button is to press the “123” key and the “return” button
will, well, return. Remember, Instagram only shows the first three
lines in a caption and forces users to click “more” to see the entire
caption so use the enter key sparingly.

6.) Hide Posts you’ve Been Tagged In

If someone tags your brand in a post, it will show up when you click
the person avatar in right icon on your profile. To remove a tagged
post, click the three dots in the top right corner and choose “Hide
Photos.” Select the posts you want to remove and click “Hide
Photos” again. This won’t remove the posts from Instagram, but it
will remove them from your profile.

If you don’t want to have to remove tagged posts, you can manually
choose just to include the ones you do like. Click the three dots again
and press “Tagging Options.” You can then choose to  “Add
Manually.” From here on out, you’ll be notified when someone tags
you in a photo. When that happens, tap on the photo you were
tagged in and choose “Show on Profile.”
Instagram Analytics
Unfortunately, Instagram does not yet have an in-depth analytics
platform built into the app the same way Facebook does. Once you
switch your account to a Business Account, you do gain access to
some limited analytics like follower growth, impressions, reach, and
engagement by clicking on the “View Insights” option below your
uploaded images and videos.
You can also track impressions, spend, and engagement on ad
campaigns through Facebook’s Ad Manager. While helpful, these
metrics are limited to individual posts and campaigns and don’t tell
the full story.
The good news is that you can access more in-depth Instagram
metrics with a range of third-party apps. Iconosquare and Simply
Measured allow you to track additional metrics such as followers and
engagement over time, optimal post time based on previous posts,
and your performance compared to selected competitors.

Although both platforms require you to pay to use them, you can
start with a free trial to see if their analytics offerings are right for
you.
Although the individual metrics you track on Instagram will vary
depending on your goals, some key metrics to keep track of are
engagement (Likes and comments) and number of followers over
time. If you are posting content your audience finds valuable, your
account will steadily gain followers and the number of Likes,
comments, and video views should increase with subsequent posts.
Even if you don’t require or have the budget for more in-depth
analytics tools, it’s important to track these metrics to make sure
your account is performing well and is growing.
Social Media Strategy Kit

Getting Started With

Instagram Advertising
Okay, you’ve been regularly posting engaging content and you have
loyal followers -- now let’s get started with Instagram
advertising. Instagram advertising offers a unique opportunity for
brands to engage with their persona. Since Instagram ads appear in
the feed like any other post, they aren’t as obvious or disruptive as
typical ads. They provide a natural way to encourage users to learn
more about your business or product.
How Create an Instagram Ad
If you’ve ever set up a Facebook ad, you’re almost there! Even
though your ad will run on Instagram, the setup is all done through
Facebook’s ad platform.
To begin creating your ad, select the post you’d like to boost in
Instagram or create a new one in Facebook Ad Manager. If you
haven’t run ads through Facebook before, you’ll be prompted to set
up an account. You’ll also need to claim your Instagram Business
account to link it to your Facebook page.

To claim your Instagram account, go to your Business Manager and,

on the left side of the page, hover over the menu to click “Instagram
Accounts.” Then click on “Claim Instagram Account.” Add your
account information and click “Next.”
Next, pick an objective and name your campaign. While Facebook
offers many different objective choices, only a few include Instagram
advertising as an option. To ensure you’re on the right track, pick
from any of the following options:
 Brand Awareness
 Reach
 Traffic
 App Installs
 Engagement
 Video Views
 Conversions
Once you’ve selected your objective, you’ll be prompted to name your ad set.

If you select the “Traffic” option, you’ll be prompted to select a

destination for your traffic. Facebook lets you pick between a
website and an application.
Next, you can target your ad using a range of demographic and
psychographic factors, including age, gender, location, language,
work, financial status, behaviours, and connections. You can also
load previously used custom audiences.
After you’re done honing in on your target audience, select “Edit
Placements” under the placements options and select “Instagram”
under the available platforms. Don’t forget this step! Otherwise your
ad will only show up on Facebook. If you only want to run your ad on
Instagram, check to make sure that no other placements are
selected.
After you select Instagram as your placement, you’ll be asked to set
the budget and schedule for your ad. You can set a daily spend
budget or a lifetime budget for the ad and indicate start and end
dates for your campaign. If you do not set a start and end date or a
lifetime budget, your ad will continue to run indefinitely with the
daily budget you allocate.
You can also access more budget and scheduling options under the
“Advanced Options” drop down. Here, you can  schedule your ad to
run only during certain hours of the day or set your ad to generate
results as quickly as possible using the “Accelerated” delivery type.
This option is useful for ads focused around timely events.
Next, you’ll set up the content of your ad. You can boost an existing
post or upload a new image and caption to run as your ad. Instagram
allows you to create ads using a Single Image or Video, a Carousel
Ad, or a Story Ad that runs as a sponsored ad in Instagram stories. To
maximize ad delivery, Facebook recommends using images that are
at 600 px X 600 px for square format ads, 600 px X 315 px for
landscape ads, and 600 px X 750 px for vertical ads. Facebook
recommends avoiding too much text on the image or video
thumbnail.
Once your ad creative is uploaded, you’re all set to place your order
and start running your first Instagram ad campaign!

How Much Should You

Spend on Instagram Ads?
The total amount you should invest in Instagram advertising
campaigns should be tied to your campaign goal. If you are trying to
gather more leads, you should consider the cost per lead and how
that compares to other channels and your customer lifetime value.
This is different for every business and industry. This also applies to
other goals like increased website clicks and sales. No matter what
your goal, it’s important to monitor and optimize your Instagram ads
to make the most of your budget.

Conclusion
With 700 million monthly active users, there’s no denying
Instagram’s power and reach. What was once a simple photo sharing
app has transformed into an immersive experience that allows users
to explore a company’s visual identity.
It’s important to keep in mind that Instagram users value high-quality
content. Create photos and videos that provide your audience with
interesting information or showcase your brand in a new, unique
way. Optimize your content by writing entertaining captions that
encourage engagement.
The thought of creating and maintaining a platform that captures
your brand’s visual identity may be intimidating at first, but
Instagram makes it fun and easy.