Do you have an Instagram business account yet? You definitely should. Do you have an account but never know what or even how to post to it? We can help. Let’s take a deep dive into the wonderful Instagram business world and all it has to offer.
Instagram Statistics You Should Know…
Instagram currently has over 1.1 billion active users and is projected to continue its steady growth into 2023. The platform has steadily moved to a more sales-friendly model for those selling products including product catalogs and a direct purchasing feature. Instagram Business is not just for those selling products though. Because of its image-driven focus, Instagram allows every business, no matter their service, to promote its mission or objective and bring brand awareness.
68% of Instagram users are female. If your organization is largely marketed to women or your goal is to reach the female population then you should have an active Instagram business account. While every age from 13 to 65 and up is active on Instagram, the majority of users fall between the ages of 13 and 44. Millennials currently hold the most purchasing power on Instagram. To learn more about the generations and how they spend their money check out our blog series Digital Marketing to the Generations
Posting Content on Your Instagram Business Account
Instagram stories began in 2016 and have only grown in popularity since their release. These snippets of life can include photographs, videos, shares of other content, locations, direct links to websites, and much more. Over 500 million users watch stories every day and around 70% of those stories are viewed with the sound on. (For the 30% that listen in silent mode, the addition of Instagram story captioning has been great!)
Instagram stories are able to be viewed for only 24 hours unless the account saves the stories to their “Highlights.” Many accounts have built wonderful repertoires of Instagram story highlights that prove to be very beneficial to their audience. In just a few quick easy steps, a visitor can learn so much about a business by watching its story highlights.
Videos and Carousel posts (multiple images or videos in one post) are the most viewed and interacted with posts on Instagram. While the app is visually driven, do not neglect the use of a clever and informative caption and the use of hashtags. Captions can increase engagement by almost 2%. Studies show that both shorter and longer captions perform well. 81% of marketers report that using hashtags has increased performance on their Instagram business accounts.
Instagram Business Account Sponsored Advertising
Instagram Business accounts can purchase sponsored ads. Similar to Facebook ads the amount spent on ads is up to you but the cost per click can vary depending on your industry, time of year, and audience. Instagram ads can be targeted and you do not even have to have an Instagram business account to sponsor ads (you must have a Facebook account though since it is the parent company) but an Instagram business account is highly recommended so you can easily engage with your followers.
Instagram sponsored ads costs are slightly higher than Facebook but they have a much higher reach and engagement rate than Facebook. Instagram has an organic reach of 9.4% (compared to Facebook’s 2.2%) and Instagram’s click-thru rates for sponsored ads are solid with feed posts being slightly higher than stories. With sponsored ads, you only pay for the clicks making the return on investment worthwhile. The average cost per click is $1.23 in the U.S. Finally, 50% of viewers have visited a website to buy a product or service after seeing it in Instagram stories. Yes, sponsored ads may cost more upfront but with returns like that Instagram business account holders should not mind.
Tips for Your Instagram Business Account Strategy
- Write a great bio.
- Identify your target audience.
- Create compelling content. Try to include a variety of photos and videos.
- Include a caption and hashtags. Research a hashtag before you begin using it with your business or you could find your account associated with subjects you may prefer not to be.
- Create a strategy for posting stories.
- Be consistent in how often and when you post.
- Study your analytics to determine the best time to post and how well which post types performed.
- Engage with your followers through replies, polls, and direct messages when appropriate.
- Consider budgeting ad money for sponsored Instagram business posts.
- Get the help of a marketing professional!
Partner with Dogwood for Your Instagram Business Account Strategy
Our crew at Dogwood Media Solutions would love to help you hit the ground running with your Instagram business account. Whether you are starting from scratch, reviving an account that has fallen quiet, or launching a new targeted campaign, we can help. Let’s connect today to begin creating a digital marketing strategy.
