In a nutshell, your marketing strategy is incomplete without Instagram. With more than 500 million active daily users, it offers your brand and product tons of potential eyeballs. Equally, there are multiple ways to post – slideshows, stories, videos, and pictures.
Although the principle sounds simple, there is more to driving sales on Instagram than most people think. For starters, a post telling consumers to purchase products is never enough. You need strong strategies that provide high-quality leads, increase engagement, and drive sales.
Today, we take a comprehensive look at how to effectively drive sales on Instagram. But first, here’s a quick look at why you need to incorporate Instagram into your marketing strategy.
Why Use Instagram to Drive Sales
Apart from the half a billion people using Instagram every day, the platform registers 1.44 billion users every month. Additionally, 80% of these users follow at least one business. Think of all the endless possibilities these numbers provide for your business.
Instagram also includes ever-evolving eCommerce features. For instance, viewers can shop from stories, make direct purchases in the app, and tag products that link to your store.
Top Five Instagram Tips to Drive Sales
You are missing out on a huge opportunity if your business is not selling on Instagram. Luckily, it is never too late to get started. Read on to learn the top five ways to effectively drive sales on Instagram:
Create a Business Profile
Think of your Instagram profile as the face of your company. It is likely going to be the first point of contact between your brand and customer. Therefore, it needs to make an excellent impression and entice the viewer.
Choose a profile photo that makes your brand easily identifiable. Next, write a bio that tells the consumer about your product and services. Let them know what you are offering from a glance and link it to your shop.
However, consider your company culture when creating a business profile. You need to have a consistent brand story. Doing this will ensure you quickly turn new clients into devoted followers, thus increasing your sales.
Consistent Posting
Most businesses on Instagram tend to forget one critical aspect – it is an image-centric platform. What this means is that posting once a week simply won’t cut it. Instead, you need to consistently showcase your product or services.
Consider using Instagram stories to give your followers a sneak peek into your business. It includes interactive options such as question stickers and polls that make the entire experience fulfilling for your consumers. Ensure you post daily on Instagram stories and ask your audience’s opinions on your products.
Finally, Instagram offers your business the opportunity to offer their consumers true, unfiltered videos – the live option. Showing up on Instagram live enhances your interaction with the consumers in real-time. The best part is that live feeds move to the front of the story line-up, and followers get notifications.
Sell Less
It sounds confusing at first, but you will sell more by not trying to sell more. Instagram’s users aren’t on the platform to buy goods and services only. They are also looking for content that provides value to their life. Your best bet to gain customer engagement is to create a balance between promotional content and content that adds value.
According to a SproutSocial survey, posting too many promotions is among the most annoying thing to 57.7% of Instagram users. Equally, 46% of people unfollow brands that post too many promotional messages. Therefore, a lot of promotions will harm your brand rather than build it.
How do you make your Instagram marketing campaign not sound too sales-y? Start by humanising your brand and telling a story with every post. Next, let the audience feel like they are an integral part of your business.
Use Hashtags
You can use relevant hashtags to further drive your sales on Instagram. What you need is the right combination of hashtags that makes it easier for your target audience to locate you. Start by considering popular hashtags that are relevant to your products or services.
Although coming up with effective hashtags seems complex, it is relatively easy. Start by researching trending hashtags within your industry. You can then construct a balanced combination of common and unique hashtags to consistently use for your Instagram posts.
Experiment using different variations and see which works best for your brand. It will also help to ask consumers to use the same mix of hashtags. Doing this will help boost your brand and establish you as an industry leader.
Consider Influencer Marketing
Teaming up with influencers will help you drive sales on Instagram. For starters, these influencers already have the engagement you require, and work constantly to increase their reach. Ensure you look for influencers that match your company values and are interested in promoting your products or services.
However, do not make the mistake of picking influencers based on their following. The most important factors to consider are engagement and relevancy. For instance, consider photographers as your ideal influencers if you are selling cameras.
Be on the lookout for influencers who purchase fake followers to increase their presence and ask for a higher fee. Ensure you consider their past clients and the kind of engagement they generated from their campaigns. Doing this helps you create ROI and makes it easier to determine whether a particular influencer is the best fit for your brand.
Let Oracle Tree Help Grow Your Business
Are you finding it difficult to boost engagement and drive sales on Instagram? At Oracle Tree, we offer timeless wisdom for the modern business. Our team will help you create an Instagram marketing strategy to take your business to the next level. Ensure you book a strategy call today to get started.
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