The world of social media marketing can be a confusing place, especially for an ecommerce business, itâs essential that your products or services get maximum exposure online. So, what better place than a platform designed for photo sharing, where bead-eyed consumers head for inspiration? Build an engaging following on this platform and you could be on to a real winner.
There are plenty of brands already aware of the power of Instagram and now flock to the platform in droves. With features that are constantly updated and a community of engaged users, Instagram can maximise your exposure and have a dramatic impact on business growth.
So, how is this possible you ask? Hereâs a round-up of some key ways you can harness the power of Instagram to increase your following and boost business.
1. Take advantage of the buy direct feature
Did you know that your followers can now buy direct using the platformâs shopping feature? If not, as an ecommerce business, you need to get familiar with this.
This feature has done wonders for the shopping process on Instagram and has played into the hands of many brands already with their social media marketing. Users no longer have to click through to company profiles, find a link and then search for the product on the company site. No, no. This is now far more streamlined making the buying process simple.
When scrolling through their feeds, users will see white shopping bag icons on product images. They can click this and make a purchase without leaving the app. This feature is already proving a hit for consumers with Instagram reporting that 75% of people who see this kind of post take action.
Womenâs clothing brand, Lulus, reported that almost 33% of users who clicked âlearn moreâ on a product post proceeded to visit their site using âshop now.â
Incorporating the shopping process into an app where people go for inspiration can work wonders for your ecommerce brand. Not only does this help to boost the visibility of your products, it also makes the shopping process irresistibly simple.
2. Go live
Terrifying, right? Maybe not for those that arenât so camera shy but going live sends shivers down many a personâs spine. Well, in 2018, itâs time to open up to the idea that live video could work wonders for business.
âA candid insight into my business?â you ask. Yes, funnily enough, thatâs what people want to see nowadays. They arenât as interested in polished, perfect brands. They want to see real personality and a genuine look behind the scenes. This really is the silver bullet for lead generation at the minute!
Live video is a great way to attract more organic followers and interact with your existing customer base. So how do you get started? Think about what your audience would want to see. How about an interactive Q&A? This could be based on a new product youâre about to launch or helpful advice on how to use something you already sell. Tutorials and demos are also really popular - as are behind the scenes snapshots of your workspace. Just remember to be true to your brand and show yourself in an authentic light.
3. Tell stories
Like Instagram Live, the platformâs Story feature is also going down a storm and proving very popular with users. In fact, there are now twice as many daily users on Instagram Stories than there are on Snapchat (where the feature idea came from).
So what are they? Theyâre the vibrant circles at the top of your feed that people and brands use to share daily snapshots which last no longer than 24 hours.
There are a number of ecommerce brands that were early adopters of Instagram Stories and actively demonstrate to others how to crush it. Take Beyond Yoga for example. They clearly understand the importance of showing how their products look on real women during real workouts. After All, polished, Photoshopped photos are beginning to wear thin for many consumers.
So, the yoga brand took it upon themselves to create stories showing snapshots of women wearing their gear. It gave a candid insight into how the apparel really looks and enabled users to connect with the overall brand on a more intimate level.
When using Instagram Stories, itâs also great to show your humorous side. The platform offers plenty of effects, stickers and emojis which can all be used to make your content that bit more appealing. Just be sure to keep your brand image in mind and make sure this always comes through well.
4. Collaborate with micro-influencers
You might be thinking, âmy brand is just starting out, how on earth am I going to get Kendall Jenner to promote my products?!â If youâre thinking this, your letting a huge, unrealistic roadblock get in your wayâŚ
Youâre missing one very important demographic - the micro-influencer. Weâre talking about users with a mid-range following, so around the 1,000 to 10,000 mark. Whatâs really interesting about micro-influencers is that they are actually delivering a higher ROI for businesses.
The pattern that has begun to emerge shows that although Large influencers have a stronger reach, more sales are made through micro-influencers promoting products. This shows that users appear to have a more intimate bond with lower-level influencers and are more inclined to buy products they recommend over the lipstick Kim Kardashian just endorsed.
Whatâs great is that, on many levels, micro-influencers are actually easier to reach out and collaborate with. So how do you find them? Start by searching hashtags related to your product and go through the users actively using them. This is a pretty good indication that they fall in line with the product or service you offer.
Once you have a round-up of possible candidates, take a look through their profiles to see if they are a good fit for your brand. Once you have a shortlist, itâs time to reach out. When messaging, itâs important to show that you are genuinely interested in them. Mention a post you were particularly font of to show you have clearly done your research.
Then, talk about your business and the reasons why you think a collaboration would be great. Always remember to ask if they are interested - donât just force this on them and provide the all-important follow up details.
If this reach out system doesnât work for you then there are a number of platforms which help with this process. Check out Upfluence and Gnack, for example, which offer a user-friendly way to find and contact potential influencers.
5. Use good quality images
Instagram is all about images, it's the whole point of the platform. So, with that in mind, you need to know exactly what your followers want to see and make sure that your profile looks top-notch. That means that your images need the right filters to make your images pop, stand out and draw the attention of those people that are just endlessly scrolling through the explore page.
In doing this, you're likely to pick up a few tools along the way. One of the best image editing tools for Instagram is Instasize. They offer a free version of their app that provides filters, colour editing tools, and even video editing.
Having the best pictures possible for your Instagram profile is a priority!
To sum up
Using the above tried and tested tactics well will help you to grow your following, engage with more users and positively impact your business. Users expect to see brands on the platform nowadays and are happy to actively interact with them.
Just remember to put yourself in their shoes and think about that they want to see. How are you going to capture their emotions, show that you are on the same page and offer value? If you keep this in mind when creating content on Instagram, you should see a clear growth in your eCommerce business.
As we all know, Instagram is owned by Facebook, which means you can use Facebook and Instagram together to supercharge your social media marketing! Want more information on Facebook marketing? Check out our blog post with 5 Facebook Marketing Tips and Tricks for 2018!