At this point you know what Instagram is, how it works and how to use the myriad features and options to your advantage. What’s more though, you also have some insight as to the psychology of Instagram and you know some of the advanced techniques you can use to hack your growth and explode onto the scene. To round it all off then, let’s structure all that information into a plan that can really work for you and that you can adapt to suit your brand.
Your Instagram Marketing Plan
Step 1. Identify Your Market, Create Your Brand
To start with you need to find who it is that you’re marketing to and you need to know what your message is. This is important because it will tell you how you are going to go about creating your image on Instagram and it will tell you what kind of content you should be uploading. Think about lifestyles and messages and try to evoke what your brand represents as well as what it produces. Likewise, ensure you have a strong identity with a recognizable logo and then use this across all your social media efforts. Research the competition too and survey your existing customers.
Step 2. Decide What Kind of Channel You Are, Begin Uploading Content
Decide if you’re interested in creating a personal brand, or if you’re about promoting specific artistic products. Likewise, choose whether you want to upload images that are abstract and that broadly paint a picture of a lifestyle, or whether you want to upload images that provide some kind of value or ‘tips’ for instance. Try different hash tags and make sure you are posting with ones that will bring in new traffic.
Step 3. Be Consistent, Do Promotion, Synergize Across Social Media and Your Website
Keep your content coming and meanwhile make sure that you are sharing to other social media accounts, that you promote your Instagram on there and that you outright ask people to follow you. Meanwhile, research people posting images in your niche and follow/like their work. Comment on other images and add a widget to your own site. All these activities will ensure a steady trickle of new users which will gain momentum over time.
Step 4. Run Contests, Use Local Marketing, Get People Involved
You should also work to try and motivate your existing followers to grow your audience further. Running contests, getting people to comment (using caption contests for instance) and sharing the images that other users have uploaded are all great ways to get people to add to your account and to stay lively and engaged.
Finally, consider these vital Instagram marketing ‘dos and don’ts’ to guide you as you head forward in your efforts.
DO engage with your audience, respond to comments and generally stay active.
DON’T let your account become a ghost town with no new photos and no new comments or likes.
DO use your real-world networking to help enhance your Instagram efforts.
DO put real thought into your images.
DO consider using stock images when you’re at a loss, such as those from Compfight.
DON’T upload content that doesn’t gel with your mission statement, your tone or your niche. A consistent and strong brand identity is key.
DO create a good logo to use across all your social media.
DON’T be too salesy or pushy. Instagram is not the place for that.
DON’T measure your success based on conversions – Instagram is about art, expression and the personal touch.
DO think about the lifestyle you want to portray and the emotion behind that.
DO look for the beauty and the artistic opportunity in everyday activities.
I hope this helped 🙂