Social media is an extension of your website and brand. When used as an effective marketing tool, it can drive potential customers to your company. As you develop posts, especially on Instagram, it is essential to have a plan for your content to acquire the engagement and leads you desire. While it feels like, “Everybody is doing it,” some companies are stronger at growing their Instagram followers, which translates into more business. Make sure you are using social media effectively by following the below tips.

Biography Information

The goal of your posting to a business Instagram is to drive people to your website to buy your product or use your service. When setting up an Instagram account, be sure to select a profile picture that represents your brand. Your company’s logo would be a good start. With an easy to spot photo, customers can quickly identify your account.

It is also essential to have an appealing blurb about your company in your bio. A mission statement or motto works well. Finally, be sure to include the link for your website in the biography section. After all, the whole goal of a business Instagram is to attract new customers, and they need to know how to contact you! While links can be included in Instagram posts, this platform doesn’t allow for hyperlinks within a post. Directing post viewers to “see your bio for additional information” is a way for them to find your contact information and website.

What to include in your bio: 

• Brand name
• Logo
• Business description
• Link to website
• Address
• 1-2 Hashtags
• 1-2 Emojis

Brand Colors

Instagram is a unique platform because a viewer can see all of your posts at once under your biography to get a better idea of your company, products, and services. Use the colors of your logo to help you select photos and fonts within that color scheme. This creates synergy amongst your posts to build your overall brand.

Images

Postings allow a viewer to learn more about your company. When planning what pictures you want to post to your Instagram account, it helps to have consistent images to increase your branding and following. You are trying to attract potential customers through your photos. If you are promoting your veterinarian hospital, pictures of pets would be appropriate. Followers may be confused if you then mix in photos of your family at dinner. Your Instagram business account is a tool to market your company; be sure your posts reflect the brand appropriately.

Try to include a variety of posts, such as:

• Photographs
• Graphics
• Reels
• IGTV Videos
• Carousel Posts

Copy

What is your brand voice? Who is your target audience? What mantra rings in your head every time you communicate with your followers? Try short and long posts as captions. Be sure what you write represents the brand.

Hashtags

If you only take one thing away from this article, let it be this: do not copy and paste the same hashtags for each post! Instagram knows when hashtags are used over and over. The platform may mark your account as spam and reduce your reach. Instead, best practice is to select 10-20 relevant hashtags to include in the first comment of a post. One pro tip is to keep lists of hashtags that relate to your practice in a doc that you can quickly access.

Need help building your Instagram account? Our very own social media influencer, Shalee Super, created an Instagram Best Practices Guide to help companies just starting out.  Contact Shalee or a member of our Las Vegas Internet Marketing Company to learn more about how we support companies to grow social media platforms.

This post was written by Send it Rising’s social media coordinator, Caroline Miller. 

Recent Blog Posts