How Instagram can help your business

Alongside writing this blog of mine, I also work as a freelance social media manager and I run this side of my business under the name The Social Shed. Do you like the tie-in with The Pramshed? In my mind I’m considering whether to bring this under one name? People and local business know me as The Pramshed, plus it’s where most of my audience are. So watch this space…..with a bit of tinkering you may be seeing more social media bits and pieces on The Pramshed.

Anyway I digress…

One of my main loves and focus areas that I offer my social media clients is Instagram. I love it. I love how creative you can be with it, how much fun you can have with stories, and ultimately how easy it is to engage with other people and businesses. If you’re looking for ways in which social media and Instagram can help your business, here’s how. You can also use Socialfollow to help you grow your Instagram followers, with followers who are the right audience for your business and who are engaged.

It’s your virtual shop front

Social media is used by everyone. People use it as a search engine, and they expect to see what your business offers. Instagram is a really good and effective way for you and your business to shine. It’s a way to show exactly what you can offer, what the customer will get and ultimately show the end product. Whether you’re an online shop, a florist, a construction company, a hairdresser, a pub, a garden centre, whoever you are, you can use Instagram to showcase your products, and tell your audience your story about what makes your business tick and why they should choose you.

It’s how your business can make connections

In an ever expanding and connecting world made easier by the power of social media and the internet, it is really important to make connections. I would say that this is really important for small business, who rely on other businesses to help promote them. Using Instagram is one way to do this. You can share other businesses content by @mentioning or regramming them, and you can tag them in the images or stories. In fact there are so many ways that you can use Instagram to help make connections with your audience, with influencers and with other like-minded businesses. It really isn’t always about the competition.

It’s how your potential customers can find you

This is so, so, so, so, important. How do your customers find you and your business? Is it online through search, is it through recommendations, or is it via social media. I speak highly of Instagram that when I’m searching for something in particular I use Instagram as my search engine using a particular hashtag such as #monochromebathroom. I cannot be the only one who does this? This is a brilliant way for your potential customers to find your business. Which means that it is really important that you use relevant hashtags, and that those hashtags that have less than 100,000 hits so that your business has a chance of being found.

Another way for your potential customers to find you is to purchase new followers outright. We are all much more likely to follow an account that already has an established following online so if you are considering whether or not to buy followers Instagram growth services such as Upleap are definitely worth researching. You never know who will be interested in your business and if they start engaging and interacting then that’s even better.

It’s a marketing tool on your phone

The above points say it all really, Instagram is literally your business marketing tool at your fingertips. Gone are the days of traditional marketing, flyers, DMs, etc (although that obviously depends on what your business does), Instagram is now one of your platforms for marketing and advertising your business. Make sure your logo is there, that your bio makes sense, that you have a call to action, and that people can get to your website. Finally make sure that your content is reflective of your business, adding value for your audience, and that it provides an incentive for them to follow your profile, and finally use your business.

It’s a way to show the real you

Last but not least it’s a really good way to show the real you. This is particularly the case for smaller businesses and for those who have customers who want a personal service. Instagram is a way to show your creative side, your funny side, your face and your thoughts to your customers. This can come across in the image and the caption, or stories (if you’re feeling brave enough). In a world where people are so reliant on choosing the right product, or selecting the right person to do a job for them, this is where you can really play on the strengths of Instagram and allow the platform to help show the real you.

So that is how Instagram can help you and your business. If this all sounds brilliant and you’re wondering how on earth you can do all of this whilst running your business, that is where I can help. I can take away all of your social media worries and run your account without you even batting an eyelid, allowing you the time to focus on what you do best.

Do you want to use Instagram? Do you want to see your Instagram account working harder? If so I’ll be happy to chat.

Claire x