If you want to build a company with an obviously tight social media and digital presence, one of the best strategies is to start using Instagram.
As a brand, you should not be afraid to take risks. If you want your business to grow and break the mold of being stagnant, you need to take chances. But with so much at stake, it’s scary to put your brand in jeopardy.
Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms right now, with over 500 million daily active users. With so many people on this platform, it’s clear that there’s a huge audience just waiting to be tapped. It’s a great place for your brand to thrive and grow. But in order to really stand out, we’ll also need to encourage our followers to interact with us. And why not? Instagram photos look great on this app, and this means that visual content will have a huge impact on users when they see it on their feeds.
“Before we are great we must first be good.”
So what can a brand do to grow its audience on Instagram? To help you get started on creating an Instagram account for your brand as well as posting content so that more people can find out about you, here are some tips. This post breaks down the strategic process to get the result you want.
Create a branded Instagram account
Find out what resonates with your audience
Create visually appealing content
Table of Contents
Introduction
There’s no question that Instagram is one of the hottest social networking platforms out there right now. With over 1 billion monthly active users, it’s a powerful tool for brands to reach new audiences and connect with existing customers.
But what if you’re not comfortable with using Instagram to sell your products or services? Is there a way to grow your brand on the platform without coming across as sales-y or inauthentic?
As it turns out, there are plenty of ways to do just that. In this blog post, I’ll share some tips on how to grow your brand on Instagram without selling out.
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Share behind-the-scenes content.
People love getting a peek into the inner workings of a brand. Use Instagram to give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your business. This could include photos or videos from your office, warehouse, or production facility. It could also be something as simple as a video showing how your team makes one of your products.
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Share user-generated content (UGC).
If you have happy customers, chances are they’re already sharing photos and videos of your products or services on Instagram. Why not share their content on your Instagram account.
Create a branded Instagram account
Before you can even think about growing your brand on Instagram, you need to create a branded account. Your Instagram account is the first thing people see when they visit your page, so it’s crucial you create a branded account that’s authentic to your brand.
You don’t want to leave this to chance. Instead, you want to take the time to carefully create your Instagram account so it properly reflects your brand and your values. Start by creating a username that’s easy to remember and contains your brand’s name. This makes it easier for your followers to find you. Make sure to include relevant hashtags in your profile to ensure your account gets discovered. If you already have a website, you can use the same account name on Instagram. If you don’t, create a new account with a name that’s short, memorable, and easy to spell.
Find out what resonates with your audience
If you want to grow your brand on Instagram, it’s important to find out what resonates with your audience. You need to know what they like, what they’re interested in, and what they want to see more of. This is where doing some initial research comes in handy. You want to take the time to find out what your followers want to see. The best way to do this is to use an Instagram research tool. There are a lot of free research tools online that allow you to quickly and easily find out what resonates with your audience. It’ll give you a breakdown of the most popular hashtags, the images that receive the most likes, and even the times of day when your followers are most active. This will help you narrow down what content you should be creating and posting.
Create visually appealing content
Now that you know what your audience wants to see, it’s time to create visually appealing content. This means creating content that resonates with your audience and is also visually appealing. There are a few different types of content you can create to help you grow your brand on Instagram. You can share images of your products and services, you can share behind-the-scenes content, or you can create educational or helpful content.
Product images – If you sell physical products, you should definitely share product images on Instagram. Remember, you don’t have to post an image of each individual product. Instead, you can post several images with one product in each shot.
Behind-the-scenes images – If you run a business that has anything to do with travel or adventure, behind-the-scenes images are a great way to engage your audience. You can also share behind-the-scenes content if your business has a more creative element to it.
Educational or helpful content – If you operate in a field in which you have plenty of valuable knowledge and expertise to share, educational or helpful content is a great way to engage your audience. You can create educational or helpful posts in any industry.
Building Your Audience
Instagram is a powerful tool for growing your brand. However, it is important to use Instagram in a way that doesn’t alienate your audience or sell out your brand. Here are some tips on how to grow your brand without selling out on Instagram:
- Be authentic: People can tell when you’re being inauthentic, and they’ll be turned off by it. Be true to your brand and don’t try to be something you’re not.
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Engage with your audience:
Take the time to respond to comments and direct messages. Show that you’re listening to what your followers have to say.
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Provide value:
Don’t just post random photos or videos; provide value for your followers by posting content that is interesting, informative, or entertaining.
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Be consistent:
Post regularly and keep your branding consistent across all of your posts. This will help people recognize and remember your brand.
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Use hashtags wisely:
Hashtags can be a great way to reach new people, but don’t overdo it. Use a few relevant hashtags per post so that you don’t look spammy.
Other Content Ideas
There are a number of ways to grow your brand without selling out on Instagram. Here are a few ideas:
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Engage with your audience.
Make sure to like and comment on posts from your target audience. This will help you to build a relationship with them and they will be more likely to remember your brand when they see it pop up in their feed.
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Use hashtags strategically.
Do some research to find popular hashtags within your niche that you can use to reach a wider audience. But be careful not to use too many hashtags or your posts will look spammy.
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Partner with other brands.
Reach out to other brands that have a similar target audience as you and see if there are opportunities to collaborate. This could involve doing a giveaway together or creating joint content that you both promote on your individual channels.
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Leverage user-generated content.
Encourage your fans and followers to share photos of themselves using or wearing your product by using relevant hashtags or holding competitions. This is a great way to get free exposure for your brand while also building up social proof.
Brand Growth Hacks
There are a lot of ways to grow your brand on Instagram without resorting to selling out. Here are some creative brand growth hacks that will help you get ahead on the platform:
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Use relevant hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by more people, so make sure to use them judiciously. Research popular hashtags in your niche and use them in your posts.
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Run contests and give away prizes
Contests are a great way to engage your followers and grow your brand awareness. Offer something valuable as a prize, such as a product from your company or a gift card.
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Collaborate with other brands or influencers
Teaming up with complementary brands or influencers can help you reach a whole new audience. Choose partners that fit well with your brand image and values.
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Create killer content
This one is obvious, but it bears repeating – great content is essential for growing your brand on Instagram (or anywhere else, for that matter). Make sure your posts are visually appealing and offer something valuable to your followers.
Don’t forget to add value
Growing your brand on Instagram doesn’t just involve creating visually appealing content. You also want to make sure you’re adding value to your audience whenever possible. One of the best ways to do this is to ask your followers questions. You can use polls and surveys to see what your audience likes and dislikes, and what they want to see more of. You can also ask your followers questions to help you discover new content to create. You can ask your followers to suggest content ideas, recommend products they think you should review, and share anything else they’d like to see more of from you. By adding value to your audience whenever possible, you’ll help grow your brand on Instagram.
Sell merchandise
Another great way to grow your brand on Instagram is to sell merchandise. You can sell branded merchandise like hats, bags, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more. You can also sell products related to your content and what your brand stands for. If you’re creating educational content, for example, you can sell study guides, eBooks, and more. Whatever merchandise you sell, make sure it’s related to your brand and your content. If someone buys your merchandise, they should be able to connect it back to you. It should make them think of your brand and what you stand for. You can sell your merchandise on Instagram, or you can use an eCommerce platform like Shopify. This way, you can sell your merchandise anywhere, anytime.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that Instagram is a powerful tool for growing your brand. But it’s also important to be careful about selling out in the process. With a little thought and planning, you can grow your brand on Instagram without compromising your values or selling out to the highest bidder. Just be authentic, stay true to yourself, and don’t be afraid to put in the hard work.
Grow your brand on Instagram by creating a branded account, finding out what resonates with your audience, creating visually appealing content and adding value to your audience. You can also sell merchandise to help you grow your brand. When you grow your brand on Instagram, you can help build your brand’s reputation and authority while also creating new opportunities for yourself. It’ll pay off in the end.