How to establish an Instagram marketing strategy?

Establishing a single strategy

Each social network is different in different ways. Each platform has its own way of working, audience, publication formats, etc. Therefore, if a strategy can be used on a specific social media, it cannot be used on another network. It is not advisable to use a strategy applied on Twitter for Instagram.

Know your audience

Before you do anything, you will need to define your target audience. When setting your objectives, consider your personas. Take the time to find out more about their interests and their socio-professional category. You will also need to consider the factors that might make people interested in your brand. You will also have to consider their demographic data, their location, their tastes, etc. 

Once you have the necessary knowledge about your audience, you will be able to offer them relevant content. Using the statistical data from your Instagram account, you will have the geographical data of your followers. 

Define the objectives

Make sure you develop the right goals. You shouldn't use Instagram just because it's a trendy social network or because you want to get more followers. For a campaign to be viable or relevant, you will need to determine your needs first. For example, you can set yourself the goal of : 

• Generate leads;
• Getting your brand out there; 
• Build customer loyalty. 
  

Keep in mind that you do not have the option of adding multiple links to your publications. In other words, you can only use one link.

Good use of hashtags

With Instagram, you will need to use hashtags to give your posts visibility. You can use either : 

• Community hashtags: this will help you follow your posts on a specific topic. 
• Hashtags with your brand name: This option allows you to increase the popularity of your brand. You can create hashtags using the name of your communication campaign or event. 
  

Do not hesitate to mix the French and English languages if your brand is French-speaking. When using hashtags, make sure you use consistent content in your posts. There is no need to overuse hashtags, just use a maximum of 10.

Publications that reflect the human side of the company

When using Instagram, focus on spontaneity. People don't just want to see photos of your products. Let them see other aspects of your business.

Offer interesting content

For example, you can post videos or photos of what goes on behind the scenes in your company. Don't hesitate to share the highlights of your daily life.

The livestream will also be very popular with the public. You can use it to capture highlights of events you are organising, to film an outing with colleagues, etc. 

In order to humanise your publications, there are certain tricks. For example, you can ask your community about a particular topic, etc. Show your subscribers that you are interested in them.

Publish attractive content

With Instagram, you can choose between different formats. You can add :

• Pictures: take a picture of your routine, behind the scenes of your business, etc. 
• Vertical videos: you can post long videos on IGTV.
• Stories: post photos and videos that will be visible for 24 hours. 
  

Choose the right time to publish photos or videos. Include this factor in your content strategy. Content published at any time will not be effective. Always consider the needs of your target audience.

Focus on followers in all actions

Focus on your community and your followers. Whatever actions you want to take, take into account their expectations and needs. Make them want to follow you. To do this, you should : 

• Feed their creativity: ask your audience to generate content considering products and messages you want to share.
• Set up competitions: find an authentic way to encourage your community to share your publications. 
• Show the usefulness of your products: show why the product should interest followers. 

Keeping in touch with micro-influencers

With Instagram, you have to think about micro-influencers. These are mini-stars who can increase the popularity of your brand. Make them part of your strategy. Their help is useful in the e-commerce sector. 

In theory, a micro-influencer can have thousands of followers. From a financial point of view, it will be really interesting. You can take advantage of their community to increase the visibility of your products. Only select a micro-influencer that is related to your target audience's sector of activity. 

If you want to stand out on Instagram, you'll need to deploy a unique content marketing strategy. Once you've identified your targets and objectives, make sure you offer your community interesting publications. With the right strategy, you'll be able to promote your business.
To optimize your strategies on Instagram, don't hesitate to use specific tools to automate certain tasks. If you're looking for such tools, put your trust in My Name Is Bond.