As businesses continue to strive towards reaching new audiences and gaining more visibility, social media platforms such as Instagram have become increasingly important. With over 2 billion monthly users worldwide, Instagram has proven to be an essential marketing tool for businesses across industries, from fashion and food to travel and home decor. In this blog, we will share 12 reasons why your business should be on Instagram, as well as tips for optimizing your Instagram presence.

1. Instagram's User Base is Expanding Rapidly.

With 97% of users accessing the platform monthly and 63% accessing it daily in the United States, businesses can't afford to ignore the potential reach of Instagram. By creating a dedicated Instagram strategy, you can expose your brand to millions of potential customers.

2. Instagram is Suitable for Businesses of All Sizes.

With such a large user base, businesses of all sizes and industries can thrive on Instagram. While it may take time to establish a strong presence, maintaining an active account with at least one daily post can lead to increased brand awareness and connection with your target audience.

3. Instagram Can Generate Revenue for Businesses.

Instagram offers several ways for businesses to monetize their presence on the platform, from on-platform e-commerce sales to sponsored posts and affiliate marketing. By utilizing these features, businesses can generate more leads and increase sales.

4. Instagram Helps Businesses to be More Relatable.

Instagram allows businesses to showcase their personality and humanize their brand through live events, Instagram Stories, and other content. By doing so, businesses can create a connection with their audience and build trust and credibility.

5. Instagram Influencers Can Help Promote Brands.

Partnering with influencers can help businesses reach new audiences and build brand awareness. With access to demographics they may not usually reach, influencers can help generate more sales leads and increase sales.

6. Hashtags Improve Business Visibility on Instagram.

Effective use of hashtags can help businesses separate themselves from the competition and increase visibility. Using branded hashtags or popular industry hashtags can help businesses gain more exposure and connect with their target audience.

7. Instagram Enables Effective Customer Engagement.

Engagement with customers is essential for any business, and Instagram offers an excellent platform for doing so. With features such as liking, commenting, and sharing, businesses can connect with their audience and increase visibility.

8. Instagram is a Mobile-Friendly Platform.

With mobile users spending 88% of their time using apps, Instagram is a natural destination for mobile users. By optimizing posts for mobile viewing, businesses can expand their reach and engagement.

9. Instagram Helps Businesses Monitor Competitors.

By monitoring competitors' interactions with their followers, businesses can learn from their successes and mistakes and refine their Instagram strategy.

10. Instagram Offers Creative Opportunities for Businesses.

With a variety of features, including social media contests, interactive videos, and more, Instagram provides businesses with ample opportunities to showcase their creativity and draw attention to their brand.

11. Instagram Ads Can Help Reach New Customers.

Customizable and trackable Instagram ads can help businesses reach new customers and collect valuable user data to inform other marketing campaigns.

12. Instagram Insights Can Improve Social Media Marketing Strategies.

By providing specific information about followers and post performance, Instagram Insights can help businesses improve their social media marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

Follow these do's and don'ts to optimize your Instagram presence:

Do's:

• Consistently post on your Instagram account, ideally between one and three times per week.

• Leverage your Instagram bio to promote specific products, business blog posts, or landing pages.

• Engage with other accounts on the platform by liking and commenting on their posts and following hashtags.

• Seek feedback from your followers by asking for their opinions and customer feedback, which can provide valuable market research insight.

• Create a signature style on your Instagram grid that aligns with your overall branding, using specific colors, filters, and angles.

• Use hashtags thoughtfully to make it easier for people to find your content, but avoid using too many that can appear "salesy" and off-putting.

• Tell a story through your Instagram posts that emotionally connects with your audience, such as behind-the-scenes videos or photos that give a peek into your company's processes or history.

Don'ts:

• Post too frequently, which can annoy followers, especially more than three times a week.

• Use auto-commenters or generic-sounding comments, as authenticity is valued on Instagram, and robotic behavior can cost you followers.

• Add completely irrelevant or sensational content just to get reposts, as it can appear as clickbait.

• Post too many sales-oriented content that pressures followers to purchase, and follow the 5:3:2 rule for social media: curate five posts from other content, create three posts that are relevant to your audience, and use two posts to share fun content that humanizes your company.

• Ignore captions, as thoughtfully captioning your posts can add interest or context to the image or video or add a funny comment.

• Ignore negative feedback, as Instagram is a highly interactive platform, and those who post negative comments expect a response. Show your followers you care by responding thoughtfully.

• Buy followers, as fake followers only hurt your Instagram marketing results. These followers won’t engage with your account and have no genuine interest in your company.

In conclusion, Instagram has become a crucial social media platform for businesses looking to reach new audiences and increase visibility. With a large user base and a variety of features, Instagram offers businesses numerous opportunities to engage with their target audience and build brand awareness. By following the do's and don'ts outlined in this blog, businesses can optimize their Instagram presence and make data-driven decisions to improve their social media marketing strategies. As a platform agnostic agency, Fifthweapon can help your business build scalable and measurable creative campaigns that sell on Instagram and other social media platforms.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you connect with your ideal clients.