How to better leverage Instagram in business

By SD News On Aug 11, 2022

The Basics

First, have your company’s Instagram profile set up as a business page as it’s better for the algorithm, according to Gretchen Murray, a social media analyst at Mobile Marketing. That way, potential customers are able to find your account faster. Plus, you’ll be able to run ads, which can only be done via a business account.

From there, Murray suggests using Instagram to build relationships with new customers. “A good general rule of [thumb] is your posts should only be about 20% selling and the rest should be geared toward building trust in your brand,” she explained.

Danielle Krempasky, social media and content specialist at Mobile Marketing, said it’s all about the hashtags. “You should be strategically utilizing hashtags on your Instagram posts [as] they play a large role,” she said. “Do your research and look at which ones are trending in the flooring industry and make sure you incorporate those in your posts if they’re relevant to your brand.”

Another key usage factor for Instagram is engagement. “[An] important way to use Instagram is to meaningfully engage—not just with customers but with influencers and synergistic brands,” said Irene Williams, owner/principal, Msg2Mkt. “This kind of engagement can result in helpful tagging/mentioning/sharing in user generated content.”

Elevate form and function

When it comes to the look and feel of your company’s Instagram, Jenna Cappabianca, social media director at The Godinger Group, advised creating a specific company theme/aesthetic by incorporating brand colors and fonts throughout the Instagram page. “When developing brand assets we try to use the same color palette so it is recognizable to the consumer,” she said. “Overall, we try to keep our page visually appealing with bright colors, allowing our products to be the highlight of the content.”

Murray agreed, suggesting all posts displayed on your page should be cohesive and strategic. “You need to make sure your images tie together versus a bunch of random images you like,” she explained. “Show who you are as a business and your brand through your posts. You should approach Instagram strategically and know your brand voice.”

Jeff Bieber, vice president of marketing at Broadlume, suggested showing off the “vision” and what the product is able to provide for consumers rather than the products themselves. “In flooring, instead of showing swatches, show off room inspirations,” he said. “With all social media, your pages should be an extension of your brand.”