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Instagram For Business - The Definitive Guide by Sked Social PDF
Instagram For Business - The Definitive Guide by Sked Social PDF
for Business:
The Definitive
Guide
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Contents
04 Introduction
Why is Instagram Valuable for Business?
08 Chapter 1:
Instagram for Business
Chapter 2:
26 Instagram Content
74 Chapter 3:
Marketing on Instagram
110 Chapter 4:
The Future of Instagram
3 / CONTENTS
Introduction
If you want to generate new leads, boost brand
awareness, and reach a new audience on Instagram,
this guide is for you.
4 / INTRODUCTION
Why is Instagram Valuable for Business?
7 / INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1
Instagram for
Business
Optimizing your Instagram Account
Think of your bio as the elevator Despite its short length, your
pitch for your entire account. It Instagram bio still carries some
consolidates everything about your serious weight when it comes
business into a few sentences. to seeing success on Instagram.
Crafting one for your own brand can
Consider this: Would you want to be deceptively tough. Fortunately,
engage in a continued relationship there are a few ways to remove
with someone who shook your some stress from the process and
hand, said their name, and then come up with a bio that you can
walked away? Probably not. The be proud of. When writing your bio,
same holds true for your Instagram remember these tips:
bio—it’s your chance to introduce
your brand and make a positive
impression that encourages people
to hit that “follow” button and stick
around.
In short, an Instagram Business “email”), that particular brand is Business Tools,” meaning that you’ll “Account” and then select the
Profile makes it easy for followers to using a Business Profile. be better equipped to use Instagram option for “Switch to Business
recognize your Instagram feed as as a marketing and promotional Profile.”
that of a business—rather than an Why do businesses decide to resource.
individual. Similarly to how you’d switch to a Business Profile on You’ll be walked through a few
look for a blue checkmark to identify Instagram? Well, with a Business If you decide that you want to prompts—such as choosing your
a verified account, the fastest way Profile, you can better leverage switch to a Business Profile, making business Facebook page and
to tell whether a specific Instagram your bio information and buttons, the change is easy and free. Head entering your contact information—
account is setup as a business run ads and boost awareness, and to your existing Instagram profile before the switch is complete.
profile is to look at the bio. gain insights into your followers and and click the gear icon that appears
activity. next to “Edit Profile.” Scroll down
If you see any buttons that give you until you see the section labeled
the option to contact the company Instagram formally calls their
directly there (such as “call” or Business Profiles “Instagram
To truly optimize your account and activity, you should create an Instagram Next, create a brand brief.
strategy. This strategy will drive your team and help you come up with new A brand brief is a guide that marketers use to remind themselves of
posts when inspiration runs dry. their brand’s personality, colors, values, and aesthetic. Is the tone
of their posts conversational or formal? Is their brand bold or gritty?
Start with these questions. This brand bible is the answer to all these questions.
Posting time depends on your audience. What works best for one
brand won’t work for another. The best way to find out is test and see.
Start by implementing these tips.
Remember, Instagram users are online when they’re not busy with work,
friends, or family. Put yourself in their shoes when strategizing your post
times.
Pat yourself on the back! You and your team have just saved hundreds And that’s what you’re going to learn next.
of hours.
Instagram
Content
What to Post on Your Brand’s Instagram Feed
But, that doesn’t change the fact Knowing exactly what to post on
that you’re totally stumped now. You your brand’s Instagram account
feel like you’ve already used your can be challenging for everybody—
best ideas, you’re tapped out of yes, even those accounts that
inspiration, and now you’re worried you admire. Fortunately, there’s
your creative block will keep you a process you can go through to
from sticking with that Instagram reignite your inspiration and come
publishing schedule you had up with all sorts of new post ideas.
mapped out as part of your overall Here’s what you need to know.
strategy.
28 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Understand If you’ve already done the research into your target
your niche audience, this step should be easy. What sort of content
makes sense with your audience and your brand? While
it’s fine (and sometimes even fun!) to surprise your
audience with something unexpected, you want to make
sure that every Instagram post you create fits with your
brand voice and reputation. As you’re going through this
process, take a look at your Instagram analytics. If you’ve
already been actively posting, this can help you to figure
out what sort of content has been resonating particularly
well with your followers. This is helpful information to
know as you figure out what type of content you should
post more of, as well as any potential tweaks you should
make moving forward to increase the effectiveness of
your other posts.
Identify key Now that you’ve thought through the things that
themes absolutely wouldn’t make sense with your brand, it’s
time to turn your attention to the things that actually
do fit. Start by identifying the key themes that fit within
your brand. When thinking about these key themes, an
easy way to make this simpler is to think about them as
categories for your blog. What major groupings would
you want your various blog posts to fall under? Your
own brand might have many key themes, or you might
have only a few. The important things is to get those
jotted down before moving onto the next step.
31 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Break key An effective strategy for this part is to create a web—
themes where you can create branches off of that larger theme.
into smaller No topic is too minuscule here. When you need to
topics maintain a consistent Instagram posting schedule, you’ll
want to have plenty of content ideas—which means the
more you can generate here, the better off you’ll be. This
step will begin to uncover some relevant subject matter
that you could post about on your own account.
32 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Use existing There’s no denying that this it be a lot of work to create
content all of this content yourself. This is why using existing
content can be a great asset to you. Perhaps you want to
start a branded hashtag campaign so that you can use
user-generated content. Additionally, there’s no shortage
of quotes, funny memes, GIFs, and other materials that
you can post to your own account—plenty of popular
brands do that same thing. You’ll just want to make
sure to provide proper credit and attribution within the
caption of your image.
35 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Following this process will help you collect potential
content you could post on your Instagram page. But,
even so, this barely scratches the surface.
You might feel like you’re fresh out of creativity. But, after you work your
way through the above steps, you’ll realized that there are plenty of
different things you could post to Instagram. With so many options, your
challenge will no longer be figuring out what to post—it’ll be deciding
exactly what you want to post next.
Don’t let Instagram take control of your feed’s aesthetic. Use our
Instagram Planner to paint a picture-perfect story of your brand
- so you’re always at the forefront of your audience’s mind. Start
your free 7-day trial today.
36 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Different Types of Instagram Posts
There are many benefits of using platform, providing that you have
Instagram stories, such as reaching the right marketing strategy in place.
a larger audience, driving traffic
to a website, engaging with your With Instagram Stories now allowing
followers, and even building up users with 10,000+ followers to add
hype for new products and services. links in their stories, there’s now an
even higher chance of earning sales
Research shows that 31% of online and driving traffic to your website.
shoppers use social media channels That’s one big reason why you need
when browsing for new items to to start using Instagram stories.
buy. Instagram constitutes 8% of
them. That means there’s a great
chance of gaining sales on this
45 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Here are six different ideas for your first
(or next) Instagram Story.
46 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Whenever you post an
Instagram Story, remember
to tag your location, use
hashtags, and include a link if
applicable. These features will
Blog posts If you write blog posts, you could use to your Story help increase your story reach,
and content to share the key takeaways or the top tips from your potentially resulting in more
content. For example, from this guide I could create a followers.
separate image for each chapter, covering each different
idea throughout my Instagram Story. Use Instagram’s link
feature to direct your audience to your blog post.
48 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Video and Instagram Live
Videos don’t have to just show you or your brand. They can be designed
to help your followers with something that really matters to them. This
feeds into the larger purpose of building a social media connection.
Effective Instagram video also meets two characteristics.
Live video is also taking over. You can definitely use this unique
However, Instagram Live works feature to your benefit. Use Live to
much differently the other platforms, raise hype around a new product
making it an interesting tool for launch, and give live viewers a
Matches your Provides value smart marketers. specific code for a new product.
brand aesthetic for your followers Exclusivity and scarcity are effective
Instagram Live video disappears marketing and sales tactics that
For it to really work, your Your video needs to serve
after you’ve finished broadcasting, are often used, and disappearing
video needs to visually and your followers and show them
unless you share it to your video helps you create a truly
contextually fit in with your something more about you,
Instagram Story. This makes Live unrepeatable experience.
profile activity and aesthetic. your brand, or your product.
a handy temporary tool for secret
promotions or exclusive specials.
53 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Advertising
Editing Videos
Be careful when editing ads. Videos can be no longer than
Some changes could reset your 30 seconds and no larger than
likes and comments from a 30MB.
previous ad.
Run a competition
The style of the posts you curate within your feed, Story,
and advertising say a lot about the overall personality of
your business.
58 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Understand You want your account to represent the overall vibe, Understand A big part of understanding your brand also means
your brand voice, and personality of your business, right? If your understanding your audience. What types of content
so, it’s important to lay the groundwork and grasp audience are they most interested in seeing? In some cases,
the message that you want your brand to convey. that’s really easy to discern. But, other times it
You also don’t want your Instagram account to be presents a unique challenge. Here are some tactics
drastically different than all of the branded materials you can employ to get some greater insights into
you already have out in the world, such as your your followers:
website, your logo, and your marketing collateral.
Your Instagram strategy is a piece of your branding
If you already have an existing Instagram account,
puzzle and should match the overall appearance of check your analytics to discover your most
your brand—whatever that may be. popular and engaging posts.
Preferred filters
Comments
Saves
Likes
Story views
66 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Profile The algorithm takes profile searches into account to
searches determine where to rank the posts in the user’s feed.
If a person searches regularly for specific profiles, this
shows an interest in certain posts, and those posts
will be shown higher up in the feed. The purpose of
this update was to show highly-searched profiles in
people’s feeds so fewer searches are necessary. Make
your profile engaging and interesting so that people
will want to return to it. Once they search it, your
posts will show higher up on their feed.
69 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Relevancy By looking at previous engagement and relevancy,
the new algorithm ranks posts that are more relevant
to users. The algorithm will choose content that is
the most relevant and display these at the top of the
feed. Make your posts relevant to the people you
are hoping to see it. Colorful content is a great way
of attracting attention, along with making a personal
connection.
70 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Time spent If a lot of time is spent watching or interacting with
reading content, the algorithm will take this as a sign that
posts the particular content is relevant to that person and
similar content will appear at the top of their feed.
Make all posts interesting so that they capture the
reader’s interest and ensures they stick around to
read it. An engaging video is a great way to keep
people viewing. By doing so your posts are more
likely to be picked up by the algorithm and appear at
the top of feeds.
73 / INSTAGRAM CONTENT
Chapter 3
Marketing on
Instagram
Leverage We all deal with a serious case of #FOMO (fear of
the power of missing out) and feel a pressing urge to do the things
influencers that others are doing. This ties back to the concept
of conformity, which basically states that we change
the way we behave to match the way that others
are behaving. This, along with the concept of social
proof (where, similarly, people assume the actions
of others), demonstrates why utilizing influencers
in your Instagram marketing can be so powerful.
When your followers see people of authority or
people they respect in your own posts, it adds even
more legitimacy to your brand—and, for better or
for worse, exacerbates that “I’ve gotta have that
too!” feeling that seems to run rampant on social
media. As a result, posts that are backed by an
Marketing on Instagram Instagram influencer result in a much higher level of
engagement.
80 / MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
Building an Engaged Instagram Following
It’s that very hurdle that stops many ever-evolving algorithm makes it
brands in their tracks. They know that much tougher.
all of the best practices and things
they should be doing for their actual But, rest assured, there are things
posts. However, when it comes to you can do in order to get more
growing their audience, they find Instagram followers for your brand—
themselves stuck. How can they without buying them. Here are three
organically grow a following that’s tips to put into practice to continue
genuinely interested in their posts? growing your Instagram audience.
83 / MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
Post great This first tip seems painfully obvious. But, it’s crucial if Rely on We’ve spoken about user-generated content (UGC)
content. you’re eager to get more followers on Instagram. After users before, and you know it can be an incredibly powerful
all, people typically aren’t ready and willing to follow tactic for growing and engaging your following
an account that only shares mediocre content. While on Instagram. Not only does it fill your feed with
settling on an aesthetic and creating and curating beautiful photos (without you needing to do anything
a beautiful feed is important, it’s even more critical yourself!), but it also provides you the opportunity
to zone in on the types of content that your ideal to give that follower a shoutout on your own feed.
followers are actually interested in seeing. Obviously, Other users who see that could feel motivated to be
you can’t read your customers’ minds. But, there are featured on your page too—meaning they’ll engage
a few different ways that you can identify the type of with your account and perhaps even tag you in
content they really want to see. Try these tips to get their own posts (which gets your brand in front
into the minds of your followers. of that person’s audience!). It’s like a ripple effect.
Additionally, UGC resonates well with your audience.
Looking at what your competitors are posting Generate a hashtag that is unique to your brand to
make it that much easier to find UGC to post to your
Observing what influencers in your niche are posting
own account.
Reflecting on your most popular posts so far
Although you want to narrow your focus to the types Take this further by using Sked Social to
of content that will resonate best with your audience, add just one unique hashtag to the first
that doesn’t mean you need to pigeonhole yourself. comment of your posts so it’s easy for your
Think of your Instagram content as an umbrella—there audience to find and use.
are likely numerous different topics and types of
content that would fit underneath it.
89 / MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
If you With the Who out of the way, let’s focus on the What.
don’t have When engaging in the form of comments and likes,
something you should avoid automation. It’s tacky, obvious, and
(real) to say, the chance of you (er, your robot) saying the wrong
don’t say thing is pretty high. Try to keep your commentary as
anything at real and real-time as possible. Also, automation is
all against Instagram’s terms of use, and the platform has
recently been cracking down on accounts that use
bots. If you’re using bots, there’s a good chance that
Instagram knows. Be careful — You run a high risk of
being banned! The personal touch of real, human
comments that clearly fit with an image or existing
conversation go a long way in building trust and social
relationships with consumers. If you’re not sure what
to say, it’s good practice to complement the post, ask
a relevant question, or even tag others. If you’ve build
your community correctly, you should already have
something in common with the user and/or his or
her picture. Go off of that if you need to. Only if your
product or service is truly relevant should you mention
it in your comment. When commenting on a post,
consider if your words are mutually beneficial. Sure,
you’re engaging on Instagram and putting your brand
name out there, but how is the other user benefitting?
Social media is yet another extension of customer
service. Don’t be solely self-serving in your Instagram
engagement. Sometimes, the key to authenticity is
thinking about others.
90 / MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
Watch your Nothing screams “We’re a bunch of robots!” like a
account like brand’s Instagram account that never engages with
a hawk their own posts. Even if you’re actively authentically
engaging with others, being silent on your profile
can make you seem distant and disconnected. If you
garner a few comments or questions on your posts, you
should be replying ASAP (after popping the bubbly, of
course!) As easy as it is to lose yourself in the numbers
and data of Instagram engagement, sometimes you
have to take a step back and remember the purpose of
social media: To connect with your consumers in a real,
personable way and provide another avenue of access
to your company. Make an effort to respond to every
comment on your posts, especially questions, concerns,
and complaints. Doing so can help your followers
and consumer base feel better connected to you and
your team. Social media engagement is also crucial
for e-commerce brands that never have the chance to
connect with consumers in person. These days, brand
loyalty goes a lot farther than price and popularity, and
the personal touch of an Instagram reply can make or
break a repeat customer.
93 / MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
Post content Brands that authentically engage on Instagram don’t
that begs for limit their activity to comments and likes. They get
comments real, valuable content in front of their audience, too!
Keep your Instagram content consistent, and schedule
your posts for when your audience is most active.
This will increase the chances of engagement from
your audience. The comments you post can also help
foster engagement on your account. Consider asking a
question or tagging a partner, customer, or influencer to
drum up some commentary. Don’t forget the hashtags!
A 2017 study found that posts with at least 11 hashtags
get the most interaction.
94 / MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
Writing Great Instagram Captions
Use emojis
A good caption isn’t complete without an emoji. You can
communicate the emotions that you felt in the photo by including a
matching emoji. For that reason, you might want to add a few emojis
in every post that you make. You can also highlight your call-to
action by adding an emoji beside it.
Match hashtags with the right photo. The caption you are using
should be relevant to the hashtag you are posting to. The image
has a strong pull on the users. A video would have an even more
active feel.
Tutoring:
#homeschooling, #ACTtest, #practisesession, #lovetoteach,
Industry hashtags
#homeschooling, #learningpartner
The advantage of small business is that the hashtags can work
across every industry. You don’t have to be in a trendy business. Wedding planning:
Implement tags that are specific to what you do and watch the #instagrambrides, #tietheknot, #weddingplanner, #justmarried,
relevant customers flock to your business. #engaged, #bouquetsofinstagram.
Reach
Reach is pretty handy as it shows you how many different
Post likes
people have seen your stuff. If you have a high reach but
One of the easiest stats to check. On the surface, it tells us aren’t really seeing an uptick in your follower numbers, this
how popular a specific post is. In theory, the more likes, the might be a sign that you need to take a look at your account
better the post. However, this stat really starts to give us some and figure out why people aren’t hitting that follow button.
info when used together with the number of comments.
A post with a lot of likes and no comments failed to really
engage your followers. A post with a lot of likes and a lot of
comments is a clear winner.
Profile visits
This is the number of people that check out your profile. A
high number of profile visit but a low number of follow or
Link click throughs click throughs means it’s time to re-write your bio and level
up your call to action.
This tells you how many people clicked the link on your profile.
The Future
of Instagram
A unique If you don’t have an original brand tone in your social
brand tone media now, it should be your sole focus for 2018. The
bar has been set high, so seek inspiration from brands
that are nailing it and use that to fuel your own content.
It’s quality (not quantity) that will give you a competitive
advantage.
Here are a few trends we expect to see next year. Add these to
your Instagram posting strategy and brand bible if you haven’t
already done so.
Editor
Allie Decker is a freelance writer and content marketer specializing Sophie Bowman is the CEO of Brand Branding PR LLC and a highly sought-
in articles that speak to founders, small business owners, and digital after business blogger. With a strong background in PR, social media, and
marketers. A small business owner herself, Allie writes from an honest, branding, Sophie has worked with exciting startups and influential brands
human perspective about all things entrepreneurship. She’s collaborated worldwide. Recently nominated for a social media award, Sophie guides
with the folks at Entrepreneur, Foundr Magazine, Neil Patel, WhenIWork, businesses on how to grow their social media presence, brand reputation
and LivePlan. Learn more about Allie here. and sales with intelligent content and digital campaigns.