Instagram might not have the same popularity status as Facebook; however, it does sport the “cool” factor with about 59 percent of its users between the ages of 18 to 29 years. This age group is an invaluable goldmine for business brands and advertisers as users in this age group are forming loyalties to business brands that will go long and last into old age.
However, several business brands are still trying to figure out how to optimize this image-specific social media platform whose prime format differs drastically from Facebook and Twitter. As a result of this, most business brands miss the bull’s eye when it comes to reaching out to true “Instagrammers.”
Why?
The following are the big mistakes that business brands commit when they want to reach out to their targeted young audience-
1. Over promotion leading to spamming – It is obvious that you want to tell your young targeted audience about your services and products. However, most of the time, business brands go overbroad with their promotion. Before you post an ad, stop and take a pause. You need to pay attention to the sort of content that engages your users and concentrate only on that. When you master this skill, you will find users wanting to know more about your business brand. No one wants their timeline spammed with anything.
2. Not displaying your human side – If you check out popular business brands today, you will find they have one trait in common- they personalize their accounts on social media. They make their customers feel like a part of their family, which prompts them to stay loyal to the business brand. It is certainly no coincidence that some of the best business brands on Instagram post pictures of regular people on their profiles. As a business brand, ensure you allow your personality to shine, though. This can be done using humor or giving your audience an insight into your employees working hard.
3. Omitting the business link – Unlike other social media platforms, you cannot add links to your posts on Instagram. This is why you often find words on posts like refer to the link in the bio. Make sure that you have a link to your business page in the bio all the time. Ensure you have gone there for visitors to contact you.
4. Posting bad photographs – Most business brands do not have the funds or budget to hire professional photographers for their Instagram and social media posts. To get Instagram likes, you do not have to invest in fancy cameras or skilled photographers with an expensive fee. You will always know one person who has a talent for photography. You can request that individual to capture images or shoot videos that will stand out on your feed.
5. No customer engagement – Social media is not designed for one-way conversations. You need to engage with your targeted audience and use proven techniques to invoke discussion. You should check your social media pages and be around to reply to messages. A great tip is to comment on customer posts to boost brand loyalty and establish your presence in the market. With time, you will find your followers on Instagram coming back regularly to check your profile. Most importantly, with their comments on your post, you get an accurate idea of what your customers think about your products, employees, and services.
6. Posting without a goal – Business brands must have a potent marketing strategy. You cannot post pictures or videos on your Instagram profile and hope for the desired response. If you are not specific, your customers will not even understand your posts. Before you post your next business content, think about why you are posting it and how it relates to your business and customers. In this way, you will get better responses and results.
7. Forgetting hashtags –Like Twitter, Instagrammers regularly use hashtags to search for content that appeals to their common interests. However, if you are not careful, you might get lost in the process. Never spoil your Instagram captions with too many hashtags. You need to choose a few popular hashtags to represent every post. You should look at the trending hashtags and find some that relate to your business brand to drive inbound traffic to the post. You will get better results if you use hashtags that are industry or location-specific. This will help you to reach out to those who are more likely to search for what your business brand offers.
8. Missing out on the main point – Instagram is an invaluable platform for reaching out to customers. However, it is also a major tool for networking as well. Irrespective of whether your business brand is B2C or B2B, interacting with fellow business brands in the same industry niche is an excellent way for you to grow your business. Following business experts and brands help you to establish your presence in the market with success. You should like and comment regularly on their content posts. Over time, you will witness this favor is being returned, and you will invite more followers that follow their brand to yours as well.
When it comes to promoting your business brand to a young targeted audience, optimize Instagram Stories with stunning photographs and visuals. They give you a unique opportunity to post a host of images and videos about behind-the-scene stories and other things you wish to share with your targeted audience. Last but not least, make sure you are consistent when it comes to your business brand posts and themes. If you use Instagram filters to make your posts look better, use the same one all the time.
In this way, you can avoid the common big-time mistakes that business brands tend to commit unknowingly on Instagram. Assess your profile regularly, and do not forget to view your profile as a customer. This is a tip that works and gives you long-term success in the market too!
