6 Tips on how to use Instagram for your business

1. The importance of hashtag

The importance of a “brand identity” goes along with a specific hashtag you create for your business.

Many brands have their own brand name as a #hashtag. For exemple, if we type in “BMW” or “Nike” it is used as an Instagram handle but also as a “brand hashtag”.

Some brands have a specific hashtag for a specific product or line of products, such as the fashion brand Yamamay with their new “Yamamay Basic” clothing line #YamamayBasic or Yamamay Man with the hashtag #YamamayMan.

Others have created a hashtag for a specific day, such as the Fast Food Chain TacoBell with #tacobellbreakfast. They have created a meeting with their fans. If well used and executed, it becomes a “habit” for your fans, and they’ll start posting pictures while eating Taco Bell for breakfast (bon appétit!).

With a specific hashtag you can control what is said, where it is said and you can check the evolution of your hashtag “is it gaining recognition?” “Is it used by my fans?” “is this hashtag relevant?”

How do you know if your hashtag strategy is working?

2. Hashtag impact

Thanks to our search engine, you can see the number of times your hashtag has been used, this gives you an idea of how popular your hashtag is.

You can also find on Iconosquare, the “Top Tags on Instagram” and compare your hashtags with the most popular ones, which allows you to find the most relevant hashtags for your business. Monitoring and checking up all our analytics on your posts and your followers you understand better how well your posts engage your audience.

3. Post at relevant times.

Instagram is an internet service, thus connected to the whole world. If you are trying to reach a european market, an asian one or even if you have different time zones in your own country, mind the hours difference.

• According to our recent study, “The peak of interactions on Instagram is between 8PM and 9PM.” (on average in every country of the world)
• Use our “Best Time To Post” feature. This will help you understand when does your media receive the most likes and comments.

4. Engage your customers

As “70% of Instagramers have already looked for a brand on Instagram” a good way to engage your customers is organising an Instagram contest. You will bolster your hashtag counter, but also gain User-Generated-Content (UGC) which is really important and vital in attracting new fans.

Engage discussions on different topics with your followers, ask them what they would like to see more, what they liked from your previous posts… Engage and learn form them. Trying to go beyond the “promotion” of your brand and simply exchanging with your fans is a very good thing to do.

Also, with our analytics tools you can identify the material that works and resonates with your fanbase.

5. Storytelling through images

In order to stand out and be remembered by your followers, you need to create a “connection”.

This can be done by having a consistency in your posts. Don’t just post because you need to post, post a media because it makes sense, it is linked to your “brand style”.

Here are different exemples:

• Post images of your existing services and or products.
• Share pictures and videos from events.
• Introduce new faces, new employees.
• Go behind the scenes.

6 . Have your own brand style

The key on Instagram is developing a brand style and adopting it (if you choose to post funny pictures, art pictures, quotes, your products etc… stick to it!).

Also in order to show the values of your brand and spread your message, do not forget to connect your Instagram account to other social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, Flickr, Foursquare…) and share your brand pictures & information across all these platforms.

It might be difficult at the beginning. Trying photography or making up creative posts takes time. But do not worry, you’ll get better with time. Always remember that practice makes perfect.

Source: https://blog.iconosquare.com/6-tips-how-use-instagram-business/