Many business owners and managers may be overwhelmed or confused by their social media marketing needs. Relying on various platforms and programs can be time consuming and nearly a full-time job in itself. Successful marketing campaigns demand constant attention, organization, succinct and often instantaneous creativity, and the motivation of a professional.
A key concept of marketing is to tell the story of a business: what service or product it provides, how it began, who works there, where it is located, etc. Too many people look to Instagram with a limited viewpoint focused on the celebrity influence they see on their daily feed. However, when businesses use Instagram as a storytelling tool — and not for achieving fame — marketing expectations and results will be much different.
Instagram is a tool for creating connections first, and perhaps fame later. For real estate agents and brokers concerned with business-oriented results, tweaking their marketing strategies can help foster new client relationships, leads, and growth.
Tips for Positive Change
A handful of basic marketing ideas can improve Instagram successes. No single strategy will work alone, and instant fame has similar odds to winning the lottery, but in combination, these professional suggestions can fuel any business’s next growth spurt.
Hash out the Tags
Hashtags are the key to Instagram marketing. A majority of hashtags is branded, and more than 70% of U.S. businesses rely on Instagram as part of their primary marketing program. Converting links and likes to dollars and sense depends on how carefully users choose their tags. Researching hashtags to fit industry, area, and market audience, and content is a foundational part of social media marketing. In the real estate business, using certain tags helps create stronger and more successful connections.
Focus with Steady Images and Daily Presence
Images sell in every medium, but they are crucial to Instagram marketing as the key reason why a user may click on a link. Reaching the right audience depends on using images that are business and product related, but also people friendly. In addition to product placement, photo conversions rely on friendly faces. Including people in natural poses and settings can increase notice and draw. Finally, an Instagram account needs to be active for users to notice it. Ensure at least a daily post — especially on high traffic weekdays.
Use Ads
Taking advantage of ads to highlight business can boost any brand’s recognition — even long-established giants of industry. Carefully crafted and creative ads can make an impact on business with across the board increases in ad recall, message association, and brand favorability.
Follow
Building a successful and profitable community is contingent on a mix of leaders and followers. There is no rule in the Instagram world that says followers cannot lead; or conversely that leaders cannot follow. Growing a business occurs when other users join similar followers or notice a new leader.
Be Original
No matter what the industry is, or who develops the marketing strategy, the top factor that will drive potential customers to a site is originality. Users burn out on boring and repetitive content and move on when they get a whiff of it on Instagram. Developing and posting unique, quality, and reliable content will ensure a second look, a like, and maybe a link-click that can result in successful business growth.