How to grab those Instagram followers and convert them into paying customers

Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. In fact, it is the most active platform
after Facebook. Even more important, those big purchasers, the under 35 crowd that your business
is always wanting to target? Yep...they hang out here....90% of them, in fact.
And now - so do their parents.

Instagram is now the most active platform after Facebook. What started as a cool place to filter up
your photos has doubled in useage in just two short years. So how do you target this audience and
this platform so they turn into your paying customers?

Well, here is the thing about Instagram: people come to Instagram to get a
visual ‘story’. This platform is more conversational than pinterest and even more than Facebook.
Think of Instagram as more of avisual storyboard about your brand, your story and your vision
for your company.
You almost have to look at Instagram as a peak from behind the curtain of your company. Throwing
up visual content up on your Instagram page isn’t necessarily going to be what will engage
your target audience to become a loyal customer. And, like with all online sites, content is king.
You will get the most of this platform by developing a sense of purpose to your posts.
Great...you say, so how do I actually do this?

OK....so your goal as a business owner is to engage your current customers,
while also growing your following, right ? What are some other goals ? Grow your following ?
Are you a local business that wants to target a local audience to walk into your store more -
or do you want to target an audience that can order directly off of your website ?
Think about your goals around Instagram and this can be how you organically grow
within this platform.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
Like with every social media platform, what works today may not work tomorrow. Accordingly to
Social Media Week, as of today - once a day - but EVERYDAY is what works best for this audience.
Well thought out, visual content is what creates the most amount of engagement. When to post
is the real question. With Instagram, peak times are when the work day is winding down and before
rush hour begins. Generally speaking, 2-5pm gets the most amount of engagement with this platform.
A surprise...2am is also a peak time. Makes sense, who doesn’t want to look at cool, visual photos to
relax when struggling with insomnia, right?

CONTENT!
Create Varied Content that is both business and personal. Instagram followers want to know
you.And honestly....no one likes to feel like they are being ‘sold’ to. Don’t be afraid to show who you
are. Let them peak in at what it takes to run your business. Show who you are, your personal brand
and story of your business.
Instagram should be an evolving, visual story of what your brand stands for and ‘looks’ like. So ask
yourself....what is your purpose for Instagram- what will ‘work’ to engage your followers?
Tell a visual story about what a busy day looks like at your store, An employee who won an award-
but then also, who is this employee? Highlight how they just took a great trip,
A behind the scenes look at a Monday morning meeting. Create a contest for your audience.
Create a conversation. Look up trending content around your industry. What is happening around
the community? Some good news for a fellow store owner? Post that! What is happening in the life
of your followers? Get a new shipment in? Take a picture of a ton of boxes sitting in your back room.
Create an experience of what life is like behind the scenes at your business or store.
Don’t just talk about ‘you’. Just like in real life, if you have that approach, you are just noise;
People will eventually tune you out.

FILTERS!
What started as a fun ap with cool filters changed when Facebook purchased Instagram. With this
purchase, a social media giant evolved. Filters are still key and still a way to tell your visual story.
What filter works best for your brand? Stay consistent with the ‘look’ of your brand. Want to know
a secret ? Mayfair, No filter and Inkwell drove the most interaction on
Instagram. according to the media research site,
Populagram....(marketing secret of the day. You are welcome...;))

HASHTAG!
Hashtagging is extremely important for growth. Just like on twitter and other platforms, instagram
users like certain hashtags over others.
#love (546,312,758 posts)
#instagood (252,226,055)
#happy (165,534,554)
To name a few.....
Do these hashtags work best for your brand though? You should do some appropriate keyword research to make sure you are using
relevant hashtags for your industry and business.

Much of this will be trial and error, monitoring and evaluating what works and what doesn’t. Like with all social media, evaluating, monitoring and patience is what will drive this platform.

Instagram continues to grow and evolve, partly because of it’s youthful demographic. And, truly,
this platform is showing no signs of slowing down with more than 400 million monthly visitors to date.
If you study your competition, prioritize your customers needs and how you can engage them- as well
​as produce a steady stream of content, Instagram is a platform that can turn a struggling business
into a powerful brand.

Kate Erickson
October, 2016
Dunton Street Communications