While Instagram may have once been mostly for sharing photos with friends and family, it’s evolved into a powerful and lucrative marketing platform. Its image-focused approach encourages engagement, and it’s rolled out more features recently that allow brands limitless creativity.
Services like https://socialcaptain.com/ let even those with new accounts gain followers rapidly. Check out these power Instagram marketing tips to use in 2019 to get some real bang out of your upcoming campaigns.
- IGTV and Vertical Videos.
Videos are increasingly popular. Just look at YouTube and the ways in which the public, particularly young people, have responded to the rise of content by trendy YouTubers. Instagram is jumping on that bandwagon with IGTV, and some experts believe the app has the potential to outshine even YouTube in the not-so-distant future.
IGTV is aimed primarily at mobile users, so you’ll want to be sure to shoot your videos for a vertical format. Big brands were the first to be offered IGTV access, but now it’s available for all and allows long-form videos. You can shoot fun features for IGTV, then pull clips to add to your Instagram Stories or feed. Video is all the rage and offers so many possibilities. It’s smart to get on board.
- AR Filters in Stories.
AR stands for augmented reality. This may sound like some crazy futuristic term, but it refers to rather simple technology you’ve probably come across on the daily. In the case of Instagram and other social media platforms, you’ll find AR used on some of the fun filters you can add to your photos.
These superimposed effects come in a range of designs like hearts, stars, cute animals and more. Third parties are able to introduce and share their own AR filters as a means of increasing engagement and going viral. They’re popping up a lot in Instagram Stories.
Users just choose “Try it on” when they see the option in an account they follow, and then they can play around with that particular feature. Stars like Kylie Jenner and Rihanna have used AR filters for their own viral campaigns, and you can, too.
- More Instagram shopping.
Instagram has rolled out shopping features in the past couple of years that make it easy for your followers to find and buy the products you share. One of the easiest and most popular ways is a fairly new feature called “shoppable posts.” This is an option available in both Instagram stories and on static images, so it offers some versatility to get in on the ecommerce benefits of Instagram. Shoppable posts are becoming more accepted and expected these days, as long as brands use them with care and don’t overload followers with constant sales pitches.
A shopping bag icon in the corner of a post lets users know they can purchase an item with just a few clicks. Tagging products in Instagram Stories is another way to sell your goods. Give each a try to see which is most effective with your brand and audience.
- Instagram Stories Ads.
You’ve probably noticed Instagram Stories mentioned a few times in this article. That’s because it’s one of the most popular features on the platform, making it a must for marketers. You definitely want to get to know Stories and the possibilities you can utilize with this tool. One of these is the ability to include ads right in your story. Ads show up between story updates, so they’re relatively unobtrusive.
As with any type of advertisement, good design is essential for getting noticed. You also want to be sure to target them to a specific audience in order to get the best results. Expect to do some trial and error before you find a pattern that works well for you, but this is a promotional option that’s definitely worth some investment. Instagram Stories ads have continuously demonstrated growth and acceptance among users.
- Great for Micro Brands.
If you heard this term yet, you will. Micro brands are independent retailers that sell products directly to consumers. These small companies are giving the big guys a run for their money and becoming more and more in-demand in recent years.
Instagram is a perfect platform for these businesses to showcase their wares because it’s visually driven and its users are trend-conscious individuals always looking out for the cool new thing. If you’re a rising micro brand, Instagram is definitely where you want to focus your marketing efforts.
- Influencer Trips.
Collaborations between influencers and brands have been on the rise. It’s a fantastic way for companies to increase their following and engagement. Influencers are social media users with large followings who get paid by companies and advertisers to share their content.
These individuals build trust with their audiences by posting and blogging about their specific niche with authority and expertise.
Companies invest big money to gain the social influence of these online superstars. In fact, we’re now seeing a trend in which pricey vacations are trips are being organized around influencers. Brands develop these campaigns to show off their products in larger-than-life ways. They’re appealing to fans because they show a perceived lifestyle of extravagance, adventure, and fun. If you have the capital, this type of campaign can really pay off as a means of gaining attention.
- Easy Engagement Features.
One strategic Instagram tactic should be to get your followers involved in your posts and to spend more time checking out what you have to offer. Instagram has been busy rolling out features to help brands and influencers out in these endeavors. This coming year is definitely the time to take advantage of these resources.
Questions and polls are built-in tools to Instagram that make it easy for you to request feedback from your fans. Have some fun with it by adding an emoji slider to your post, which lets users indicate their preferences on a sliding scale. Play around with Instagram’s features to figure out which works best in different scenarios.
No matter what type of brand you have, you can surely benefit from using Instagram to its fullest. Take time to get to know these up and coming features to make your promotions stand out and gain the attention of your followers.
