A picture is worth a thousand words, and thanks to photos, Instagram revolutionized how brands interact with consumers. With a simple interface and 1 billion active users per month, this photo sharing app should be at the top of your list to attract customers.
If you have not yet taken advantage of Instagram in marketing your company, then you need to avoid certain things in order to succeed. The following is a list of common mistakes companies make using Instagram.
1. Lack of plan
The first thing you should decide is why you use Instagram. Be it to increase brand awareness, interact with your customers, or to showcase your product, keep one thing in mind: the content you share should improve the quality of your customers’s feeds, not clutter it. Share what your company is doing with photos or videos, plan ahead what you intend to upload. People don’t like random content, and a clumsy profile can put your brand in a bad light.
2. Poor maintenance
Most people scroll their Instagram feed and stop only when they encounter something that stands out. So, at a time when each company is trying to create its own brand on social networks, how can you highlight your own? The answer is to provide quality content. Design your content so that users interact with your posts, rather than scroll down.
3. Neglecting hashtags
Hashtags can be annoying, but that doesn't mean they are worthless. If you almost never use hashtags or don't use them at all, it's time to start using those that will increase the engagement of your posts. Create a hashtag that represents your brand, and use popular ones that can also help you reach your audience. The more hashtags you use, the more likes and comments you will receive in your posts. You can use up to 30 hashtags on Instagram, so start using the right ones and see how your traffic improves.
4. Buying likes and subscribers
You can buy followers on Instagram, but this is not the best way to increase your numbers. Many of these “followers” are fake accounts. And recently, Instagram began to fight this by blocking such accounts. Your goal should be to improve your organic reach, and the best way to get new subscribers is to regularly post quality content and actively interact with your customers.
5. Inability to properly use subscribers
Your subscribers are your brand ambassadors. But many companies do not understand this and cannot find new subscribers through their existing ones. Take advantage of your regular followers by asking them to use your proprietary hashtags or share your content. This will help you attract the friends of your customers, which will lead to an organic increase in the number of subscribers.
6. Placing a large number of promotional materials
Put yourself in the place of your customers and see if you want to receive only advertising posts promoting sales or discounts in your Instagram feed. While promotions are important to your business, there are more effective ways to reach your target audience.Share photos of your work in the office or show customers how much effort it takes to develop your products. A great option would be to shoot the work process. Sharing these photos and videos will definitely have a positive effect on your company.
7. Lack of customer interaction
Customers need a platform to interact with your brand, so when they take the time to contact you, do not run away. Many companies make the mistake of not communicating with their subscribers, not responding to their comments, and not looking at their references. Active interaction with your customers will help you gain faith in your brand, which, in turn, can give you indirect advertising through their word of mouth. Also, follow your customers to find out what type of content they like and share it so that You could present your messages accordingly.