Instagram is a social media platform like any other. It has more than 200 million users, making it very suitable for businesses. Small businesses struggle on how to get followers on Instagram fast, and as a result, fail to utilize the platform to the fullest. If you were to scroll through various peoples’ Instagram feeds, most of the posts would be on selfies, inspirational quotes, and videos of people with their pets.

There are little to no posts on small businesses. The majority of them do not even exist on Instagram. If your business targets customers who are 13-26 years old, there are millions of them on Instagram. This generation spends most of its time on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and many more. Below are some tips on how small businesses can succeed through Instagram:

Create Appealing Content for Your Audience

Do you know what kind of content will keep your audience engaged? If not, you should conduct some research by looking at your successful competitors’ posts to see some of the posts and photos that generate the most engagement. You do not copy their exact content but try to reciprocate something with a similar style.

If you do not get an idea on what to post, here are some strategic content and photos you should try to post:

• Selfies from employees and behind-the-scene videos
• Sneak peeks of your best products
• Inspirational quotes and some of your blog post images

These are some strategies for posting new content that can increase the engagement you get. More tips on content creation can be found at LeoBoost’s website.

Use Your Bio Strategically

Instagram is mainly a casual place. Your bio should not include a whole business write-up. Instead, consider your target audience and think about the best way to engage them. You can consider age group and the best language to use on your bio, whether it should be a bit official or with more formatting, including emojis, vertical spacing, and other tricks to make it stand out.

Even as you try to make your bio as creative as possible, do not sacrifice any vital information about your company. Clarity comes before creativity so that everyone who views your bio understands what you are all about.

High-Quality Photos

Some of the most prominent brands use professional photographers and good cameras to post very high-quality images. As a small business, all you require is your iPhone camera and the following tips to increase the quality of your photos:

• Take advantage of natural light – afternoon lighting is suitable for photos outdoors. When indoors, take pictures close to an open window.
• Avoid the front camera – the back camera can produce higher-resolution photos.
• Instagram has some default filters that you can use. Do not try to use them; instead, download a good photo editing app and make your photo look like it was taken by a professional.

You can visit the LeoBoost website for tips to help you improve the quality of your photos.

Familiarize Yourself With Hashtags

Using hashtags is a way to ensure you appear on your target’s search list when they search for a particular word. You need to think about your brand’s standard terms and the photo or content you want to post.

There are tools such as Hashtagify you can use to search for the best hashtags to use for your brand and target audience. You can try combining a few different hashtags every time you post to see which works best. When you overdo it with more than fifteen hashtags in every post, users will find your posts desperate and spammy.

Host an Instagram Contest

People love free things and will jump at any contest that has a reward. Hosting an Instagram contest is a strategic way of engaging your audience and attracting potential customers. Your contests should have the following effects in play for maximum positive results:

• Always have a custom hashtag for your contest. It is easier for people to search and find your game.
• Partner with other companies and influencers to attract a larger audience
• Many people stick to the generic Instagram theme, “follow us to win a free product.” It would be best if you tried to sound original.
• For the contest to spread quicker, make people tag a friend and comment to enter the contest.

If you want to get loyal followers, host something related to your industry, and stick to Instagram’s Policies on contests.

Always Have Killer Captions

Your caption in a photo can make a difference between 100 and 1000 likes. It can help you promote your brand when your posts appear favorable and elevating. But it also depends on how professional your audience and brand expect of you. A combination of a high-quality and a killer caption immediately attract new likes, followers, and even customers.

Take time to ensure the content on your post is suitable for your audience. You can borrow some tips from your competitors or visit the LeoBoost website for blogs on how to write captivating captions for your audience on Instagram.

Use Influencers for Marketing

One of the best ways to build your brand on social media currently is influencer marketing. A few years back, it took a long process and massive budgets to get athletes and other celebs to support your product. You can now link up with a non-celeb with a good number of followers and ask them to endorse your products.

Social media has made it easier to have access to influencers since you only need to initiate a DM conversation. However, you do not use any influence you find when scrolling. It is essential to conduct research on the top influencers interested in your brand and check their posts’ engagement level and frequency.

Small businesses can take advantage of Instagram as a marketing platform and grow significantly in numbers. The strategies above are simple steps that are efficient and do not require any massive funding to implement.