The importance of social media marketing for small businesses has increased substantially in recent years, as more and more companies look to get their message out to as wide an audience as possible.

Let’s be honest, Instagram is one of the top social media channels without a doubt. But as a small business owner can you use this platform to get the best results?

Yes, you can. It’s no secret that Instagram has become a channel used by some of the largest companies in Tanzania. And these large companies have used their brands to push themselves to the next level and dominate the space on Instagram.

Currently, Instagram seems to be the latest and greatest way to market your business. However, it’s still a challenge if you don’t know what you’re doing. This is especially true if your business is relatively small.

Small business owners have a lot on their plates, doing everything they can to stay in business. One important task that often gets neglected is marketing their business online

The main reasons why small businesses should consider using Instagram for marketing are; building your brand, helping people understand your business, and connecting with new customers.

Is there a way for the little guy to get in the action?  Yes, this post is written specifically for small businesses to help you determine how you can use Instagram to grow your business, and avoid some of the common traps that other small businesses have fallen into when trying to use Instagram to their advantage.

1. Start with your bio

Did you know, it takes less than 7 seconds for someone to see your bio?

⁠Your bio is the first thing that potential customers see on your profile when they search for you.

We all want our brands to be approachable, relatable, and memorable. This is why bios are so important – not only do they help create an emotional connection with your target audience, but they also make finding you online easier. When people read your bio, they have a better idea of who you are, what you do, and what makes you different from everyone else.

The best way to fill your bio is by being authentic. Make sure you use real information, such as brand name, rather than making an impersonal bio.

Even if you think your bio is perfect, just re-write it a couple of times until it’s better suited for the role you want to play.

2. Find your ideal customers.

One of the best ways to find your ideal customers is to look at user accounts on Instagram and look at what they post about the businesses they’re following.

You can even analyze which accounts they follow based on the types of posts they send out, the images they post (e.g., product shots, promo photos), and the keywords they use in their captions. This is a powerful analytical tool and it can help you find the right Instagram followers for your business very quickly.

3. Create content

You know your target audience, but do you know what kind of content will make them engage with your brand on Instagram?

Content is king. If you want to drive leads and engagement, you need to create content that addresses their issues and concerns.

Whether it’s about their favorite sports team or their latest fashion trends, make sure your posts are designed to engage with your audience as effectively as possible. Bloggers who create content regularly are more likely to see higher engagement on their accounts.

4. Post-high-quality photos

The trickiest part of creating product photos isn’t thinking about what you want the pictures of your products to look like.

It’s thinking about how you will get the product photograph right. When you take a group photo of all your products, everyone looks like they belong in the same photo.

But if you all take different pictures of the product separately, with slightly different lighting and angles overlaid on top of each other – no one looks like they were taken at the same time.

Don’t worry, you don’t need professional skills or even a good camera to succeed. Your phone creates magic with this simple application; Adobe Lightroom, Canva, Pixlr, Inshot, and PicsArt.

These are applications that are very simple to use and edit your content through your smartphone.

5. Use hashtags

You want your Instagram posts to be memorable and easy to share, so use Instagram hashtags that will help you stand out from your competitors.

Be strategic about how you use them. For example, don’t use the same tag three times in a row. Or choose one that’s highly popular among your users.

The key is knowing when to use them and when to avoid them. First make sure people are using them, stay relevant to the brand and create branded hashtags. Also, monitor competitors and key industry figures and use event-specific hashtags.

The proper using hashtags in your social media drive more people to your page. Also, it interacts with your content and expands your brand presence.

Conclusion

With the right Instagram marketing strategy, you can make your business look more professional and generate more leads. This means more sales and more money in the bank!

There is a lot that can be done by simply creating an Instagram account for your small business but it’s not enough to just pop out a picture with your company logo on it and call it a day. There are so many Instagram accounts out there and so many ways you can promote your business with just a few clicks of Instagram.

More and more people are using Instagram to discover brands, learn about new products and services and connect with others who share the same interests as they do. For this reason alone, it’s worthwhile checking into how Instagram can help your business grow.

This article was written by Nasra Mohammed, a Digital Marketing Specialist at Bridging Technologies Ltd.