When it comes to reaching today’s consumers, Instagram is quickly becoming the channel of choice for brands looking to put their products and services front and center. With the social site boasting over 800 million active users, now’s the perfect time for brands to capitalize on the platform’s wide appeal. While most marketers understand the power of the platform, some companies are still unsure about which types of content to post, when to engage and how to best reach audiences. Read on about how to leverage the social network’s full range of features to increase both brand awareness and business leads.

This year is set to be a big one for brands utilizing Instagram. According to Social Media Examiner’s annual report, in 2018 some 69 percent of marketers plan to increase their investment on the platform, and 74 percent plan to learn more about how to better integrate the social network into their digital marketing effort. Below are some great tips from Entrepreneur that may help grow your brand on Instagram.

Use Business Profiles

Since being acquired by Facebook, Instagram has rolled out business profiles, which mirror Facebook’s own business profiles. These detailed profile pages come complete with call-to-action buttons, allowing users to email, call or text the business. Along with the contact option, business profiles have access to Insights, Instagram’s version of Google Analytics, which gives users access to impression and engagement data. Remember, the more you understand about your audience, the better you can make adjustments to improve your engagement.

Don’t Overwhelm Your Audience

We all have that one friend who posts way too often. Don’t let your brand make the same mistake. While there’s no magic number for how often one should be posting, it’s prudent to start experimenting and see how your audience responds. Remember, even if you find your sweet spot, you’ll likely have to adjust your posting habits again to account for the demands of your growing audience.

Integrate E-Commerce Directly Into Posts

Through recent updates, brands are now able to connect posts to their e-commerce platforms and specific products. By enabling the Shopping on Instagram feature, brands can create Shopping posts that allow for the tagging of up to five products with details and pricing. A “Shop Now” button can even be added to your business profile!

Interact Early, Interact Often

If someone takes the time to leave a comment on one of your posts, take a few seconds to reply and thank them. This simple form of appreciation and acknowledgement can create a loyal customer as well as another promoter of your brand.

An interactive hashtag is another great way to create instant engagement. Every time someone posts using your custom hashtag, they’re exposing all of their followers to your company and product — it’s free, organic advertising!

To learn more about how Jennings Social Media & MarTech can enhance your brand’s Instagram offering, visit our website.