Instagram has become go-to for everyone when it comes to posting pictures and sharing their life moments. That’s what it has been most well-known for right from the start. But apart from that, there are other useful aspects of Instagram. Instagram is a great tool and can be used for marketing by those who discover how this great social media platform can benefit their business.

Now the question is, do you know how to make use of Instagram for marketing purposes? Does your brand get enough interaction like you expected? Do you get more followers on Instagram? More followers means more success. Instagram has more than 400 million active users monthly, with 3.5 billion “liked” photos every day. For instant viral marketing success, all you have to do is make use of this great media in the right way. A wrong move might mean you will end up a failure.

How do you start a successful marketing page on Instagram? This article lists some simple ways you can do this and achieve the rate of success you want.

Setting up your Instagram page

1. Create your Instagram page for Business and choose a username – First of all, you will have to create your Instagram business account and choose a username. Choose a username that can be easily recognized with your brand. In case it’s already been taken by another user, you can come up with another one, but make sure it’s something that still relates to your brand.
2. Complete your profile, connect with Facebook, and link the Instagram tab on your page – With the Instagram tab linked to your Facebook page, you can easily share your photos on Instagram with your Facebook fans. Make sure that your Instagram profile is complete with a branded photo, an informative Bio, and a link that leads to your website. Combining Facebook with Instagram will boost your marketing success. These two social media platforms are owned by Facebook.
3. Create a strategy that is specific to your brand– Instagram is a social media platform for photos, and is also now a video sharing site. Your brand has a unique way of seeing things, so keep your strategy focused on that.

Making use of Hashtags (#)

4. Always make use of Hashtags on your updates – Hashtags are a major way you can get connected with users on Instagram. When making hashtags on Instagram, you are not limited to any word count (unlike Twitter). But don’t use long hashtags, keep it simple so that users can easily find you. Lastly, try to monitor your hashtags just like you do with Facebook and Twitter mentions.
5. Know when to use brand-specific hashtags and when to use general hashtags – Some of your posts should have hashtags that are brand-specific, for example when you are running campaigns or hosting a photo contest on Instagram. You can use general hashtags for your products. For example, if you’re running a coffee shop, and you want to post a photo of your scrumptious latte, you can use general hashtags like #latte which can easily connect you with people.
6. Running an Instagram Hashtags (#) Contest – Instagram hashtags let your fans post photos with a specific hashtag, which is then displayed on your Website and Facebook page for votes.
7. Make use of trending hashtags that relate to your brand – Some trending hashtags can relate to your brand. Use this opportunity to boost your marketing presence on Instagram.

Focus on your customers

8. Show them appreciation – Show appreciation to your followers by sharing their photos on your social media sites. But don’t forget to ask for permission before you share their photo. And don’t forget to like and comment on their effort, too.
9. Respond to their comments on your post – This may be questions, or when someone drops a negative comment about your brand.
10. Make use of @ to mention customers, celebrities, and industry leaders – Try to engage with your market by mentioning customers with great photos of your brand. This shows appreciation. Don’t forget to mention celebrities if your product is about celebs. They may show appreciation by sharing it.

Show your stuff creatively

11. Post creative photos and videos – Make your photos look more creative by making use of filters, or better by calling a photographer to handle it. Instagram allows videos now, so you can that the opportunity to make short videos that feature your brand in a creative style.
12. Show yourself – Depict your employees or CEO in a fun and creative way by using both photos and videos.
13. Launch your products live on your Instagram page – Whatever you are doing, whether opening a new store, launching a new product, etc., try to do it live on Instagram by making short videos and showing it to followers.
14. Partner with other brands – Partner with other brands you find on Instagram to have them feature your products on their page. Whether you are a small business or a large multinational corporation, try to partner with others.

Instagram is a great marketing tool depending on how you make use of it. These steps listed above will surely lead you to success.