"Evolution is uncomfortable but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.” – Rachel Hollis
So you want your business to be on Instagram?
But it isn't.
You have so much to share about your brand and your business.
But Instagram is not really your thing.
It's too crop tops and high waisted jeans and you are "too old", "too shy", "too weary" - and even if you wanted to do business on Instagram, you have no clue where to begin. Well, I'm fairly confident that you are not too old or too shy for Instagram and it doesn't take much to get your business going. I got you!
I know the thought of creating content to support a new social profile feels overwhelming. The images, the captions, the hashtags, the stories, the reels, the IGTVs, the Lives, and those selfies, all can put even the best IG'er in a head spin. But with over 1 billion active monthly users spending an average of 28 minutes per day on the platform, not being on IG is kind of a missed opportunity in your overall marketing strategy - wouldn't you say?
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, you may be surprised to hear that 80% of Instagram's users follow a brand and 65% of top performing posts feature a brand. Over 200 million people on Instagram visit a business account every day. And although Instagram can feel very consumer-y in nature, B2B brands like IBM, Mailchimp, Intel and Adobe are paving the way for businesses to speak creatively to other businesses in a way that has never been done before. In fact, more B2B companies are finding innovative ways to appeal to a wider audience by leveraging Instagram's creative attributes, experiencing first hand the stark contrast to its jacket and tie wearing cousin, LinkedIn.
In the first of a 5 part series on Let's Get Social: Getting Your Business Started on the Gram, we'll discuss this most important part of your Instagram presence: The Profile.
Note: You'll want to get your Instagram Business account setup before you continue. Check out this quick tutorial and then come on back here to keep going.
Here are the 5 things you need to do in order to create a winning business profile on the Gram.
Decide on a name. Who are you? Or who do you want to be? Make it easy to remember. The great news is it does not need to be the same as your IG handle, but it helps to choose something that makes sense to your business. (i.e. LeBron James went with @kingjames for his handle - of course he did)
Choose an engaging profile picture. As you might expect for a visual platform, this piece is pretty important. Now, as a business perhaps it makes sense to use your logo OR maybe a photo of one of your brands/projects or if you're a solo-preneur/entrepreneur like myself, a fun portrait works great - just make it close up (sorry, no body shots), sprinkle in some personality and consider a background that makes the image pop. Whatever you choose be sure it fits in a 110 x 110 pixels frame.
Figure out where you want to send people to learn more about you. This could be your website, a recent article you were featured in, or a blog post. IG only allows you to add 1 URL in the space BUT with the help of some 3rd party tools like Linktree and Later, you can create a link that accesses links associated with each post on your feed. (Intrigued? Ask me more about it!)
What do you do? What service do you provide? Who do you help? Part elevator pitch, part call to action, this piece is so important and is your hook for any swiperbys. And you can be creative here, using emojis and hashtags to tell you story (here's a great example from Later Media). It's also a great place to include your special offering. But don't get too long-winded. IG only allows 150 characters in this space.
What's the best way to reach you? Instagram allows you to add 3 contact options in your business profile: email, phone number and address. It's a good idea to use all three but not necessary. The point is to make it easy for you to be found exactly when a potential new customer needs you.
Wow, look at you, all up on Instragram with your business. Nice work.
Next up, Part 2: The Feed. Get your content ready!
Stay positive,
P.S. Need help with your content strategy? Contact me @manejahpr today!