Instagram is a social media platform that presents an amazing opportunity to connect with fans and potential customers. With 80 million photos being uploaded to Instagram every day on a platform where customers actively engage with brands, it’s no wonder everyone wants a slice.

But before you simply go posting a pretty photo, here are 6 important things to consider to maximise your Insta-potential.

Why are you on Instagram?

The point of Instagram isn’t just to be on another social media platform. The ‘why’ of your profile is important, and you should consider what you are trying to achieve by having an Instagram profile. Sit down and have a think about what your goals are. Your goals could be as simple as displaying your product, increasing brand awareness, getting new leads or strengthening brand loyalty.

Who is your audience?

It isn’t worth posting anything on Instagram if you aren’t appealing to the right audience – it simply won’t have the same effect on your brand goals. It’s worth thinking about who your audience likes to follow on Instagram, what type of content they enjoy and how often they use the platform.

What should you post?

When it comes to figuring out your brand presence on Instagram, consider your target audience, but also think about what you want your brand to look and sound like. An ideal Instagram profile reflects brand values and is visually appealing. Be consistent and stay on-brand by keeping an in-house style guide outlining your brand aesthetic, tone of voice and filters. And don’t go for the over-sell – let your pictures do the talking.

How will you build a relationship with your followers?

First impressions count on Instagram – after all, it is a highly visual platform. Make your profile pop by filling it out properly with a profile picture, bio and website link. Create a catchy branded hashtag that followers and customers will remember and want to use should they post a picture of your product. Engagement between brand and consumer is important on Instagram, so have a plan in place for answering questions and handling negative comments.

How will you grow your community?

If you’re just starting out on Instagram, an obvious way to quickly build up some followers is to ask friends and colleagues to follow you. But for followers with more value for your brand, it would be a waste if you didn’t reach out to existing customers. A great way to do this is through cross-channel integration – let people know you are on Instagram by notifying fans on your other social media channels and via email marketing.

If you don’t have any existing channels, don’t worry – there are other tips and tricks you can use to grow your follower base. Do this by remembering to include popular hashtags in your industry, tagging any people or other brands in your photos, adding geolocations to your photos and taking advantage of relevant influencers with a big follower base.

How will you know if you’re getting good results?

Engagement is important – and that’s why you should make sure to track your progress throughout the process. Use a social media analytics tool to analyse your results and optimise content and the time of day that you post. This will help you to determine which type of content works best for your brand.

Need a hand creating an awesome Instagram strategy? Get in touch.