How To Use Instagram
Updated: Dec 29, 2021
Table of Contents:
1. What is Instagram and How Effective is it For Your Brand?
2. What You Can and Cannot Post On Instagram
3. How to Decide if YOUR Brand Will Benefit From Instagram
Instagram is a visual platform featuring photos and videos that can be effective in marketing your business. But deciding on whether to use Instagram for your business needs or not depends on whether you fully grasp its purpose. To help you decide, here are our 3 top tips for you to follow.
1. What Is Instagram And How Effective Is It For Your Brand?

What exactly is the purpose of Instagram, and should your business have an account? Well, that depends on the demographics of your target audience, and how often they're likely to use it. Reports indicate that as of July 2021, about 15.7 percent of women between the ages of 25 and 34 years old make up the majority of users. If this sounds like a group you want to reach perhaps Instagram is the perfect platform.
Fun Fact: A picture of a stray dog sitting near a taco stand in Mexico was the first-ever photo posted on Instagram under the caption "Test" by founder Kevin Systrom.
Creating an Instagram account is super easy and FREE. The idea is to connect with people who see the world in different, interesting ways. You can find and follow potential customers and post images that inspire them. The more followers you can get, the better chance you are to get a sale!
2. What you Can And Cannot Post On Instagram

Here are a few ideas with what you can post on your Instagram account for your business:
Behind-The-Scenes Photos
Re-post From Fans and Followers
Video content of creating a product
Asking Your Followers To Share Their Thoughts in a story
Asking For People to Tag A Friend
..and so much more. Be creative and have lots of fun! For example, as a business owner, you can post a poll to your story every now and again. Polls are awesome because they allow you to engage with your audience by asking questions and getting their answers. (And polls are considered a called 'soft selling' technique, so go at it!).
Instagram is also considered a professional online community, so there are specific rules and regulations to follow. If you stray from the guidelines, Instagram will automatically delete your account. Check out the rules here!
Don't overthink though. As long as you use the app in a professional capacity, you're good.
3. How To Decide If Your Brand Can Benefit From Instagram

With all of this said, can your business benefit from having an Instagram account? If your target audience is around 34 years or younger the answer is an astounding "YES!". While Instagram is obviously up there in popularity with other photo and video-sharing apps, you still need to know how to use the app effectively to get the most out of it. Consistency is the key to successful marketing, after all. It's imperative you keep a steady stream of Instagram content rolling across screens around the world so your brand gets attention.
Summary:
Instagram is a fun and popular way to get your brand out into the world of visual social media platforms. Just a little bit of post creativity will go a long way in getting increased traffic directed to your website. Here are some things to note:
Instagram is a photo and video sharing platform
Generally, the audience gender is women 34 years or younger
There are one billion monthly users
If you implement these tips your business has a better than average chance to get more attention. That's what you want, of course: Brand name recognition across as many social media platforms that 'speak' to your target audience. Why not check it out?
What is your favorite Instagram post that you noticed in the last few days? We'd love to hear from you!