It’s hard to imagine a life so barbaric that someone couldn’t share their gorgeous pictures on a social media platform such as Instagram. Although Instagram has only been around since 2010, it has quickly become the go-to social media photo sharing app of over 700 million monthly active users. Compared to Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is far more visual and has a completely different user platform with different interests. Every digital marketer is aware that Instagram offers ways to advertise your business, but not everyone knows how to use this properly. Below we offer you 5 simple tips on how to optimize your Instagram advertising campaign:
Why Instagram Advertising in a Social Media Marketing Campaign?
Simply because Instagram ads look like native content (advertising that blends in with the content and platform) and they don’t overwhelm your audience with intrusive ads they don’t want to see. Sure, a lot of marketers are sceptical about Instagram Ads. Mainly because Instagram is used primarily on mobile devices and until recently, Instagram never really focused on advertising compared to other social media channels. However, Instagram ads feel and look extremely natural to its users since they look like regular posts. It’s always important to be present in places where an audience is most likely to take action and Instagram is the perfect platform to get users to click on your call-to-action.
1) Use clear calls-to-action
Similar to Facebook ads, you can add a call-to-action button under the image, such as ‘shop now’, but the platform also offers other CTA possibilities. Whenever you include a clear call-to-action in any advertisement, your audience is far more likely to actually take action, which will boost your conversion rates tremendously.
(source: makesyoulocal.com)
2) Target the right audience
Since Instagram uses the same advertising platform as Facebook, you can take advantage of the huge user database Facebook has in its pocket narrowing your target audience. For e-commerce shops, for example, remarketing is a great option to attempt to lower the cart-abandonment rate. However, the ad platform offers endless targeting possibilities, which you should look into before creating your ad campaigns. Get to know your target audience; A/B test the features to get the most ROI from the campaign.
3) Include hashtags
Just as you would with your regular Instagram content, you should incorporate hashtags into your ads. Whether they’re popular hashtags or hashtags related to your brand or campaign, it will create a ‘user generated collage’ of your brand or campaign. This way, when your audience looks up certain hashtags or clicks on trending ones, they will be directed to your brand, which is an amazing strategy on its own.
(source: asideofsweet.com)
4) Partner up with influencers
If your company has the available budget, partner up with influencers to grow your brand or increase your following. When you collaborate with influencers and sponsor one of their posts, their audience won’t necessarily recognize this as ‘paid advertisement’ and is more likely to purchase your products or look into your brand. This is an extremely valuable and powerful tool to reach your audience naturally. When looking for potential influencers to work with, search for the ones that have already managed to grab the attention of your target demographic. Also, instead of sponsoring a post, you can also partner up to run an Instagram ad.
5) Don’t make your Instagram Ads look like ads: the subtle approach
Your audience is more likely to click on your advertisement if it doesn’t look too obvious. When an ad looks like an organic post, people are more likely to engage and click. Another tip is to include people or animals in your pictures; statistics demonstrate that this will also contribute to a better conversion rate. Make sure the visuals align with your brand to create a better ‘theme’ that ties in with your regular content.
(source: theverge.com)
An important note to highlight is that while Instagram advertising is powerful and they share the Facebook platform, you should never blindly copy your Facebook ads onto Instagram. Instagram is a completely different social media experience with different users that are less persuaded by aggressive advertising strategies. Use content that aligns with your brand and overall feed to make sure it feels and looks as native as possible. This is where the biggest advantage of Instagram ads lies: the natural feel of the advertisement campaigns.
About iRISEmedia
iRISEmedia.com is a Toronto based social media marketing agency, specializing in social media management, digital marketing and online reputation management. Our team helps clients manage their online presence and branding in order to increase qualified web traffic and leads.
