Like any other marketing platform, Instagram comes with its own set of rules and best practices that businesses need to follow to maximize their success. In this article, we will discuss the dos and don'ts of Instagram marketing, and provide real-life examples of businesses that have successfully implemented these best practices.
The Dos of Instagram Marketing
1. Do Create High-Quality Content. The foundation of a successful Instagram marketing strategy is creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience. This includes visually appealing images and videos that showcase your products or services in an engaging way. Use high-quality images and videos that are well-lit and well-composed. Take the time to craft a visually appealing feed that reflects your brand's unique style and personality.
Example. Lululemon is a popular activewear brand that has built a strong Instagram presence by creating visually stunning content that showcases their products in action. They use high-quality images and videos that feature real people wearing their products, which helps to create a sense of community and authenticity.
2. Do Use Instagram Stories. Instagram Stories are a valuable tool for businesses to engage with their audience and create a sense of exclusivity. Use Instagram Stories to showcase behind-the-scenes content, preview new products, run promotions and giveaways, and share user-generated content. You can also use Instagram Stories to drive traffic to your website or online store by adding links or swipe-up features.
Example. The clothing brand, Madewell, uses Instagram Stories to showcase new arrivals, give followers a sneak peek of upcoming sales, and highlight user-generated content. They also use Instagram Stories to drive traffic to their website by adding swipe-up links to their online store.
If you wish to create native promotional Stories for your brand in collaboration with top Instagram Influencers, you can check out an end-to-end platform Instajet.io. It is a platform that allows brands to connect with influencers in their niche effortlessly and create a marketing campaign in Stories together.
The platform has an extensive database of influencers across a range of topics, making it easy to find the perfect influencer for your brand. Instajet offers comprehensive data on the influencers, including their number of subscribers, engagement rate, and coverage. Additionally, it includes customer reviews and examples of both standard and promotional content to provide brands a clear picture of what to expect. This makes it simpler for advertisers to select influencers depending on their particular requirements and objectives. In addition, the platform has a feature of filtering. Advertisers can search for influencers filtering them by many different characteristics, including category (beauty, sports, business, pets etc.), ER, reach, price, country, audience and many others. With this platform you can maximize the potential of Instagram Stories.
3. Do Use Hashtags. Hashtags are a powerful tool for businesses to reach a wider audience on Instagram. Use relevant hashtags that are specific to your niche or industry to make it easier for users to find your content. You can also create branded hashtags to encourage user-generated content and build a sense of community around your brand.
Example. The beauty brand Glossier uses hashtags to create a sense of community around their brand. They encourage their followers to use the hashtag #glossierpink to showcase their products and share their experiences with the brand. This not only helps to increase brand awareness but also provides social proof for their products.
4. Do Engage with Your Audience. Engaging with your audience is essential to building a strong relationship with your customers. Respond to comments and direct messages promptly, and use Instagram Stories to provide behind-the-scenes glimpses into your business. Additionally, use user-generated content (UGC) to showcase your products and engage with your followers. Reposting UGC not only helps build a sense of community but also provides social proof for your products.
Example. The jewelry brand, Mejuri, is known for its strong engagement with its audience on Instagram. They regularly respond to comments and direct messages, and use Instagram Stories to showcase behind-the-scenes content. They also use UGC to showcase their products and engage with their followers, which helps to build a sense of community around their brand.
5. Do Use Instagram Ads. Instagram ads are an effective way to target your ideal audience and drive sales for your business. Instagram targeting options allow you to reach people based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and even lookalike audiences. Additionally, Instagram's ad formats, such as carousel ads and video ads, allow you to showcase your products in different ways and provide users with a more immersive experience.
Example. The meal delivery service, Freshly, has successfully used Instagram ads to drive sales for their business. They use carousel ads to showcase their meals and provide users with a more immersive experience. They also use targeted ads to reach their ideal audience, which has helped them to grow their business and increase their sales.
The Don'ts of Instagram Marketing
1. Don’t spam. Avoid posting too frequently or posting the same content repeatedly. This can make your followers feel overwhelmed and annoyed. The frequency of posting on Instagram varies depending on the brand's audience and goals. However, it's generally recommended to post once a day, or at least a few times a week, to keep followers engaged without overwhelming them.
Example. In 2018, the Australian fashion brand Black Milk Clothing faced criticism from its followers for posting too frequently and flooding their feeds. Black Milk Clothing had a large following on Instagram, and it used the platform to showcase its products and engage with its audience. However, the company began to post multiple times a day, and its followers felt overwhelmed and annoyed by the constant stream of content. As a result, many of Black Milk Clothing's followers began to unfollow the account, and the company's engagement and sales began to decline. The company eventually acknowledged the issue and apologized to its followers, but the damage had already been done.
2. Don't buy followers. While it may be tempting to buy followers to increase your reach, this can actually hurt your brand in the long run. Fake followers don't engage with your content, and it can damage your credibility.
Example. In 2018, it was revealed that Bow Wow had purchased fake followers to boost his social media presence. Bow Wow had a large following on Instagram, with more than 3 million followers at the time. However, it was discovered that many of these followers were fake accounts or bots. The revelation led to criticism from fans and fellow celebrities, who accused Bow Wow of being dishonest and manipulative. As a result of the controversy, Bow Wow's reputation was damaged, and his credibility as an artist was called into question. The incident also highlighted the negative consequences of buying followers, including the potential for damage to one's reputation and loss of credibility.
3. Don’t be too promotional. While the goal of promoting your brand is to increase sales, don't make every post a sales pitch. Mix in content that is valuable and entertaining to your audience.
Example. In 2018, ASOS had over 9 million followers on Instagram. However, due to the excessive promotional content, the company's engagement rate began to decline, and many followers began to unfollow the account. According to social media analytics, the company's engagement rate dropped by 35% in just six months, and its follower growth rate also slowed down significantly. As a result, ASOS saw a decline in sales, with its revenue growth rate dropping from 37% to 26% in the first quarter of 2019.
4. Don't Ignore Your Audience. Ignoring your audience can hurt your brand's reputation and make it difficult to build a strong relationship with your customers. Always respond to comments and direct messages promptly, and use Instagram Stories to engage with your audience and provide them with behind-the-scenes glimpses into your business.
Example. The beauty brand, Kylie Cosmetics, was criticized for not responding to customer complaints and concerns. Their lack of engagement with their audience hurt their brand's reputation and made it difficult for them to build a strong relationship with their customers. As many negative comments were appearing under the brand's publications.
5. Don't Create Inauthentic Content. Inauthentic content can hurt your brand's credibility and make it difficult to build a strong relationship with your audience. Always create content that is authentic and reflects your brand's unique style and personality. Avoid using stock photos or generic content that does not resonate with your audience.
Example. The fast-food chain, McDonald's, received backlash on Instagram for using stock photos that did not accurately represent their products. The inauthentic content hurt their brand's credibility and made it difficult for them to connect with their audience.
6. Don't Neglect Your Instagram Strategy. Neglecting your Instagram strategy can hurt your brand's growth and make it difficult to reach your target audience. Always have a clear strategy in place that outlines your goals, target audience, content strategy, and metrics for success. Regularly review your strategy and adjust it as needed to ensure that it is helping you to achieve your goals.
Example. American Apparel was once a popular clothing brand known for its trendy and edgy clothing designs. However, the brand's popularity began to decline due to a lack of innovation and failure to adapt to changing consumer preferences. One of the contributing factors to their downfall was their neglect of their Instagram strategy. American Apparel failed to engage with their audience effectively on Instagram, and their content strategy was outdated and unappealing to their target audience. They did not have a clear strategy in place that outlined their goals, target audience, and metrics for success. As a result, they struggled to reach their target audience, and their engagement rates declined over time.
7. Don't ignore analytics. Instagram provides valuable insights into your audience and how they engage with your content. Don't ignore these insights. Use them to optimize your content and improve your strategy.
Example. Forever 21 had a large following on Instagram, but it didn't use the platform's analytics to understand its audience and improve its content strategy. As a result, the company continued to post the same type of content even as its audience's interests shifted. Forever 21 was known for its fast fashion and trendy clothing, but it didn't recognize the growing demand for sustainable and ethical fashion. The company continued to promote its fast fashion products, which ultimately led to a decline in sales and the need to file for bankruptcy.
Summing up
Instagram has become an essential platform for businesses to reach their target audience and build a strong online presence. However, to succeed on Instagram, businesses must follow the dos and don'ts of Instagram marketing. Creating high-quality content, using Instagram Stories, engaging with your audience, using hashtags, and using Instagram ads are essential best practices that businesses should implement. Conversely, spamming, buying followers, being too promotional, ignoring your audience, creating inauthentic content, neglecting your Instagram strategy, and ignoring analytics can all hurt a business's online reputation. By following these guidelines, businesses can create a successful Instagram marketing strategy that drives sales, builds a sense of community around their brand, and ultimately achieves their goals.
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