Social media marketing is one of the most influential ways to interact with current customers and find new ones. Instagram is being used more and more and is becoming one of the top social media companies to use when working with customers, and for good reason. The user database has been growing rapidly in the last couple of years with having more than 500 million daily active users currently. Users are getting on daily, and they want to interact with businesses.  But what are the best ways to make use of Instagram?

Here are 7 ways you can improve your marketing on the popular social media site.

Automation

If you haven’t already gotten started with automation in your marketing department, it is time to call an artificial intelligence company to get you started. The benefits of automation in a business are amazing across the board. There are programs that can completely run your Instagram account for you, give recommendations on the type of content your audience wants to see, and even use AI chatbot to answer questions through chat or respond to comments on the account. It truly is amazing how much automation can benefit a business’ Instagram account for the better.

Video Content

One thing users are becoming more familiar with and interested in seeing is video content from businesses. Instagram may have started as a platform for posting mostly pictures, but it has evolved over time to meet the needs of users, and those needs involve more video. It is easier to connect with your audience through a video than a picture with a long description that may very well be completely overlooked by someone quickly scrolling through their feed.

Interact with other businesses

One of the easiest way to build your customer base without directly paying for advertising is by teaming up and interacting with another business in your field. They have people who are following them, and you have people following you. Businesses can benefit one another by sharing those audiences, whether that be through re-posts, by recommending their products in your posts or even though shared giveaways. By working with another business, you’ll be sure to find new customers and add validity to your knowledge of the current market.

Don’t shy away from influencers

Many businesses haven’t realized that influencers can be an extremely valuable way of showing potential customers exactly how your product works an of reaching new people. Find influencers who fit your brand image and who would naturally use your product in their everyday life. And don’t forget to follow all rules about disclosing relationships, so you don’t lose the trust of your customers.

Stop to look at the data

While machine learning can easily analyze data and push out reports of how your audience is reacting to your interactions, it does you no good if you aren’t looking at the information. Make sure to regularly check your Instagram data to determine what is and is not working. You can quickly switch strategies to something else if there are numbers showing the current plan isn’t working.

Learn how to use “stories”

The “stories” feature on Instagram may have been stolen from Snapchat, but people still love it and use it every day. The basic idea behind a story is that a business can post content that will only stay on their account for 24 hours before it disappears. This content needs to be updated on a regular basis and is more of a way to be real with customers than it is a way to post perfectly posed and edited photos. Businesses can use stories to post videos or images of company gatherings or funny things that happen at the office, or it can even be used as a way of doing product demonstrations or highlights.

Engage in the comments

Many businesses just post content on their Instagram without bothering to respond to any of the comments of customers. However, a reply to a comment makes people feel like they are special and have been heard. Not only that, but interaction helps you to address concerns publicly and answer questions people may have about your company or product. You’ll create more loyalty among customers by speaking with them.

Focusing on Instagram marketing is a must for businesses, and if you follow these easy tips, you’ll find that it isn’t as hard or overwhelming as it may seem.