How to use Instagram to boost sales

Basic Digital Marketing Strategies for Big and Small Businesses

With the constant digitization of the market, the use of social networks has intensified, and nowadays, Instagram is practically synonymous with sales. In the intense change and dissemination of information, the entrepreneur can get lost, but with some basic guidelines it is already possible to start transforming Instagram into a real sales machine.

There are many possible paths. The ideal is to look for a consultancy, establish a dedicated team and analyze which type best fits the business profile. In the case of large companies looking to increase the conversion rate through digital marketing strategies, establishing an online presence can start with a few simple steps. 

Como utilizar o instagram para potencializar as vendas - image

focus on feed

To use the social network to its full potential, it is necessary to have a consistent feed. The Instagram algorithm values profiles that post frequently and encourage their followers. 

The watchword is engagement. The more engaged the followers, the greater the platform's power to capture. And, to generate engagement, it is necessary to invest in:

content marketing

Creating relevant content is essential in establishing a relationship of trust. Publishing texts on subjects related to the followers' daily lives and the brand's products is a good start. Along with this type of posting, lead capture techniques can also be used, such as providing e-books and courses. The better and more relevant the content, the greater the amount of comments and interactions; therefore, the greater the possibility of capturing, more people reach the bottom of the sales funnel and more customers become promoters.

Relationship with the public

And, the greater the engagement, the more necessary is the investment in interactions. It's no use for a profile to have good content and receive several comments if these comments are not answered. The ideal is to have a team or a professional dedicated to the task of answering comments, liking, sharing other content and abusing tools such as polls and question boxes in stories, to generate even more engagement. A brand that has an online presence similar to that of an ordinary person, or rather, that of a influence, is more successful in their strategies.

Branding

And every engagement is only truly effective if there is a branding strategy behind the posts, content and interactions. The creation of a recognizable brand with a strong online presence results in respect, recognition and a stronger presence in the market. To this end, the ideal thing is for the contents to convey the brand's mission and values, create a sense of partnership with its customers and authority on the subjects addressed. With a good branding strategy, the brand has more presence, more engagement and more conversion.

small business

And, for online stores with a micro-enterprise profile, all these strategies can also be used, but the following tools and tips become even more useful:

Direct shop on Instagram

It is possible to sell directly on Instagram, with a profile that acts directly as a showcase, providing buttons that lead directly to the purchase link for the selected product. Just turn Instagram profile into Business Profile and look for Instagram Shopping functionality.

consistent post

And, to maintain direct sales, it is also necessary to have a consistent profile, with a predefined aesthetic, good product photography and constant posting. The more flashy the feed, the greater the chance of gaining followers and making sales. The ideal is to maintain a planning for the production and dissemination of products, based on the desired pace and factors such as best times to post on instagram.

All these tips, of course, need to be put into practice with a basic knowledge of social media mechanisms. That is, the use of hashtags, appropriate bio, format, language, stories, reels, photos and videos.

Hashtags

Hashtags are keywords directly inserted into the post and that work as a rating, automatic search button and filtering mechanism. When a person uses the hashtag in the Instagram search bar, they will see posts that contain the given hashtag. To keep posts visible and with good reach, you need to do a good research and know which hashtags to use. 

Tip: It's also important to create your own hashtag.

Bio

The Instagram bio tells the prospect what the business is about, what it does, and where they can find out more about it. In this very important section of the platform, the ideal is to use keywords, especially in the name of the page, provide links and summarize the values, mission or services and products offered. 

Tip: to provide more than one link to the page's audience, you can use Linktr.ee, a platform that produces pages with a list of your business links.

post formats

On Instagram, it is possible to produce content in different formats. The most popular, without a doubt, is the carousel. In the carousel, a series of images summarizes the content in a practical, quick and ideal way for the characteristics of the network.

However, to have consistency in engagement, it is important to invest in different formats. The video, for example, is even more dynamic, it can draw attention and summarize promotions or information about events. The video can be a direct post, or a reels, which allows more time and even more detail, allowing, for example, institutional content. To get the most out of Instagram, you need to diversify your content, using different formats, according to current strategies. 

Finally, the page that uses stories to create engagement, through polls, questions and answers, posting posts, etc., has much more visibility and potential for engagement. 

Marketing on social networks is a reflection of the intense modernization of the means of communication and the change in consumer behavior. Making good use of the most popular strategies, the entrepreneur can boost sales, stand out and remain stable in the increasingly competitive market. Every day, the need for digitization becomes a universal reality.