E-commerce is now the most important means of finding new customers and increasing sales.
That's why a new online platform emerges every day around the globe. Social media platforms are unrivaled channels of lead generation and selling products directly.
Platforms like Instagram provide businesses and customers with the ability to search for a product, find the best one based on users' comments, and finally make the purchase without having to leave the platform.
Nowadays, businesses of all sizes and types use Instagram to remain in the market and make more money.
If you have a small business and want to grow it, Instagram is the best choice.
Here are some important tips on Instagram e-Commerce for small businesses.
Why Instagram?
First, it's good to know some important stats about Instagram to answer the question of why we need to be active on Instagram:
- The number of Instagram monthly active users has recently surpassed 1 billion.
- More than 70% of Instagram users are under the age of 35.
- Every day, Instagram Stories is used by over 500 million accounts.
- Brands account for one-third of the creation of the most popular Instagram stories.
- On Instagram, 90% of accounts follow at least one account related to a company.
- Instagram is used by more than 70% of companies in the United States.
- On Instagram, seven out of ten hashtags are sponsored.
- Over 80% of Instagram users utilize the site to find new products and services.
These stats show the importance of having a business account on the platform. But the question is how.
Read the following paragraphs to answer this question.
Tips for Instagram e-commerce
Now, you'd better learn how to create and run an e-commerce page on Instagram for your small business.
Create an Instagram business account
First of all, you have to create a business account on Instagram. In fact, Instagram has two types of accounts for individuals and businesses. It also has another type of account for creators.
Make sure that you know the differences before starting Instagram marketing.
Another important matter in this regard is that you can even buy accounts on Instagram. This method is useful for newcomers because gaining followers is a time-consuming process, and you might not have much time.
If you've decided to do this, marketplaces like Social Tradia can be of great help because many individuals want to sell their accounts using these platforms. You need to try to choose the most relevant and engaging account in your niche.
Consider a strong sales strategy for social media
You might have several social media accounts. To strengthen your connection with your customer, you'd better have a unique strategy for all of them. Then, you have to integrate all of your platforms into a single dashboard and manage them to have a better social presence.
For example, if you have lots of customer inquiries via Twitter, optimize your Twitter strategy to respond to inquiries.
On the other hand, if your audience uses Facebook to learn more about your brand, you have to focus more on educational content.
Post regularly
When it comes to how frequently you should post on Instagram, there are no hard and fast rules. Quality and consistency, on the other hand, are critical. Consider automating the process using scheduling apps to assist in maintaining high standards and participation.
Pay attention to visualization
Instagram is based on multimedia content, so you have to pay special attention to visualization.
You can, for example, display the lifestyle and culture associated with your brand and your products. You can also create an emotional connection with your target audience by releasing exclusive footage/pictures from live events or uploading behind-the-scenes images of your items (as seen in the example below).
Instagram provides you with different kinds of visual features like Fedd Post, Stories, Live, IGTV, and Reels. You have to use them to their full potential to target as many users as possible.
Take advantage of UGC
Sharing user-generated content on Instagram is best for reducing the time and money you spend on it.
You can do it by asking your followers for testimonials or sharing their photos/videos that include your products.
This way, you can feature real buyers and make them believe they matter to you.
Sharing UGC helps you build a niche community and expand your reach.
You can also gain trust for your brand and improve your customer loyalty on social media.
Put your feet in your customer's shoes
Remember that many users want you to respond to their interactions with the same action—a majority of customers like their posts to be liked by a business account.
Work with Instagram influencers
Instagram users will trust an influencer recommendation over yours. So try to engage with niche influencers on Instagram to help you increase your brand awareness and spread the word. Instagram is regarded as one of the most important social media channels for influencer marketing.
Measure your Instagram e-commerce ROI
Return On Investment is one of the most important factors you have to check when marketing and Instagram marketing is no different.
You have to regularly check how your Instagram content works. Use Instagram Insights to give you data about your impressions, reach per post, sales, user demographic, and anything about the type of content your followers love.
Accordingly, you can optimize your future strategies and focus on what your followers have interacted with the most.
Conclusion
Having a business account on Instagram is essential for every brand. If you don't have one, try to create or at least acquire an Instagram account to get ahead of the competition. Try to build a strong strategy and keep tracking it to increase your ROI.
