This Ultimate Guide to Instagram for Business is written by Voy Media’s marketing team. Designed for small businesses, it provides tips for success on Instagram and how to use it to boost your business. It will help you understand user-generated content (UGC), hashtags, location tags, and KPIs to maximize your business’s presence. Listed below are some of the best strategies to implement to maximize the use of Instagram for business. 

User-generated Content (UGC)  

If you want to increase the number of followers and sales on Instagram, you must create more user-generated content (UGC). UGC is content created by users, such as photos, videos, and other types of media. It is an important way to establish brand loyalty and authenticity. In fact, a study shows that over 60% of consumers feel that UGC is the most authentic form of content. The following are some tips for creating successful UGC for business on Instagram. 

One of the best ways to create user-generated content is by showing actual users using your product. For example, yoga clothing brand Lululemon uses #thesweatlife, a hashtag to encourage customers to post their photos wearing their clothing. This strategy generated over 7,000 customer pictures on social media, and the company says that these posts received over 40,000 unique visitors. Another great example is Chipotle’s branded festival, which uses UGC. 

Using Hashtags  

Before you start implementing hashtags for your business on Instagram, it’s vital that you consider your target audience. For example, if your audience is primarily millennials, you may want to choose hashtags such as #millennials, or a combination of these two. You may also want to choose hashtags that are geographic in nature, such as #sarasotaweddingphotographer. You can also use geographic hashtags for other services you provide. 

When choosing hashtags for Instagram for business, you must keep in mind your brand’s image. This means pairing them with visual content to build a lasting brand image. In addition, your main hashtag should reflect your company name, slogan, or brand identity. Using your company’s name as a hashtag can help you build a community and a positive brand image over time. If your audience is more inclined to follow other businesses that use the same hashtags, then your business can benefit from their popularity. 

Location Tags  

One of the most effective ways to promote your business on Instagram is through the use of location stickers. These interactive stickers can help you connect with new customers while increasing brand awareness. Many Instagram users tag their photos and posts with a location. The location can be a business name or the place where the user was at the time of the post. By adding location stickers to your Instagram posts, you will increase your brand exposure. Here are some tips to implement location stickers on your Instagram posts: 

First, make sure you choose an accurate category for your business. If you have a coffee shop, you should select the restaurant category and vice versa. Once you have the category, you can start adding the location. It’s important to make sure the location is available so that people can easily find you. Once you’ve found the location, you can then use it in your Instagram posts. While you’re adding a location tag to your posts, it’s still not possible to follow other accounts that have the same tag. 

Setting KPIs  

Setting clear and quantitative KPIs for your Instagram marketing campaign is crucial to the success of your campaign. Having a clear understanding of the impact of social media on your bottom line will make it much easier to justify a larger budget and win the approval of your leadership team. By defining clear, quantified goals, you can streamline reporting, track your campaign’s performance, and make data-informed decisions. Here are some ways to set up KPIs for Instagram for business. 

First, track how many people engage with your content. Are people moving on to the next story in your queue? If they are, your content may not be engaging enough to keep them interested. Instagram users primarily access websites through their smartphones. Consequently, businesses need to offer a “Get Directions” option on their business’ Instagram profiles. But if your audience doesn’t use their smartphone to get directions, your content isn’t engaging them. 

Creating Recurring Themes  

Creating recurring themes on Instagram for your business can help you develop a consistent style and content strategy. These themes create consistency in your content and provide your audience with something to look forward to each day. A recurring theme is one of the easiest ways to get started on a regular basis. To get started on an Instagram content strategy, follow these steps. You should create a content strategy that includes different types of content, different colors, and a variety of formats. 

Choose a recurring theme that reflects the products or services that your business offers. A clothing line will likely feature photos of clothes and food, while a service will often feature pictures of its customers and the office environment. An airline brand like Air France might post pictures of its destination, as well as the plane’s amenities. But, whatever you decide to post, keep the visual look consistent. Think about what people would expect from your brand if you post about the same things every day.