Shop Marketing on Instagram – Get Started!

Shop marketing on Instagram is a great way to glamorize your shop and create a community of relevant followers for free. These few steps below will get you started on some basics of marketing  your shop on this large and growing social platform.

How To Set Up An Account for Shop Marketing on Instagram

To begin shop marketing on Instagram, keep in mind that you will need to use the Instagram app from your phone. While you can access some features from a computer, you will need a smart phone for full functionality.

To set up an Instagram account for your business, you will first need to have a personal Instagram account. Once you have downloaded the app and created your personal account, follow these steps to build your business account:

• Access your profile
• On the top right of the app, select the three bars
• At the bottom of the new tab, click “Settings”
• Scroll down and select “Switch to Business Profile”
• The next tabs will walk you through the steps to complete your business profile

Why Does It Matter?

Currently there are more than 1 billion active monthly users on Instagram. These users have come to expect frequent, eye-popping content.  They appreciate content that keeps them engaged with the businesses they support. As a free marketing tool and a growing network of customers, Instagram is a great place to gain exposure.  It is also an avenue to connect with followers in your industry.

Marketing on Instagram will help you stay connected to your business community and help you showcase the pride you have in your shop.

With Instagram, the depth of your connection will matter far more than the width of your connections. Better to have fewer relevant followers that are actively engaged with your business than more followers who just aren’t that engaged with your profile.

What Content To Post

Focus on building a deeper connection with your specific audience. Avoid focusing on trying to reach everybody at once. Shop marketing on Instagram has proven to be far more effective if you have a smaller engaged audience rather than a large disengaged group of followers.

As far as content goes, imagery matters the most. While Facebook can be about the story behind the content, Instagram users are attracted to high value visuals and images that inspire.

Maybe you have heard the term “hashtag” before. With shop marketing on Instagram, hashtags are a way to link your content with other pages that have posted similar content. It can be a gold mine.  In addition, hashtags are a great way to attract new followers and build your association with your demographic. Try using www.hashtagify.me or www.all-hashtag.com for some guidance in trying your hand at this powerful tool.

Different than Facebook, Instagram does not allow you to post links for followers to access your website. The only place Instagram allows you to post a live link is under your profile. Therefore, it is even more crucial for the images you post to be compelling and pique their curiosity about your business.

Check out some of Fullbay’s posts by joining our group of followers on Instagram

Sharon West Sharon is a people lover with a fondness for teens and those with special needs. She can often be found hiking, cycling, and pretty much anything that entails exploring the great outdoors. She is a recreational triathlete and is notorious for trying to stretch lake season into 12 months out of the year.