Instagram Tactics for Small Businesses

Ready to Boost Your Brand with Instagram? Learn These Top 7 Instagram Tactics for Your Small Business Now.

Are you a small business owner? Perhaps you're part of a small content or digital marketing team at your small company. Whatever your role may be, we know that at small shops, resources are always tight. And that's why collaboration and multitasking are so important when developing a small business, Instagram Tactics social media strategy.

At the end of the day, your small business can't do it all -- but it's more important than ever for your brand to make the most of the digital space to promote your products and to attract new customers.

Get ahead and save time when little is left in the day by developing a quick and easy Instagram Tactics strategy for your small business. Instagram is a social media platform that relies heavily on photos and short videos -- and is extremely popular among the Millennial audience.

By developing an Instagram Tactics strategy for your small business, you will boost your reach among this target audience and recast your brand as a business that meets the needs and understands the lifestyle of this group. Here's how you can deploy your new Instagram account with these seven expert Instagram Tactics to boost your small business:

The Regional Kitchen
651 Okeechobee Blvd
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
https://www.instagram.com/eat_regional/

Instagram Tactics #1: Take Beautiful Photos

Because Instagram is a photo-sharing social platform, you have to take engaging and beautiful photos. Here are a few Instagram Tactics for taking the best photos for your small business Instagram:

• Don't center your subject; the most visually appealing photos are in a third of the frame.
• Check your light: Don't take a photo of something in front of a window, as the photo will be backlit and full of shadows.
• Tap your smart phone screen to focus.
• Use natural light whenever possible.
• Consider using a DSLR camera for your photos and then emailing the photos to yourself so you can Instagram them from your phone.

You'll get better quality photos.

Altima International
http://altimapalmbeach.com/
https://www.instagram.com/altimapalmbeach/

Instagram Tactics #2: Go Behind the Scenes

What social users love to see is exclusive content -- and you'll make them feel that way if you give them a glimpse of your company from behind-the-scenes. Make them feel like social VIPs! Here are a few Instagram Tactics to do that:

• Give a sneak peek photo of a product before it hits market.
• Take a photo of a celebrity visiting your company or a company-sponsored event.
• Take a photo of a part of a product to give customers a clue.
• Each day reveals a larger piece with a clue to create energy and suspense.

NASA
https://www.instagram.com/nasa/

Instagram Tactics #3: Try Instagram Stories

NASA does not launch out of West Palm Beach, but as a close neighbor, NASA’s use of Stories is out of this world. Here’s a great example: Recently, NASA posted about the annual Perseid meteor shower on their Instagram account.

Instagram now as a "story" function that operates very similarly to Snapchat, and this is one of the greatest Instagram Tactics. You can tap the "Story" function button and you can take short videos and photos that are then put into your "story" file. Your story is public, so when your Instagram users go to your story section, they can see a series of photos and videos you curated to tell them something about your brand. Using a story is especially effective for live events or behind-the-scenes tours.

#WestPalmBeach
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/214736726/west-palm-beach/

Instagrams Tactic #4: Use Lots of Hashtags

The way Instagram users can find your content -- especially new prospective customers -- is via hashtag. Here are a few Instagram Tactics for effectively using hashtags with your Instagram posts:

• Do market research to determine which related hashtags Instagram users are already using for related products.
• Float your branded hashtag into every post for brand recognition.
• Avoid long hashtags.
• Try to keep them short and sweet because they are #easier to #read.
• There are never too many hashtags.
• Think of them as tags on a website. The more you use, the better chance you have of someone finding your content.

That's only good business for you!

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/167977/four-seasons-resort-palm-beach/

Instagram Tactics #5: "Love" and Comment

If you want to build your Instagram audience, you'll need to interact with your users. That means you need to "love" their posts and comment regularly. z

Try a few of these Instagram Tactics and watch your audience grow overnight:

• Follow everyone who likes your posts at the outset. You always can go back at a later time and unfollow them.
• If someone comments on your post, write back. You want to build a relationship with your Instagram followers.
• Press the heart icon on as many posts of your followers as you can. Make this part of your daily workflow.
• Leave encouraging comments and ask questions on your followers' posts.

Instagram Tactics #6: Post Regularly

One of the best Instagram Tactics we can give you if you are going to launch and maintain an Instagram account successfully is you have to be willing to post regularly. If you're not pushing out daily content that is entertaining, engaging and beautiful, then your audience will forget about you and think you're not taking the platform seriously. The more you post -- the better.

Try these Instagram Tactics:

• Set up a posting calendar ahead of time so you know exactly what to post and when.
• Work ahead to find assets and to write copy.
• Have your hashtags prepared for quick and effective captioning?

https://www.instagram.com/floridalottery/

Instagram Tactics #7: Sponsor a Giveaway

Don't be ashamed of using an Instagram Tactics gimmick now and then. This is a tried-and-true marketing tool that you should have ready to deploy.

Not only are giveaways and contests fun Instagram Tactics to engage with your audience, but these Instagram Tactics also build loyalty -- especially when you give away a prize that has meaning and value to their lives. So make it fun, make it valuable, and make sure you are getting something out of it for your small business with these Instagram Tactics. For example, you may give a gift to a random person who leaves a comment on a certain post. Instagram Tactics can be as easy as that!

Ready to Take Your Brand to the Next Level with Instagram Tactics?

With these seven Instagram Tactics for navigating the platform for your small business, you'll be on your way to drawing in more customers and increasing your social profile among a target demographic of Millennials and young consumers.

Instagram is the ideal social platform for attracting a younger target audience -- and so Instagram Tactics such as calibrating your content strategy to this platform with beautiful, engaging photos, entertaining Instagram stories, and short videos is key.

Just remember to have Instagram Tactics in place for keeping your Instagram channel fresh and populated with new content every day. That's the only way you'll be able to attract and maintain your followers.

Now that you've got the inside scoop on Instagram Tactics remember that you don't have to do everything on your own. We at Bright Vessel know that your brand has a chance to get ahead with an engaging Instagram Tactics content strategy -- but you can't deploy it alone. Contact us today to learn how our expert content marketers can help you develop the perfect Instagram Tactics social strategy to set your brand apart in 2017!