Guide on using Instagram as a platform to advertise your business

Nowadays, whether it is a food business or even a clothing store you can only expect a crowd at these outlets the minute it goes trending or viral. With just a picture or a video of the product, without actually knowing the experience people still blindly follow it.

This is the reality of the fast-paced world we are living in where it is all about keeping up with the current trend or fad. If you are not caught up with the trend, then embrace yourself to be treated like an outcast. 

Some businesses are lucky as the advertising is done by their customers just because their product is generally good. Normally, this is evident among small business owners like the burger or shawarma stall by the side of the road, the small pau shop around the neighborhood etc.

While some others have to put in effort to attain similar responses or even to get their business trending. They just have to grasp the customer’s attention and once the business is up and running, their business will start trending on its own and the customers will do the rest of the work in making sure the business starts going viral.

So, the bigger question is how do you get your business featured on Instagram?

Of course, paid advertising is indeed a way to get your business trending. Some business owners would definitely feel risk averse since they have already put in too much of their money and effort in the business per say that they worry that by putting in more they might just experience loss. But, with the power of Instagram nowadays it is worth the risk. There are plethora of ways and efforts to use instagram to attain achievable results.

First thing first, how does you promote your business on social media platforms, specifically Instagram in this case:

• Create a business instagram account- In order to get your business up and running make sure to have an instagram account for your business created. It should be different from your personal account as you do not want to get your work and personal matters mixed up. Plus, even the target audience would not be interested in your personal life instead they would want updates on your current business.
• Engage with your audience- businesses should always keep their audience or customers their top priority by replying and liking their comments to show the customers that these businesses are approachable and that they do not need to shy away from directing their inquiries on the particular business.
• Running giveaways and competition- come up with enticing ways to keep your customers interested. There are indeed so many businesses that are similar to one another therefore you should find a way to distinguish them as well as keep the customers interested in your business. 
• Follow users and related potential parties and comment on their post- Think BIG! Try to find collaborations to make your business more tempting to both customers and potential collaborators. Try to reason with the collaborators as well where they would also benefit from the collaboration.

Once you have got that sorted, and your business starts blooming make sure to retain the attention that your hardwork has paid off. Like the saying goes “reap what you sow”. So how do you do it?

• Post consistently- keep your target audience updated with your current business ventures and make them feel like they are a part of your business. Then again, without them there is no business. This will also make your brand worth the following.
• Come up with trending hashtags- keep posting and coming up with new ideas as people tend to get bored of the same old thing after a while. Ideas should be fresh and relatable to the current era
• User engagement- try to study your target audience so that you can provide them with what they want and from there brand loyalty can be established. 
• Be open to criticism- you should be open to the idea that not everyone would like or prefer your idea. Therefore, your instagram account should be readily available for users to voice out their opinions and the business should consider them and address it accordingly.