7 Instagram growth hacks for your small business

Before you can start monetizing your Instagram account, you’ll need to take some strategic steps to set yourself up for future success. There are certain things you’ll want to keep in mind to make your account stand out from your competitors. But first, let’s talk about why Instagram is important for small businesses and how it can benefit you!

Why should business owners use Instagram?

Instagram isn’t just for people to connect with friends. It’s an excellent resource for small businesses in all industries to expand their reach and connect with consumers in ways that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Gain exposure and reach

Finding new followers and establishing a community of loyal customers can be a challenge. According to data from Instagram, at least 90% of people on Instagram follow a business. And in a survey commissioned by Facebook, Inc., 81% of respondents said Instagram helps them research products and services, engaging consumers beyond typical paid social media advertisements. If you’re not active on this platform, you could be missing out on this whole segment of customers. By creating an Instagram account and using it wisely, you could potentially double or triple your reach and spend fewer advertising dollars.

Connect with your audience

Sharing photos and videos about your team can engage potential customers and help them learn about your products or services. Whether you use it to tell interesting stories, gather feedback and data, show appreciation to your customers, or put a face to your brand, Instagram is a powerful tool for small businesses. Connecting with your audience in this way also gives you lots of opportunities to show them why your brand is unique and how it’s different from competitors.

Strategies to grow your IG business account

Unfortunately, growing your Instagram business account isn’t as simple as it sounds. You can’t just create an account, publish a few posts, and expect it to take off from there. To make the most of this platform, you’ll need to zero in on several key strategies. Fortunately, Beacons is here to help!

1. Optimize your link in bio

Boring and useless bios are out. Instead, your bio should reflect your business at its core. It should include an engaging description of your products or services and clickable hashtags. Of course, you should also be linking to your website in your bio. If you want to link to multiple pages for customers, a landing page may be the best approach. Using the free Beacons link in bio tool is the easiest way for Instagram creators to create a custom landing page and link to more content and pages with just one URL. It’s by far the best way to make the most out of your bio link!

2. Use story highlights

Story highlights on Instagram is a feature that lets you share multiple photos or videos in a slideshow format. They’re a great way to add some spunk and personality to your brand’s page. You can also use polls and other widgets to get instant feedback and interaction from your followers. Instagram stories disappear after 24 hours, but you can organize and feature them on your profile for longer using Instagram’s story highlights feature.

3. Geotag your posts

When you post from the physical location of your business, be sure to add the location name to the post. Instagram compiles all the photos taken at that location (including customer pics) and sorts them by most recent posts and popularity. From here, customers can view more information about the tagged location, increasing your brand awareness and making it easier for people to research your business.

4. Create reels

Instagram Reels are short videos in a vertical format that customers can scroll endlessly in a feed. You can add music, audio clips, filters, text, emojis, and more to customize your clip and make it stand out. Reels are based on an algorithm, so people see these video clips based on their interests and preferences. By tailoring your Reels, you can reach specific audiences and grow your business.

5. Engage in DMs

A direct message (DM) is a great way to connect with customers on Instagram. Responding to DMs from customers in a timely manner will improve your online customer service and may also increase the likelihood that people will purchase your products or services. You can also engage with customers by messaging them in response to their stories or feeds.

6. Post content that adds value

Use Instagram’s many features to create content that actually matters to customers. For example, go behind the scenes to describe a process in detail, create Instagram Guides to compile your favorite posts into one single piece of featured content, repost positive customer feedback, or answer frequently asked questions to keep followers engaged and curious.

7. Track your analytics and insights

Even if you apply all of the above tips, you’ll never know if they’re working if you’re not tracking the numbers. Make sure you’re using Instagram’s analytics tools and Beacons’ visual analytics dashboard to track page views and link clicks and to see which posts are most popular, among other insights. That way, you can really understand your audience and tailor your content to their preferences.

More tips to run a successful business on social media

When you create your business Instagram account, you’re opening up a whole new world of opportunities for your company to grow! Although not every Reel or post you make will go viral, by sticking to the following tips, you can build a solid social media presence and reap the benefits.

Consistency is key

Don’t leave your followers hanging! Maintain a regular posting schedule so your followers know what to expect from you, and keep your content aligned with your brand voice and design. Knowing how often you post, when you post, and what kind of content to expect will help you build trust with your customers.

Be authentic

Building effective and meaningful relationships with a community of online followers can be a challenge, but authenticity is key. To establish a reputation of authenticity, get to know your followers by asking questions, interacting with their accounts, sharing your honest story, and staying true to your business’s core values. Building brand authenticity takes time and effort, but if you do it right, it will resonate with your audience.

Evaluate and adapt

One of the best things you can do to run a successful business on social media is to continually evaluate your strategy. If something isn’t working for you, try a new strategy. It’s easy to get stuck in your ways and see zero results. Instead, branch out and see what others are doing or try something totally off the wall. You never know what might resonate with your customers online.

You should also remember that Instagram frequently updates its tools and features, giving you more opportunities to grow your business and create new types of content. When you see these changes, it’s easy to shy away from using them and avoid the (sometimes steep) learning curve. Instead, be willing to change and evolve with these updates so you don’t get left behind.

Grow with Beacons

If you’re looking for ways to expand your business reach and monetize your social media channels, join Beacons today! By using our website builder and link in bio tool, you can create an Instagram page that does the hard work for you and drives customers to your Beacons page. From there, customers can learn more about your products and services, your brand mission and values, and how they can make purchases. Sign up for free today and become one of the 1 million+ Beacons users who are already growing their Instagram accounts.