Starting a new business is exhilarating. You have your product or service, your brand ethos and objectives, and you’re ready to go. Now comes the challenging part – marketing your startup to the world. In today’s digital age, Instagram stands as a dominant marketing platform with its user-friendly interface and over one billion monthly users. Below, we’ll break down the steps to get started with your startup marketing on Instagram, including the contentious point of buying Instagram followers.
Step 1: Create Your Business Account
The first step to market your startup on Instagram is setting up a Business account. You can convert your personal account to a business account or start fresh. A business account offers analytics, advertising options, and the ability to add a contact button.
Step 2: Craft a Compelling Bio
Your Instagram bio is the first thing people see when they visit your profile. Make sure it captures your brand identity, communicates what you do, and invites potential customers to interact with your content.
Step 3: Consistent Aesthetic
Instagram is all about visuals. Create a consistent aesthetic that embodies your brand and appeals to your target audience. This can involve color schemes, content types (photos, quotes, product showcases), and even filters.
Step 4: Develop a Content Strategy
A robust content strategy should involve a mixture of content types – educational, engaging, promotional, and user-generated content. This not only keeps your feed interesting but also ensures you provide value to your followers, increasing the chances they’ll stick around and interact with your brand.
Step 5: Engage With Your Community
Building a community on Instagram involves more than just posting content. Engage with your followers by responding to comments, DMs, and sharing user-generated content. This builds relationships with your audience and can lead to word-of-mouth recommendations.
Step 6: Instagram Stories and Reels
Don’t neglect Instagram’s features like Stories and Reels. Stories allow for casual, personal interactions, while Reels can help increase visibility and reach. Use them to your advantage to boost brand awareness and engagement.
Step 7: Leverage Instagram Ads
To extend your reach, consider Instagram Ads. They allow you to target your audience based on demographics, behaviors, and interests. Plus, Instagram Ads can directly lead to your website or product page, which can increase conversions.
Step 8: Consider Buying Instagram Followers
This is a controversial tactic, but some startups consider buying Instagram followers as an initial boost. However, it’s crucial to buy from a reputable provider. Providers like likefy offer authentic, active followers, not bots, ensuring you maintain Instagram’s community guidelines.
Buying followers should be a complementary strategy, not your primary growth plan. It can increase your brand’s social proof, potentially attracting more organic followers. Remember, engagement is key on Instagram, and fake followers don’t engage. So, while a larger follower count might be appealing, it’s the genuine relationships with followers that really drive success.
Step 9: Collaborate with Influencers
Influencer marketing is a powerful way to reach more people on Instagram. Choose influencers who resonate with your brand values and have an engaged audience that fits your target demographic.
Step 10: Measure Your Success
Finally, use Instagram’s insights and analytics tools to measure the success of your strategies and understand your audience better. This information will help you adjust your strategy, improve your content, and grow your audience.
Starting your startup marketing journey on Instagram might feel overwhelming initially, but by following these steps, you can successfully leverage the platform to boost your brand’s visibility and engagement. Remember, marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, so be patient, consistent, and always open to learning and adapting. Happy ‘Gramming!
