As every savvy digital marketer knows, Instagram is about much more than sharing and enjoying pretty pictures. Since its launch in 2010, the social media platform has become an invaluable tool for brands to promote their products and secure impressive growth in leads and sales. This is particularly true for luxury travel companies and other high-end ventures looking to sell a certain kind of lifestyle through influencer marketing.

If your business is yet to develop a significant social media presence, don’t worry. With around one billion people around the world using Instagram every month, there’s never been a better time to post winning content and boost your revenue. We’ve put together some simple Instagram marketing tips below to get you started.

Sign up for a business account

The first and most important rule of successful Instagram marketing is to sign up for a business account. It’s easy to do and will give you access to a range of vital features designed to engage potential customers.  

Start by signing up for a standard account on the Instagram app. You can then switch to a business account in the settings section. Once your business account has been created, you can add important information such as your opening hours, your location, and any relevant contact information. You will also be granted a special contact button for potential customers to contact you directly through the platform.

Make the most of ads

As well as allowing you to post content and interact with customers, having a business profile allows you to publish Instagram ads and promoted posts. These operate on a pay-per-click basis and tend to be highly effective, with around half of Instagram users reporting that they are often more interested in brands after viewing their ads on the platform.  

There are several different ad types for you to try out including photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, stories, and canvases. Stories – slideshows that are accessible for 24 hours – are becoming increasingly popular among marketers as they can help to humanize brands and make them more appealing to customers. In this way, they could prove very lucrative for travel brands hoping to sell a certain kind of lifestyle. 

Use your Instagram as an e-commerce platform

Businesses can now use Instagram as an e-commerce platform in its own right thanks to the introduction of features such as Checkout, which allows users to make streamlined purchases without having to leave the platform. What’s more, you have the option of linking your ads to individual products, which users can add directly to their Instagram cart if they’re interested in purchasing them.

If that weren’t enough, Instagram Stories and Reels have also been equipped with shoppable updates. Reels allows users to upload short-form video content, much like Tik Tok. Thanks to the changes, users who like a product they see in a reel can buy, save, or learn more about it using Instagram’s “View Products” function. Similarly, products can be tagged in Stories, making it super easy for consumers to get their hands on trending items.

Use analytics functions

Business profiles offer access to analytics tools that allow users to track the effectiveness of posts and, therefore, tweak and hone their marketing strategies accordingly. Key metrics to pay attention to include:

• Follower growth rate: If it’s not increasing steadily, you may need to post more often or switch up your content.

• Follower engagement rate: This will tell you how often people like or interact with your posts. To improve it, you could try running a competition or asking your followers questions.

• Reach: This tells you how many people have seen your brand on Instagram. If it’s low, you may wish to consider increasing your ad spend or boosting your use of hashtags
  

Partner up with influencers

Reaching out to relevant influencers with large followings is one of the quickest ways to boost your reach. An increasing number of people are purchasing products and services promoted by Instagram influencers, so try and identify a few important faces in your industry to build a strong business relationship with.