How To Grow Your Business On Instagram

Struggling to attract your target audience?

Consider learning how to grow your business on Instagram.

With over 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram offers a massive platform for businesses to promote their brand, reach their target audience, and increase their online presence.

35% of those users will purchase on the platform in 2023, which means the stakes are high for businesses competing on Instagram.

But, with so many businesses fighting for attention, standing out on the platform can be challenging.

But here’s the thing: With the right strategy, growing your business on Instagram can be a game-changer.

Imagine having a loyal audience for your brand that converts like crazy. That’s the power Instagram promises for your business.

In this article, you’ll learn how to grow your business on Instagram. We’ll also share some actionable tips you need to leverage to make the most out of the Instagram algorithm.

Why Use Instagram For Your Business?

With so many social media platforms out there, business owners wonder which one will lead them to success. We recommend learning how to grow your business on Instagram for the following reasons.

1. You can increase revenue

Businesses can use Instagram to increase their revenue through the various engaging features Instagram offers. Not only will you increase revenue through nurturing your audience with valuable content, but businesses can also use:

Affiliate marketing (promote products and earn commissions)
Branded partnerships (reach large audience and offer specials for the audience of brands you partner with)
Running social media contests (giveaways can totally increase revenue as they often result in higher shares and engagement on posts, which can expand your audience considerably).

2. Influencer partnerships increase brand awareness

Instagram is where influencers in every imaginable niche thrive. Think about partnering with influencers to boost your brand. Influencers are social media powerhouses with large followings.

They could be celebrities or popular niche users who promote products and brands and often bring new offerings to the mainstream. Having an influencer on your team can take your company’s sales to the next level by increasing your digital marketing return on investment and giving you access to new demographics.

When you work with an influencer, they can promote your business to thousands or millions of followers with just a few posts. It’s a great way to get your brand in front of many potential customers quickly.

Say you’re a clothing brand looking to increase sales and reach a new audience.

Partnering with a famous fashion influencer on Instagram with a large following could help your brand reach your customer base.

This influencer can showcase your products on their feed and stories and even do a try-on haul or feature in a sponsored post that directs their followers to your online store.

With the right influencer on board, you could see a spike in website traffic and sales due to their promotion. It’s a great way to get your brand in front of a large, engaged audience without much effort.

That’s why having an influencer on your side should be part of your Instagram marketing strategy to achieve your business goals.

3. Your customers expect your presence

Remember, customers will be looking for you on Instagram. When people hear about a brand or business, one of the first things they do is research them on social media. They could be searching your business by name or hashtags related to your industry or location. It isn’t a great first impression if they can’t find you.

Even if you don’t plan on being active on Instagram, it’s a good idea to have an account with your business name, contact information, and a few posts showcasing your brand. That way, if someone does search for you, they won’t have trust issues or, worse, find your competitor instead.

4. Great for networking

Growing your business is about promoting your brand and products and building connections and relationships in the industry. Instagram is a powerful platform for networking and building mutually beneficial partnerships.

Engage with other businesses and individuals in your field. That way, you can establish yourself as a trusted and credible presence in the industry. 

These connections can also open doors to new opportunities and collaborations. 

Approach Instagram as not just a sales channel but also as a networking tool to expand your professional circle.

How To Grow Your Business On Instagram

Now that you are convinced that your business should have a presence on the social media platform, you might wonder, “how do I actually grow my business on Instagram?”

The tips below will help you learn how to grow your business on Instagram:

1. Convert Your Account into a Business Account

To grow your business on Instagram, you need access to Instagram analytics. You can only get that access by converting your account into a business account.

Nearly 9 out of 10 Instagram users follow at least one business profile.

Managing a business account is vital for growing a business on Instagram as it gives you access to so many other features and data that are super helpful to be able to tailor your marketing efforts and messaging to match your audience.
For example, say your insights tell you that your audience is actually 90% female – you might choose to use different imagery and language to appeal to them more.

To convert to a business account, follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Go to your profile and click on the three-lined menu on the top right of your screen.
  • Step 2: Click on “Settings.”
  • Step 3: Tap on “Account.”
  • Step 4: Scroll down, and you can choose to convert your existing account to a business account by clicking “Switch to Professional Account.” You can also set up a new one by tapping “Add New Professional Account.”

2. Optimize Instagram Bio & Profile

Another strategy to grow your business on Instagram is to optimize your Instagram bio and profile. Your Instagram profile is really like a ‘homepage’ for your business.

It’s the first thing potential clients see when they come across your account, so make a great impression.

How to optimize your Instagram bio and profile:

  1. Put your logo in your profile picture. This helps your potential customers quickly identify your business.
  2. Add your website link in your bio. Make it easy for your customer base to navigate directly to your site.
  3. Use Instagram story highlights so customers find the information they’re looking for more easily.
  4. Use hashtags and emojis in your bio to make your brand more relatable and personable.

Here’s how we at Scaling With Systems have optimized our Instagram profile and bio:

When someone visits your Instagram page, they should know immediately what your business is about. They should be able to tell what you sell, what your brand is like, and what values your business stands for.

If you want to grow your business with Instagram, make your Instagram consistent in its branding, high-value in the content you share, and enticing for people to want to learn more about what you have to offer.

3. Consistency is the Key: Set a Regular Posting Schedule

Consistency is the most straightforward answer to the question “How to grow your small business on Instagram.”

Be consistent with your posting schedule and visual style on Instagram. Your audience would appreciate knowing when to expect new content from you. That can often result in more engagement. And the more engagement you get, the more likely Instagram is to show your content to more people; hence, growing your following, engagement, and potential customers/clients.

To grow your business with Instagram, one post per week is an excellent schedule to start with. But maintain a regular schedule, so there’s no break in activity on your page.

4. Follow Your Competitors’ Instagram Accounts

It’s tempting to think that posting great content is the only way to get noticed, but that’s only half the battle. Engaging with other accounts in your field is just as important. Buisnesses can find relevant accounts by using Instagram’s search feature. 

How? Type in keywords related to your industry and scroll through the results. When you find an interesting account, take a closer look at its content – it might be worth following.

As you’re looking for accounts to follow, consider the following:

  • Relevance: If the account isn’t closely related to your industry, it’s probably not worth following.
  • Active accounts: There’s no point in following an account that hasn’t posted anything new in the last month.
  • Influencers: They can be a great source of inspiration and ideas.
  • Engage with the accounts: Comment on their posts, respond to their stories and interact with their followers.
  • Check out accounts Instagram suggests: The platform’s algorithm is always learning, so it’s worth looking at the accounts you’ll like.

Remember, it takes time and patience to grow a small business on Instagram. The more you engage with Instagram, the more the algorithm will understand your intent and help you reach more people. But it takes consistency and patience to get there.

5. Create Interesting Content 

You must create engaging content to grow your business on Instagram effectively. But it’s not just one type of content that will get you there.

Sometimes, just one viral video or a fantastic picture can make all the difference. To increase your chances of success, try a mix of content formats such as photos, Instagram lives, reels, and stories, and mix up the designs a little to see what gains more engagement.

Instagram is a visual platform, and first impressions are everything. Make your content clean, high-quality, and visually appealing.

Use high-quality images and videos, and pay attention to composition and lighting. Also, use Instagram’s editing tools to enhance your photos and videos and make them stand out.

When creating your content mix, sticking to your niche is essential. Experimenting with too many different formats can confuse your audience and make it hard for them to understand your brand.

Finding a balance between all formats is the perfect strategy to grow your brand on Instagram.

Take a look at Ravi Abulvala’s content mix:

If you scroll through his Instagram, you’ll see that he doesn’t stick to just one type of content. He mixes it with podcast clips, raw videos, and motivational content in his Instagram stories.

He’s known for consistently putting out a lot of content on social media, and it’s paying off for him. A diverse mix of Instagram content keeps his followers engaged and interested in what he’ll post next.

6. Add Relevant Hashtags

Hashtags are crucial to success on Instagram. If you’re not using them, you’re missing out on reaching potential clients.

We’ve seen many business owners struggle with hashtags, either not using them or using irrelevant ones that no one is searching for. A simple way to determine if a hashtag is worth using is to go to the Instagram search page and type it in. Who shows up? Are they your competitors? If so, use those hashtags!

If Instagram shows several posts for that hashtag, then it’s worth giving it a try. Try creating a mixture of popular and less popular hashtags to increase your chances of being seen.

Note: using irrelevant or overly common hashtags under your Instagram posts won’t get you very far, as there’s already a lot of competition for those. The key is to be specific and use relevant hashtags for your content and niche. 

Use Instagram’s search function to find popular hashtags related to your 

niche and see what other users use. Think outside the box and come up with your unique hashtags.

Using the right hashtags can help increase the visibility of your posts and attract new followers. Trying out different hashtags is an effective way to learn how to grow your business on Instagram.

Use A Strong Call To Action

With so much competition on Instagram for viewers’ time and attention, include a compelling call to action (CTA) in your Instagram posts to direct people to act when they consume your content.

A good CTA is a request for your viewer to take some kind of action (visit your website, sign-up for a course, or make a purchase). Keep your CTA clear and short.

After all, the most effective way to grow your business on Instagram is by converting viewers into customers, not just giving them something entertaining to see in your content and then having them swipe to the next thing.

Some examples of CTAs you might use include “Swipe up,” “Shop now,” “Sign up,” or “Vote.” Your CTA needs to be clear and easy to understand. You want to make it as simple as possible for your viewers to take the next step.

How Does The Instagram Algorithm Work?

Instagram’s algorithm can be a bit tricky to understand. For simplicity’s sake, it’s broken down into three main categories.

#1: the feed (what you see when you open the app).

#2: the Explore page (Instagram suggests content based on your interests).

#3: Reels (Instagram’s version of TikTok).

Each category uses a different algorithm to determine what content to show you.

Understanding how the algorithm works can help you tailor your content strategy to reach the right audience and get more visibility on the platform.

How the Instagram algorithm works for these categories.

Algorithm for Feed & Stories

Instagram’s algorithm is designed to prioritize posts from users you know and follow. 

Businesses should focus on consistently posting high-quality content and interacting with their followers to stay at the top of their audience’s feeds.

The algorithm takes into account various factors when determining which posts to show users, including:

  • Data on the post: Posts with higher engagement and more recent engagement will be prioritized.
  • Information about the poster: The algorithm also considers how often users have recently interacted with the poster. This means businesses should focus on regularly interacting with their followers and other businesses to boost visibility.
  • Your activity: The algorithm also considers the user’s activity on Instagram. Users that frequently like and comment, and share posts will be shown more content from the accounts they interact with.
  • Your history with a particular person: The algorithm also considers the history between the user and the poster. If a user frequently comments on and likes posts from a particular account, they will be shown more content.

It’s also important to note that Instagram strongly emphasizes accurate information and is taking steps to combat the spread of false information.

Posts that have been marked as false by third-party fact-checkers will be ranked lower. If too many posts from a person or business are marked as false, their content will be more difficult to find on the platform.

Instagram Algorithm for Reels

Instagram is putting all its weight behind Reels to compete with TikTok. If you want to grow your business on Instagram, focus on this short-form video format.

IGTV is no longer a priority. So, Adjust your content production to align with the Reels algorithm. To maximize your chances of success, make sure to:

  • Crop all video content to 9:16 for optimal viewing.
  • Keep videos to 30 seconds or less for better engagement and retention.
  • Create content that is quick, engaging, and entertaining.
  • Avoid recycling content from TikTok or using low-resolution videos.
  • The algorithm prioritizes Reels that gain engagement in the form of likes, comments, shares, and views.
  • It also considers when users save videos or add Reels to their Stories.

Algorithm for Explore

The Explore tab on Instagram is where users discover fresh and relevant content that aligns with their interests. So, for all the business owners wondering, “How do I grow my business on Instagram,” this is the perfect place to showcase your posts.

Most of the content on this tab is from accounts you don’t follow, but there may be occasional posts from profiles you already follow.

To appear in the Explore tab, get as much engagement as possible. Instagram says, “The most important actions we predict in Explore include likes, saves, and shares.” 

The algorithm considers profile engagement (similar followers, have you interacted them?), post interaction, your own account activity.

The algorithm tries to predict your interests and suggest content accordingly.

For instance, if you follow Manchester United and engage with their posts, the platform may suggest other football clubs.

If it identifies that you have a broader interest in sports, it may show you videos related to basketball or baseball.

The algorithm continuously adapts to your preferences and will keep showing you content you like or switch to other topics if it doesn’t resonate with you. The explore tab presents the perfect opportunity for you if you are looking to grow your business on Instagram by reaching a wider audience.

How To Grow Your Business On Instagram: FAQs

How do I grow my online business on Instagram?

  • Convert your account into a business account
  • Optimizing Instagram bio & profile
  • Consistency is the key: set a regular posting schedule
  • Follow your competitors’ Instagram accounts
  • Create relevant & enticing content 
  • Add relevant hashtags
  • A strong call to action.

What is the best time to post on Instagram?

The best times to post on Instagram (if you’re on Eastern Standard Time):

  • Monday: 05:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00
  • Tuesday: 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00
  • Wednesday: 05:00, 06:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00
  • Thursday: 06:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00
  • Friday: 07:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00
  • Saturday: 06:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00
  • Sunday: 01:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00

What are the 3 main factors of the Instagram algorithm?

The three most significant factors of the Instagram algorithm are hashtags, engagement metrics (views, likes, comments) and metadata (captions, alt text for images).

Wrapping Up: How To Grow Your Business On Instagram

Building a successful presence on Instagram is more than just amassing followers. It’s about creating a community of passionate, engaged individuals who connect with your brand on a deeper level.

By prioritizing authenticity in your content and interactions, you can establish a strong bond with your audience. Inspire them not just to follow but actively participate in your journey.

This genuine engagement leads to greater brand loyalty and can open up new revenue streams for your business.

Remember, a small, dedicated community is worth far more than a large, passive following.

Work with Scaling With Systems to maximize your business’s true potential. We can help you acquire high-quality leads and build a consistent, profitable client acquisition strategy.

If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, book a free consultation call to learn more.

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