Creating An Instagram Business Account For Your Small Business

Social media is constantly evolving, and sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what’s new. It can be a challenge to stay in the know on the latest digital marketing trends as a small business owner, so keep reading, as our blog will inform you about effectively creating an Instagram account for your small business.

Is an Instagram Business Account right for you?
Gaining a presence on Instagram is a valuable way to take your small business to the next level. Instagram is a massive platform with nearly 500 million active daily users, so if you haven’t already joined, you could be missing out on hundreds of potential customers! As a small business owner, Instagram can be a great place to showcase your business offerings, but this visually-based social media platform may not be right for all businesses.

Are you willing to make it work?
To decipher whether Instagram is right for your business, consider your commitment. Instagram is a heavily visual app, where users crave quality and originality in the business accounts they choose to follow, yet, not all businesses can easily produce ideal content. If you aren’t willing to spend the necessary time and energy on creating quality content, Instagram may not be the best marketing tool for your business.

Who is your target audience?
Another way to decide if Instagram is best for your business is to gain information on the demographics of your customers. It’s important to know your customer base, and from there, you can decide if the audience of Instagram users would be receptive to your presence.

As of September 2022, 55.6% users were female, and 44.4% users were male. 36% of female Instagram users were between 18-44 years old and almost 34%  men Instagram users were between 18-34 years. 18–24-year-olds are the second most populous group in the Instagram usage world. Overall, over 70% of Instagram users are younger than 35 years old in the United States.

It’s helpful to look at these demographics to allow you, the business owner, to know your clientele and evaluate if Instagram is the right fit for your business. For example: this advertising platform is without a doubt a hot tool for those with younger females in their target audience, yet, if your business targets retired men, Instagram may not be the best place to advertise your services. It’s all about knowing your demographic and whether or not your business would be successful on this social media platform.

Instagram in Action: Setting up your Small Business Instagram Account for Success
Once you’ve decided Instagram is right for your business, it’s time to set up your page for success. The key to this process is being active and engaging. Learn to start strong with the important aspects below.

Consistency is Key
First, be consistent with your content. It’s hard to create a successful page if you’re not prepared to stay up-to-date when posting content. Set up a weekly schedule for posting and get into a routine of when and what time you’ll post.

• The most effective times for posting on Instagram are between the hours of 10 am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday, with later evening hours providing high engagement.

• Shy away from posting on the weekends, but if necessary, 9 am is the best time to share content.

Creating consistency in your account will increase follower engagement and allow your followers to gain more attention to your postings. It’s also important to post when your audience is online, allowing for a higher chance of engagement on your posts.

Create Visually Appealing Content
Second, build an aesthetic. Make sure to keep your page visually organized and consistent in what you post. Many businesses have a color palette to accompany their brand and logo – which is important for maintaining aesthetic and flow throughout your small business page.

In terms of the aesthetic of your small business Instagram page, it’s important to create high-quality content to share with your followers. To start, focus on creating content that your followers can engage with. The secret to this lies in understanding your audience, pursuing your brand’s voice, and creating a variety of content.

Speak to your audience with Instagram Captions
Another important aspect of creating high-quality content is including compelling Instagram captions. Captions should focus on adding context to the image, not duplicate what the reader already sees. As you begin, look to other successful small business profiles for inspiration. There’s no right or wrong way to create an Instagram caption, but it’s important to write something that’s worth reading.

Additionally, success comes from building awareness for your brand. It’s crucial to be involved not only with your audience but within your community and other local businesses. While it’s helpful to comment, like, and follow other users within the app, It’s also important to be involved in other ways.

Looking for a way to get involved? Partner with other local businesses or brands in the area. Not only will this bring attention to your business, but other businesses will benefit from increased awareness. Host partnership events, offer specific customer promotions, share a shout-out, and showcase your partnership across social media. Remember: maintaining good relationships is crucial when it comes to social media marketing. It’s always a good idea to stay up-to-date and support businesses that do the same for you.

As you build your brand on Instagram, keep your customers excited and engaged! Let the creative juices flow while you search for ways to generate new content that will continue the conversation. Need some inspiration? See how local Iowa businesses are sharing their stories on Instagram.

Need help getting started with your Instagram Business Account? Contact the Panther BizHub at UNI JPEC for free marketing assistance. The Panther Biz Hub is a student-led program that assists small businesses from across the state with their digital marketing needs, digital education, and overall web presence. To contact the Panther Biz Hub, email pantherbizhub@uni.edu or visit their webpage.