One of the most popular social media platforms in the world is Instagram, with over 1 billion users, and worth around $102 billion. There are many reasons that so many brands and businesses are using it to market, such as a large audience, a great way to engage with customers, the perfect way to generate brand awareness, and more.
However, as easy as it seems to use Instagram, there are many things that should be avoided, and many mistakes that could be made. If your brand is new to Instagram, or you aren’t seeming to be growing, it could be because you are making a few mistakes. In order to be successful, here are a few marketing mistakes that you should avoid.
Posting content that isn’t entertaining
The first mistake that brands should avoid making is posting content that isn’t entertaining for users. Most people use Instagram as a form of entertainment; they see what their friends have said, follow meme accounts and watch Reels.
This means that when brands post, the content should not always be advertising, or marketing products. Instead, brands should look to entertain, which is what really helps bring an influx of Instagram followers. There are many ways to do this, such as showing what happens behind the scenes, introducing users to different staff members, or even posting user generated content.
Not using analytics
The second big mistake that brands should try not to make is not using analytics. Analytics on Instagram can be accessed if you have a business account, and if you are a business or a brand, then upgrading to a business account should be a top priority.
There are many different metrics which can be seen when using analytics on Instagram, such as:
- Follower growth rate
- Website traffic
- Engagement per follower
- Comments per post
- Instagram Stories engagement
Each of these metrics will allow brands to see what type of content is working and what isn’t, as well as which posts generate engagement. This information is essential when running a marketing campaign to increase your follower count.
Not posting consistently
The only way to stay relevant and to continue growing is to make sure that your posts are continuously being seen, and this only happens when posting consistently. There are over 1 billion Instagram users, so regardless of how big an account is, there is always room to grow.
Brands, and all users looking to grow, should post at least twice a day, and if you have a content team then there is nothing wrong with posting more than that, as long as your content is entertaining.
Not using influencers or services
One of the great things about Instagram is the fact that there are over 500,000 influencers that use the platform. Influencers are content creators who will aid in growth by posting your content, or mentioning your brand to their audience. Brands who are not taking advantage of them are making a big mistake.
Another mistake would be to not use any services that are available, such as AmpYa.
Not using hashtags
It could be said that hashtags are the lifeblood of social media platforms, and this is even more true for Instagram. Hashtags make finding content much easier, which helps with reach, since they group content which has the same hashtags.
Brands who are not using hashtags are making a big mistake, as this is how users discover new content. More than this, hashtags can also be used for hashtag challenges, such as Maybelline’s #LetsFaceIt, or Cheetos’ #ItWasntMe. After brands use a hashtag challenge there is always an increase in sales, so don’t make the mistake of ignoring hashtags.
Not using all methods of posting
The final mistake the brands should not make when using Instagram is not using all methods of posting. Instagram has grown a lot since it was released, and it allows for much more than just posting images now. Brands should take advantage of the many posting methods, such as Reels, Stories, IGTV and Live.
Live is great for direct communication with an audience, and can be used for a variety of purposes. Reels are the best for entertaining and growing brand awareness, especially when posting user generated content from challenges. IGTV is becoming more and more popular as people are beginning to enjoy longform content, similar to what YouTube provides.