With one billion active users per month, Instagram marketing can help your business reach a huge audience. And if your competitors are on Instagram, then that means you should be on the platform, too! The only question is, will you be successful?
Here are nine Instagram features you can leverage to take your Instagram marketing strategy to the next level:
1. Instagram Stories
Source: Benefit Cosmetics
Instagram rolled out its Stories feature in August 2016. IG Stories allow you to post a photo or video that lasts only 24 hours. The content will not be available on the grid system on your profile. It will not show on your followers’ news feeds either. However, it will be available at the top of a user’s feed.
So, how can Instagram Stories help your business? For one, you can add links to your stories. All you need to do is click the link icon and copy and paste the link you want to share on the link field. The only caveat is that you need a verified IG account and more than 10,000 followers.
You can also use IG stories to advertise your brand. It is the same as uploading an IG Story; only you have an advertising objective to tick off. So, it is essential to choose the right aim of the type of results that you desire.
2. Instagram Story stickers
Source: Tarte Cosmetics
Instagram Story stickers and filters allow you to personalize your content and make your photos and videos represent your business. Moreover, it encourages brands to be authentic and creative. However, IG Story stickers are not just aesthetic add-ons. Aside from making your content more fun, it can also help you achieve various marketing goals. In fact, it allows your followers to interact with your IG Stories.
For example, hashtag stickers allow you to add clickable hashtags to your Story. Thus, you can reach more users. On the other hand, mention stickers enable you to mention a person (i.e., an influencer). Meanwhile, location stickers let you tag a location on your IG Story.
3. Stories Highlights
Source: Luca + Grae
Instagram Story Highlights are the circles you see below a user’s bio. Some of them have titles, while some simply read “Highlights.” The Story Highlights are meant to help you curate your IG Stories. All you need to do is post a Story straight from your profile then tap that “Highlight” icon at the bottom right corner of your screen. You can also do the same through your Instagram Archive.
Through Instagram Story Highlights, you can do the following:
- Include unlimited links in your bio
- Give your followers more information about your business
- Pin important content
Doing so can make showcasing your products easy, sharing new blog posts, cross-promoting your other social media channels, creating interactive content (i.e. tutorial), and more.
4. Instagram Live
Source: Sked Social
According to Go-Globe, over 80% of internet users watched live video in 2016. In addition, streaming video accounts are expected to increase to 82% by 2020. Why do live videos work for businesses? Because it prompts FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) among your audience. This is why now is the best time to give Instagram Live a spin.
Posting a live video on Instagram lets you be on the top of your followers’ feeds. Doing so can make it easy for you to stay top-of-mind among your IG fans. This can also increase engagement since you are hosting valuable discussions with them.
Lastly, organizing an Instagram Live helps you build relationships with your followers.
5. IGTV
Source: Kylie Cosmetics
IGTV is Instagram’s latest video platform. As Taylor Loren puts it, this is “Instagram’s way of disrupting the traditional TV experience and updating it for a modern, mobile experience.” This is ideal if you intend to post long-form video content regularly. Think online video series.
At the moment, you can create and post 10-minute video content. However, if you have a large account, you can extend it to one hour. In fact, Taylor Loren also shared a succinct post on how to create videos for IGTV. Nonetheless, IGTV is another creative avenue to leverage to be as personal and up-close as possible with your followers.
6. Multiple photos and videos
Source: Adidas
IG business accounts can include ten photos and videos in a single Story since 2018. This is a time saver and handy feature you use to take advantage of! All you need to do is post an IG Story like usual. The only difference is that instead of uploading your content individually, you can select up to 10 photos and videos and upload them all at once. You can even see a preview of what it will all look like, and then add stickers and filters as you please.
7. Shoppable posts
Source: MAC Cosmetics
According to Benjamin Chacon, Instagram Shoppable Posts is “a native integration that makes it easy to tag and shop products directly from your organic Instagram posts.” This means your followers can now buy your products straight from your IG post. In addition to the streamlined buying journey and increased sales, this feature also helps drive traffic to your website, unlike clicking the link in your bio.
Suppose you have an Instagram Business account and belong to the 46 countries where the feature is currently available. In that case, you only need to connect your business profile to a Facebook catalog. And that’s it! You are now ready to tag your products through Instagram Shoppable Posts.
8. Action buttons
Source: Sprinkles Cupcakes
Like the Shoppable posts, you can add action buttons to your Instagram profile. These buttons allow you to convert a follower into a paying customer without leaving the platform.
For example, you own a restaurant and use Grubhub to order food online. Just open your IG account and click Edit Profile >> Contact Options. Tap “Add an Action Button,” select the third-party app you want to integrate (in this case, Grubhub), enter your third-party account link, and then tap “Submit.” Anyone who visits your brand’s IG profile will see the action button immediately.
9. AR filters
Source: GadgetMatch
Another Instagram feature you can leverage is the Augmented Reality (AR) filters. However, this is not like your Pokemon Go. What AR filters on Instagram do is that it superimpose virtual effects on a real-world image. Thus, it creates a new and augmented photo. Think of it as an IG filter that is customized for your brand.
Much like stickers, the filters allow you to be creative. It can also entice your followers to interact with your brand on Instagram. Although the feature is only available to closed beta program participants, AR filters are believed to be open to the public soon.
Up Your Instagram Marketing Game!
These Instagram features, when used the right way, can help your business in a lot of things:
- It can help you boost awareness about your brand
- It can help you engage with your followers
- It humanizes your business
- It can help drive traffic to your website
- It can help increase your revenue
Try each feature individually to determine which works for you and your audience. Remember that if one feature can help you with a particular goal (i.e., engage with your followers), that does not mean it can help you with another. So, it’s best to run an experiment. Which of the features mentioned above is helping your business up and running? Let us know!
Author Bio: Kevin Urrutia founded Voy Media, a New York social media agency. He is dedicated to helping businesses triumph over the ever-changing marketing landscape. He crafts results-oriented solutions that are tailor-fit for each client his team works with.