How to create content on Instagram as a business company

Since 2010, Instagram has become one of the most popular social networks focused on visual content and has over a billion active users worldwide. It is no wonder that this platform has become very popular for companies as well. But what to add to Instagram to attract new customers?

Brand on social networks

Building a brand always pays off, and it is no different with social networks. People much prefer to buy from a brand with which they have a positive relationship, and they also like to return to such companies. Instagram is a great platform to build this relationship between the customer and your brand. As with branding, it is necessary to clarify the mission, vision and uniqueness of the company, so it is the same when creating content for social networks.

• Company mission and vision - what message do you want to convey to customers and why are you selling the particular services/products?

• Product characteristics - how can your company help customers? What makes the services or products unique?

Don't try to target everyone on Instagram. Determine your target group and create content for them. It is also better to show more of the company and its story and less advertising and sales. Try to follow the 80/20 rule – ie 80% brand and 20% sales.

What exactly to share on Instagram as a business company?

First of all, focus on high-quality resolution of photos, videos and graphics. Instagram is a visual network, and a nice design is crucial here.

• news - whether it's news about the company, opening hours, planned events, seminars, products or sales - try to be up-to-date. This gives the customer a reason to return to your profile because he knows that he will always find the latest information here. Likewise, you can tailor your content based on seasons, holidays, etc.

 Source: Instagram Starbucks Czech Republic

• tips and advice - try to advise the customer and show him your products in a real environment. It can be posted on how to combine what, how the product is put together, various gadgets for your goods, what can be built from your products, etc. Don't be afraid to add video tutorials as well.

Source: Instagram Ikea Czech Republic

• purchase in the feed - a great helper from the Instagram platform is the option to purchase directly from the post. In this way, the customer learns more about the product and can buy the goods or redirect to your e-shop.

Source: Instagram Mix it

• content from customers - one of the best advertisements is happy customers. If clients tag you in a post or send you a review, reshare it on your profile. If a client sent you a review in a private message, don't forget to ask for approval if you can share it further. The so-called repost will show other potential customers how satisfied your clients are with you.

Source: Instagram Hornbach CZ & SK

• behind-the-scenes – customers should get to know the company from all angles, so let them take a peek under the hood. Show footage from a photo shoot of new products, show how things are going in your company, and celebrate important milestones or introductions of your employees together.

Source: Instagram Havlíkova přírodní apotéka

• multiple photos in one post - insert multiple photos or videos into one post. It can be one product from multiple angles, different products from one collection, or content that fits together in a relevant way. You have the opportunity to show the customer as much as possible without the unnecessary spam of several posts.

Source: Instagram Tommy Hilfiger

• videos - as one of the ways to increase sales, as they attract attention very well. In addition to videos, it is also good to use gifs, collages or animations.

Source: Instagram Westwing Czech Republic

• Instastory - content that disappears within 24 hours may seem pointless, but the opposite is true. Instastories, or stories that only appear for a day and then disappear, are useful tools for any business. You can use them to inform clients about news, and discounts, film behind the scenes, link to the e-shop, share posts from the wall, or involve your fans. Polls, questions, various deductions or emoji sliders can be included in Instastories.

Source: Instagram Patrizia Pepe

• Highlights - are another tool that belongs to Instastories - as we mentioned above, the content you upload to your Instastories will disappear after 24 hours. If you want to keep the content on your profile and also put it in different groups, use the mentioned highlights. For example, you can highlight a group of reviews, discounts or news.

• Reels and IGTV - we already told you about the TikTok social network and ads in our article here, but Instagram is not far behind. On the so-called explore page you can watch short, funny and informative, but above all creative videos. Among the biggest advantages are great interest and also the fact that anyone can get to your reels - even a person who does not follow your profile.

Source: Instagram Husky Czech Republic

• Livestream – this is another variant of videos, in this case, a live broadcast. Here you can answer questions directly, show how the product is used or invite a guest.

How to get better attention on Instagram?

• contests – they can engage and engage your fans, as well as increase brand awareness. Competition rules can consist of liking, following the page, tagging other people, collaborating with other brands or adding a photo with your brand's product. It is important to define the rules of the contest in advance and to be aware of the rules of Instagram itself.

Source: Instagram Douglas Czech Republic

•  tags - aka #hashtags are groups of words under which similar posts or people with similar interests are grouped. So it's good to use hashtags under your posts. However, avoid very general ones like #shopping – which has over 148 million mentions on Instagram. Such another post with hashtag shopping can be lost in large numbers. It's important to think about a hashtag just like a keyword. Last but not least, don't be afraid to get involved under the group of hashtags you use and like or comment on posts here, this is where your potential customers can appear.

Source: Instagram Starbucks Czech Republic

• influencers – influencers have completely taken over the world of social media advertising. Over 90% of people trust influencers more than classic ads, so they can help build brand trust. It is important to find such a person who corresponds with the brand and thus will be trustworthy to the followers. From the beginning, it is good to start with the so-called micro-influencers, who, although they have fewer followers, are focused on one topic just like their fans.

• ads – Instagram ads offer a decent return as well as very specific targeting. In addition, the ad appears between organic posts and does not pop up anywhere, so it does not disturb the user in any way. For the advertisement to attract attention, it is necessary to focus on a high-quality visual image and the message you are trying to convey through the advertisement.

How to boost the Instagram algorithm?

• frequency of posts – the optimal number is 3-4 posts per week, with a greater frequency possibly once a day, you can add instastories several times a day

• post titles and captions – catchy and calmly posed as a question that sparks conversation in the comments afterward. Labels don't have to be long, and if they are, separate them into paragraphs to make them easier to read.

• engage readers in the conversation in the comments below the posts - commented posts will be seen by more people

• posts that are saved also have more reach - give your page fans tips they'll love to save

• time spent on the post - the algorithms measure this too, you can extend the time by e.g. more images in one post or a video