8 ways to grow your small business using Instagram
Instagram was founded back in 2010 and is still growing rapidly. By the end of 2023, monthly active users in the US are projected to reach 127.2 million. Not all active users are individuals; organizations, brands, and even pet influencers all take advantage of digital marketing on this popular social media site.
Are you using Instagram for your local, small business?
If your answer is ‘no,’ it’s time to start! We have 8 helpful tips for new and experienced Instagram users alike on how and what to post, best practices for engaging with your followers and growing awareness for your brand.
post regularly
Depending on where you look, you’ll find recommendations for publishing anywhere between 2-5 Instagram grid posts per week. When you’re ramping up your Instagram strategy, the number of grid posts per week matter less than the consistency of your posts. For example, posting on Tuesdays and Fridays is better than posting ten days in a row and then missing a week. Social media algorithms love consistency and so do people.
With a regular posting schedule, you’ll form habits for your followers without them even knowing. Before long, they’ll be looking forward to a ‘Friday Find’ post about your thrift store or a ‘Saturday Special’ post about your featured bakery item. They’ll soon use your Instagram as a source for information rather than your website, which is typically more difficult to keep updated.
Let’s look at the two examples below. Cardigan Donuts in Minneapolis, Minnesota has rotating donuts special every week. They post about the new donut on Instagram either the day before it switches or the day it switches. The second example is from Hyvee. Every Sunday they post meal ideas to get you through the week. This way, when you visit Hyvee for your weekly grocery shopping, you already have meals planned and know what to buy.
engage with customers and prospects
This is the piece that many businesses miss: engagement. It’s great if you ‘heart’ posts that your business is tagged in, but we recommend taking it further.
If someone follows your business, follow them back. This will instantly make that person feel special and seen. In addition, if they have a private account and post about your brand, you’ll be able to see it.
Comment on posts you’re tagged in. A simple note goes a long way to making customers feel appreciated and therefore create brand loyalty. Also, monitor the hashtag that your brand uses. Sometimes people will add a hashtag but not tag the business, so you could be missing out on posts.
Watch and ‘heart’ your followers' stories. This doesn’t mean blindly hearting all of them, but if they post a story about another shop in your city, or a photo of their dog that you think is cute, give the story a heart. You can also respond with other reactions, or even with a short comment, by clicking “Send message.”
be authentic
The modern consumer doesn’t want to be constantly sold to. They want to see who you truly are as a brand, including getting to know the employees, so let your personality shine through! Also remember to be inclusive and welcoming to all.
re-share UGC content
If your customers tag you in their Instagram posts, or use your brand's unique hashtag, share the content! The easiest way is to share their Instagram grid post or story to your brand's Instagram story.
reasons to share UGC
Sharing UGC saves you time creating content.
It creates trust for your brand because consumers prefer to see real testimonials over brands talking about themselves.
Customers feel special when you share their content, which builds customer loyalty.
Posting content from real people rather than perfectly designed images from Photoshop humanizes your brand.
highlight specials, promos, etc
Do you have monthly, weekly or daily specials? Your customers will want to know about them! This is fantastic content to share as Instagram grid posts. Like we discussed earlier, you should always publish these specials on the same day of the week so your customers know when to look for them.
If you run promotions, we recommend sharing them as Instagram grid posts and then sharing the grid posts to your story. Throughout the promo, post reminders to your story so it stays top of mind. When the promo is over, share a story thanking everyone for participating and, if you have one, announce the winner.
update your information
Many local businesses have seasonal hours or close for events or holidays. If this is tru for your business, update your information! There is nothing more disappointing that going to your favorite place only to find out it’s closed. We recommend putting seasonal hours in your Instagram bio and communicating special hours as a grid post. From there, it’s easy to share the grid post as a story and add it to your Highlights.
use location-specific hashtags
Did you know that there are over 300 million Instagram posts with “travel” in the caption? Incorporating location-specific hashtags in your grid posts will appeal to travelers who are planning a visit to your city and locals looking for new places in their community.
Many brands use topic-specific hashtags, as well. For example, active hashtags in Milwaukee include #milwaukeehairstylist, #milwaukeefood, #milwaukeenails, and more! Consumers interested in these topics naturally search the city + topic and can find your posts if you use the same hashtag.
Hummingbirds, for example, is active in multiple cities across the midwest. Each city has an Instagram account with a unique hashtag so consumers can search the hashtag to see where the hummingbirds have been going and what brands they’re trying. Some of these include:
try running an ad
Sometimes it can be hard to break through the noise and get momentum going on Instagram. Consider running an ad to target people in your location. It’s possible that you have hundreds of people in your community who will love your brand, but they don’t know about it yet.
bonus idea: activate real people to help generate buzz about your brand
Hummingbirds is a platform with hundreds of local content creators across multiple cities who are waiting to amplify your brand on social media. Book a call to learn how our creators can help you drive growth for your location-specific brand on Instagram and other social media platforms.
