Instagram is built for sharing pictures. In business it can be used for many purposes but like other social media venues the primary purpose is to connect with people. People are more apt to take interest in a picture than text making Instagram a quick easy way to connect. Following are steps to setting up and using Instagram:
- Set up your Profile – On Instagram your profile contain your name and a bio. The name for a business would be the company name while the bio should contain information about the services provided by the business and any hashtags to be used while posting. Also the profile contains a URL which would usually be the company website but can be altered for other purposes. Finally the profile will contain a photo which would be the company logo.
- Follow Other Instagram Users – The search feature in Instagram can be used to find people and businesses you want to connect with. You can search by company name or hashtag. When you follow these people you’ll get an idea of what they post and what their interests are. When you comment on photos you’ll build your presence on Instagram and increase your number of followers.
- Invite Followers – Add an Instagram link to your website and email signature. Also add it to other social media accounts. You can also send out an email inviting followers.
- Post Your Images and Content – An Instagram post is very simple with the image being the focal point. The image should be high resolution and easily viewed on a mobile device. The second component is the caption. If can include text describing the image as well as hash tags to support searching. To expand the reach of an Instagram post – cross post it on other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
