Instagram Stories launched in August 2017. This Snapchat like feature had many Instagram users groaning, many refusing to use the feature at all. This all changed after Instagram switched from a chronological timeline to an algorithm based timeline. Businesses and celebrities found the usefulness of Instagram stories, especially after realizing the chronological based timeline was not coming back.

Many businesses are not taking advantage of the Story feature on Instagram. This is a grave mistake, especially when it is essentially another form of free advertising. The Instagram algorithm pulls content it believes users want to see first, and unless your business’s followers interact with the account often, it is unlikely your posts will be seen in a timely manner. Instagram stories give your business quicker visibility, which in turn will help generate more leads. Lost on how to get started with Instagram stories? Here are a few tips and tricks to begin using Instagram stories to generate leads.

Company Culture

Give followers a face with the name. Humanize the company, and buyers will feel a stronger connection to the brand. To do this, take advantage of the silly filters. Take videos and photos of office celebrations. Highlight employee achievements, special events, or volunteer efforts.

Behind the Scenes Look

Much like company culture, giving followers a behind the scenes look generates love and respect for the company. Show followers how products or made. Show them the journey the order takes from creation to delivery. Share photos of the giant shipment going out, or how delicately each and every item is hand wrapped before being put in mailers.

Demos

New products are perfect for demos. Post a video explaining how to use the product and the benefit of using the product. Finally, video someone using the product and talking about how great, easy, or fun it is to use.

“Check out newest post”

Draw attention to your new posts by posting information about it in you Instagram story. Use attention grabbing captions like, “A new surprise awaits in our newest post! Go there now!” or, “Exciting announcement in our newest post!” Create a call to action asking followers to like or comment on posts.

Links

Links are one of the fastest ways to generate leads. On Instagram, a profile must be a business account (or be verified) and have 10,000 followers to post links directly into Instagram stories. Using links in conjunction with demos will draw more viewers to look and purchase products.

If your business does not have 10,000 followers quite yet, put the link in the profile bio. Change the link based on the story, and caption, “Link in bio,” on demos. Each time the link is changed, mention it in the Instagram story. Be sure to only change the link once every 24 hours at the most. Instagram stories are available for a full 24 hours before disappearing, so changing the link multiple times will only confuse followers.

Coupons and Specials good for 24 hours

Sales, deals, and specials should be mentioned on Instagram stories. Since stories only stick around for 24 hours, this is a great way to generate fresh leads that may have not known about deals.

Use this method to mention sold out products that have been restocked. If a product is almost sold out, let followers know to grab one before it is gone.

Popular Stories can be featured in the Search and Explore section of Instagram. Try to get as many views as possible, so your company’s can be featured. If you are successful at this, the amount of new leads is infinite. Put yourself in the followers’ shoes. Post what they want to see. Use Instagram stories to target your target market even further, and you will find yourself generating more leads.

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Tagging your pictures on Instagram is the best way of ensuring you share your photos with more people and also to find new like-minded followers on Instagram. A while back, Instagram used the system of arranging uploaded pictures one after the other, according to the time of upload. Today, the new Instagram feed organizes images according to popularity, and seasoned players find themselves at a disadvantage. This new system of organization means that when your image viewership is low, it quickly disappears, together with the other several million uploaded pictures, into oblivion. You need your image frequently liked. Most of us use hashtags, but in vain, and there is a good explanation of why your hashtags do not work.

Although hashtags are the ideal way to describe and share images with more individuals, tagging can also be very tricky. To get the most benefit from the use of hashtags, you will always need to think about a few things before tagging.

Use popular tags but in a careful manner

Using the more popular hashtags might get your image more views and likes, and in case you are unsure of the popular hashtags relating to your image, a Google search should solve this issue. Be advised, though, popular hashtags might also obliviate your image. Since popular hashtags are widely in use, your image when tagged with a popular tag will be widely viewed, but for a shorter time. Chances are, you do not even get the four hours.

Keep your tagging simple and avoid cluttering your page

Please, do not overdo your hashtags. Simply put, a clutter of hashtags creates disinterest instead of generating interest; most viewers might skip over your image, having at the back of their minds decided that you are not aware of what you want, and your image must be irrelevant. Avoid getting passed over.

Be alert and attentive about the other tags

The other images similar to yours have tags, stay alert and pay some attention to what the tags are. You might get a pleasant surprise and learn the tag you are using is not the favorite tag describing images similar to yours. You may think the tag-line you are using is popular, and it might as well be, but there might be a more popular tag. Imagine this; a majority of your target audience might be missing your image just because of your tag-line choice. Such a simple change might get your images the attention you need.

Provide more specific information on your tags

Whenever you are trying to connect with people, your choice of tags is of significant importance. Specific hashtags go a long way towards informing possible viewers and followers of exactly what an image entails. Narrowing down to the detail in your tag choice means your image is easier to find by people interested in such a picture. For instance, when you are posting a photo of a car, please be a little bit specific and tag the make of the car, #BMV goes a long way towards informing people who like the BMW about your photo, without having to sift through the countless pictures of cars uploaded, as opposed to #car.

For relevance, tag a description of your image

After tagging your image as per what type of car it entails, you could always go a step further and make the tag more relevant. As much as you are already particular about the kind of car, you must also be aware of the differences in tastes relating to your type of car, different models of the BMW will interest different people. Tag your image accordingly; which will ensure your photo gets the right audience, increasing the chances of your image being viewed and liked tenfold.

So please, do not lose hope. Keep sharing, but mind your tags.

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Instagram can be fun, but it can also be a very useful tool in branding yourself or your product, and even attracting brands that may be interested in partnering with you. There are some tricks of the trade, so to speak, to creating the most engaging Instagram feed you can. The tips below will help you hone your photo sharing skills in no time.

Create a theme

Creating an Instagram theme is a sort of unofficial rule. If you are unfamiliar with Instagram themes, it is probably only in the sense of the term, itself. A theme is simply a similar aesthetic that is applied to each photograph you upload to your account.

The similarity can be something as simple as the background your pictures are taken against. For instance, you may look for solid black walls or backgrounds and choose to only take your photos against a black back drop. Eventually, all of your Instagram photos will contribute to your “theme” and you will start to see it come together.

A theme can also be achieved by applying the same filter to each picture before you upload it. As with choosing a consistent background, your filtered look will begin to develop into your feed’s theme.

When coming up with a theme that works best for you, always consider how your feed will look as a whole. If you were to print out each picture and make a collage, you would want the overall look to paint a picture that best expresses what you want to put out to the social media world.

Be consistent

Aside from developing a theme, consistency is also key to getting the most from you interactions on Instagram. The people or companies that follow you, do so because they either enjoy how your pictures look, or they enjoy the message you use your pictures to send. Being consistent in uploading will keep followers engaged and interested. You may even want to schedule when you upload photos. However you decide to do it, come up with a way to give your followers what they want on a regular basis.

Be social

At the end of the day, Instagram is a social media platform. You should use it to be social. Comments and direct messages allow followers easy access to you. Reply to comments and messages and encourage conversations below your pictures. You can do this by placing a question in your photograph’s caption. If not a direct question, you can caption your picture with a provocative phrase or even a call to action that suits your brand.

Don’t spam

Spamming is always frowned upon. It is no different in the world of social media. Genuine engagement with followers is what yields the best results. There is no wrong in promoting your business or brand or even using calls to action; just do it sparingly. Your followers should not feel like each time they go to your feed, they are being asked to do or buy or support something that benefits you.

As listed above, the main goal is to engage and encourage interactions, while presenting an accurate image of what you stand for, to the Instagram world. That being said, the majority of your actions on Instagram, or any social media platform, should be aimed at interacting with people you may not otherwise have access to.

Return the favor

Following other Instagram accounts and liking and commenting on their posts, is a great way to stay involved with other users. By staying involved, you will remain up to date on the current mood of the environment, so that you can adjust accordingly and keep your own posts relevant.

Also, you will make contact with others who share your interests. If you are following and commenting on a particular account, chances are, the other people following that account also share some of your interests. This is a great way for others to find you and follow your Instagram account. It also leads you back to one of the basics, which is engagement.

Overall, Instagram is one of the most powerful social media tools available. With its ease of use and accessibility, there are endless possibilities for interaction and direct branding with your audience. With these tips, you should be able to take your photo sharing to the next level.

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