Mistakes not to make when promoting on Instagram
Avoid Instagram Promotion Mistakes:
If you are new to Instagram, in this article we will open your eyes to the mistakes you should avoid on your account so that they do not harm your business.
If you want to focus on further exposure for your brand, marketing on Instagram is a must for your business. This social network has more than a billion active users every month at least.
A mistake on Instagram is a bit like tripping on the catwalk during a fashion show: it is a very special form of public humiliation. When trying to gain credibility and build your brand, be especially careful not to make any of the Instagram mistakes discussed in this article. Read on to find out.
One of the Instagram Promotion Mistakes: Buying Likes and Followers is a Cardinal Mistake
This practice shows no signs of running out of steam. Buying likes and followers is shooting yourself in the foot.
Buying followers and likes on Instagram is equivalent to committing a scam. In fact, many “influencers” who engage in this practice make money and get products based on the number of subscribers and their engagement rate. Doing the same means risking damaging your brand’s reputation on the one hand, and suffering legal consequences on the other, as some brands add clauses regarding fake subscribers to their contracts.
In addition, buying likes and subscribers basically results in a bad ROI on the part of the client. Because it is never a good investment, because brands that do not get a good ROI with fake influencers will quickly make the call and realize that the numbers are wrong. This practice harms the entire industry because it tarnishes the user’s reputation. Brands walk away from this bad experience feeling that the investment was not worth it, and therefore they reduce their budgets for future promotional opportunities with legitimate influencers and users on Instagram.
Indulging in this practice will not give you the profitability you hope for in terms of your business results. If you’re looking to grow your community of followers from real people and other brands interested in your products and services, bots and fake followers aren’t the way to go. Building a community of loyal followers doesn’t happen overnight. However, if you think it’s possible, you’re on the wrong track.
Instead of buying likes and subscribers, try new things:
Engage with the right people Take the time to build a real community around your brand. Leave real comments on relevant posts from other brands and engage with followers who engage with your content.
Run a contest You’ve discovered and started following several Instagram accounts through contests. Launch a campaign that invites users to follow your account and tag friends in the comments. You don’t need to invest heavily in the reward of your choice to see your follower count grow in no time. Learn how to run an effective campaign.
Promote your account Run paid ad campaigns that target lookalike audiences (those with similar interests to your existing audience). You can also link your Instagram account to other social media channels and your website. Make sure you’re easily discoverable and have the same account name across channels.
Use poor quality images
You need to provide the best quality content possible, if your content isn’t great you won’t attract followers, and you might even lose some.
Using poor quality images will instantly damage your brand and give you an unprofessional appearance, especially on Instagram. If your Instagram page is cluttered with dull images, it gives the impression that you don’t take your business seriously.
First impressions are crucial when it comes to your brand’s presence on social media, so make sure you look your best. For this, no big budgets are needed, simple adjustments can make a huge difference.
Here are some tips for delivering great images:
Use the right tools For example, I’ve noticed that light plays a very important role in my Instagram photos. If I don’t have the ability to take a photo in natural light (which I try to do as much as possible), I won’t post anything until I’ve adjusted the brightness
Different perspectives Don’t just stick to face or flat shots for all your posts. Offer your audience different angles so they don’t lose interest. Close-ups, wide shots or videos: Incorporating variety into your page will allow you to stimulate the engagement of your subscribers while gaining aesthetics.
Take care of your backgrounds You’ve lost count of the times when the background ruined what could have been a great shot. Whether it’s a trash can or a messy table, remember to give your background as much importance as the main subject of your photo. For example, simple natural stone tiles or beautiful patterns (found in stores) can provide an aesthetic note in the background of several shots. For a more professional approach, you can also invest in a softbox online for less than 50 euros.
Post regularly
While you may not mind looking at a long story posted by your best friend or mom, you won’t have the same patience for a brand’s 100-post Instagram Story. Don’t make that mistake.
Your target audience probably doesn’t have the time to digest all that content; you’ll be wasting your time and money creating it. Instead of posting everything and anything to your Instagram Story, reserve this space to share your highlights and critique your content. I’ve noticed that I lose followers when I don’t post new content for days on my Instagram account. So I imagine that phenomenon is magnified when it comes to a real brand. Make sure you post content regularly at the right time so that your customers don’t forget about you.
To find the best time for your posts, you can:
Take advantage of analytics and test it by posting content every day for a week, then every other day for the next week, and finally twice a day for the last week. Analyze the results to see what content engages your audience the most. You can also create a poll in Instagram Story to ask your followers directly, which often pays off for brands.
Try different times to post It may not be because of the frequency of your posts, but because of the time you post them. Check out our data on the best time to post on Instagram, then try different times to get the best results.
Prioritize quality over quantity I’m sure you care about every detail of your business, but your audience certainly doesn’t need to know where to take out the trash on the weekends. Before you unleash your posting urges, visualize your overall goals and ask yourself if this specific content will help you achieve them.
Set an effective budget
The price of your ads is up to you. Set a budget that aligns with your business goals and update it at any time.
Don’t oversell yourself
Of course, as a business, you didn’t choose to create an Instagram account for fun, but to improve your business. So, you should take into account the expectations of the users of this social network. Internet users hate being oversold a product or service, so make sure you provide them with content that brings them more value than traditional advertising.
Diversify the content offered without forgetting to promote your business, and do not hesitate to provide creative images and share stories that are a little more personal about your business.
Instagram promotion mistakes: Do not copy
If you can draw inspiration from other accounts to feed your profile, you should never copy their content completely. Otherwise, you will not bring any added value to your subscribers and will not reflect the image and values of your company. These two conditions are essential for your presence on Instagram to be profitable.
Instagram promotion mistakes: Do not repost without citing the source
Reposting content created by third parties is part of a successful Instagram strategy, but only if you refer to the author in the image or in the description. You do not want to look like a thief to your target and your customers.
Instagram promotion mistakes: Do not abandon your followers
Once you invest in Instagram, you will quickly be keen to increase engagement on your account. Know that for this, you also have to commit.
If your followers ask you questions either in the comments or in private messages, you must answer them to start a relationship with them. This is a condition for returning and re-engaging with your content.
You can start by taking a few minutes each day to consult your account and respond to various questions or requests.
Instagram Mistakes: Don’t forget the link in your bio
There aren’t many places on Instagram where you can direct people to your site. Don’t miss this valuable link to allow your followers to move forward in your relationship. Make sure your Instagram business account is linked to your Facebook page.