Instagram is second only to YouTube as the most downloaded app in the world. The visual platform, which has 1 billion monthly users, is an integral part of any eCommerce marketing strategy.
It takes more than just posting beautiful images. Understanding the platform and its workings is key to getting the best out of it.
Fear not if it’s a new concept to you.
We are here to share some easy ways you can improve Instagram’s eCommerce marketing strategy.
Let’s get started.
Create, automate, repeat
We’re paraphrasing Neil Patel’s 3-part Instagram Strategy, which is now commonplace within marketing jargon.
It is not possible to produce new content every day for everyone. This is why you must be creating it as part of your strategy.
Patel suggests that instead, people create content around their core marketing efforts in small batches, then set it up to be posted via an automated tool, and then repeat the process.
This is a simple, yet effective way to create key content and use the scheduling tools to schedule it for posting.
It’s genius.
It is important to note, however, that your content must be appropriate for the social environment.
This brings us to our second recommendation.
Create content that appeals to your audience
It’s all fine to schedule a lot of content, but only if it is relevant to your audience.
It’s now more important than ever to meet the new Instagram algorithm update and show the most successful content on your feed.
Use hashtags
When it comes to eCommerce strategies, Instagram hashtags can have a huge impact.
They can help you increase visibility and reach your audience. However, if they aren’t used correctly, they can cause harm to your followers or be penalized by the platform.
If you are unsure about how hashtags work, they can help expand your reach by creating some sort of tag for your posts. Let’s suppose you add a hashtag to your caption. Your post will appear on the feed related to that hashtag.
Similar to the above, if you use hashtags in your Story, it may appear in the Story for that hashtag.
It is a simple way to take up space on the platform.
People can follow hashtags, so even if you don’t follow them, they might still see your post in their feed.
Hashtags are a great way for increasing your visibility, but they also create a sense of community among your audience.
Take Pretty Little Thing as an example.
Customers are encouraged to use the hashtag #everyBODYinPLT to upload photos of their recent purchases and to promote the brand as accepting of all body types.
This hashtag can be used by PLT on its website as well as via email marketing or social media. It is an effective strategy to increase sales.
User-generated content
User-generated content is another way to create a community with your audience.
UGC can have a significant impact on eCommerce strategy. Instagram is the ideal platform to do this.
It’s a fancy review system. It’s worth it, as 85% of users find UGC more influential than brand content.
This is an excellent way to increase your eCommerce strategy, regardless of whether you ask people to post creative they “shot on an iPhone” or a selfie taken in “their Calvins”.
A successful eCommerce strategy will not only create a sense of community within your existing audience but also help you expand it.
These are two common growth hacks
1. Giveaways and Competitions
This is a great combination of UGC and old-fashioned promotion.
This is the type of content that brands offer to give away a PS1000 or all the items you see. In exchange, people tag 3 friends and share the post on their Stories.
This content is similar to “recommend someone for 15% off”, and it works well for both getting engagement from existing customers as well as growing your audience.
2. Collaborations with influencers
Collaborations, which are similar to UGC but where the user is an influencer, are a great string to add to your eCommerce bow.
It’s almost like asking a friend who knows everything about coffee for a recommendation, instead of your friend who only drinks tea.
There are many options available for influencer marketing.
- Sponsored Instagram posts
- Blog posts sponsored
- Offline events sponsored
You can also promote these items on Instagram as part of your eCommerce strategy.
It is important to note that influencer marketing has become widely understood and that transparency is crucial.
Customers are more concerned about authenticity, trust, and authority than anything else. We are confident that they will know if you pay a lot to get someone to love your product, even if they have never used it.
Influencer marketing works best when it is done with someone who uses your product, shares your values, and represents your key demographic.
Contrary to popular belief, working alongside influencers with fewer followers is associated with higher engagement and ROI
We were early to say that Instagram is more than just beautiful images.
Images are indeed important.
Instagram is a visual platform, so don’t neglect the aesthetics of your feed.
High-quality media
It is vital to have high-quality content on your Instagram account.
Make it a priority if you don’t already have one.
If images are unclear or not relevant, it can be difficult to take a brand seriously. Stock images are fine and even encouraged. However, you must have your images.
We find it a great way to get inspiration if you aren’t sure what to do next.
Take a look at some of our favorites…
- @sprouts
- @lush
- @lululemon
- @glossier
- @colourpalettecinema
- @symmetrybreakfast
- @best_airbnb
All in one…
Instagram eCommerce strategies that focus on audience engagement and growth are the most effective.
After all, nurturing your leads is key to turning them into conversions. And, with Instagram having one of the highest engagement rates across social media platforms, it’s the perfect place to do so.
