Instagram has over 300 million active users, many of whom are on the app every single day. In fact, Instagram has twice as many daily active users as Twitter and more than twice as many daily active users as Facebook! That’s why it makes sense to have an Instagram page if you’re in any type of marketing or sales field that can take advantage of the app’s massive reach potential and targeted platform.
Creating a Username and Profile
First, you'll need a username. Try using your initials or last name with the word Insta in front of it. You may also want to think about the words you most commonly use on social media so that your profile name is easily searchable. Once you have a username, choose a profile picture that is professional and not distracting. Next, start filling out your profile by entering in your bio and adding links to other social media sites where people can find more information about you.
Filling Out Your Bio
When you create a new account on Instagram, the first thing you'll want to do is fill out your bio. This is where you'll list your name and any other relevant information about yourself that might be of interest to others. You can include some hashtags in this section if you'd like, but be sure not to go overboard. As with Twitter and Facebook, it's best not to use more than one or two hashtags per post unless they are very relevant and specific.
Adding a Profile Picture
Instagram is all about the profile picture, so be sure to add one! To find it, tap on your name in the top-right corner and then tap Edit Profile. Select a photo for your profile by tapping on Choose Photo. You can edit the photo before you upload it by tapping on Edit Now. Tap Next when you are ready and follow the prompts until you are done!
Connecting Your Other Social Media Accounts
In order to connect your other social media accounts with your Instagram page, you'll first need a business account. To set one up, follow these steps:
- Click on the Settings button at the top of the screen. - Click on Add Account. - Select a username and password.
Finding and Posting Content
To find content for your posts, you can search hashtags relevant to your niche or check out the popular section on Instagram. You can also take pictures of what you're seeing in real life - it doesn't have to be a selfie with a filter!
Utilizing Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories is a new way for you to share your day-to-day moments and stories with your followers. It's a great way to keep up with users who might not be following you on Instagram, or anyone who doesn't have the app installed.
Interacting With Other Users
Start by finding a few people you want to follow, and then go through their posts and comment on them. Next, find some people who follow you or have commented on your photos before and send them a DM. You can also get followers by following hashtags that have large followings, but make sure the hashtags are relevant to your content.
Hashtags and Tagging
Hashtags are used for categorizing posts and making them more easily found. Your post should be tagged with at least one relevant hashtag, but some tags are so popular that you can use up to three per post. For example, if you're posting a picture of your dog, you might want to tag it with #dog, #pet and #animallovers.