Late last year, Instagram beat out TikTok and became the world’s most downloaded app. It also reached a whopping 2 billion monthly active users.
Instagram isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. If you haven’t been focusing on your Instagram marketing strategy lately, it’s time to get started.
Not sure where to begin? Listed below are 5 effective ways to improve your Instagram marketing conversions and see better results in 2022.
1. Upgrade Your Bio
The bio is one of the first places Instagram users look when they want to learn more about an account, the people behind it, and what it has to offer them. You only have 150 characters to work with in your bio, so you might feel a bit intimidated when you first start writing or revising it. With a little creativity and planning, though, you can easily put together a bio that is informative, intriguing, and also contributes to a better conversion rate. The following are some essential pieces of information that should be included in your brand’s Instagram bio:
Brief introduction: Tell people what your business is all about, including the products or services you offer and the unique benefits your business provides to its clients or customers.
Keywords: Use keywords that are relevant to your target audience; ask yourself what kinds of words people might be typing into the search bar when they look for a company like yours, then include those in your bio.
Hashtags: Hashtags can also make your Instagram account more searchable and provide more insight into what you offer; you could use a branded hashtag that’s unique to your business, or you could use other hashtags that your target customers are already using on their posts.
Link: Add a link to your website in your bio so people know where to go to learn more about your business or check out your products or services; you can also add a link to a LinkTree, which allows you to share several links instead of just one to the homepage of your website.
Got more space? Add a call to action. Invite people to click on the link in your bio so they can shop your products or sign up for your email list.
2. Add Links to Instagram Stories
Speaking of links, if you want to improve your Instagram marketing conversions, make sure you’re regularly sharing links in your Instagram stories. Some people question the efficacy of adding links to Instagram stories since they go away after 24 hours. Your links may not last forever, but they’re still important to share for a few reasons:
Stories Feel More Authentic
Posting on Instagram stories helps your followers to feel more connected to you and your brand. Adding links to your stories may encourage your audience to click on them and learn more about products or services that they might not have been interested in otherwise.
Story Links Create FOMO
You can also use the short-term nature of Instagram stories to your advantage. Everyone knows that Instagram stories only last for 24 hours. This means that if you share a link on your stories, your audience understands that they have a limited amount of time to click on it before it goes away forever. If someone is interested in learning about a product or service after the fact, they’ll have to DM you or comment on one of your feed posts, which doesn’t guarantee them a reply. As a result, they will have an extra incentive to click on the link in your story before it goes away.
Story Links Can Feature Shoppable Products
By sharing links to specific products in your stories, you can generate leads and get sales right from the Instagram platform. This creates a convenient shortcut. It may also be more enticing to your followers than having to go to your account, click the link in your bio, search for a specific product, etc.
Links Are Easy to Add
It’s easy to add links to your stories, too. All you have to do is open the sticker tray after you’ve created a story, add a link sticker, then enter the URL. It’s that simple. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of this simple feature when it can help you make more sales, collect more email subscribers, or drive more traffic to your website?
3. Prioritize Value
It doesn’t matter if you’re creating a feed post or an Instagram story. Always prioritize value when creating social media content.
If your audience doesn’t feel that they’re getting anything from your Instagram account (advice, product recommendations, insight into a specific issue, etc.), they’re not going to be inclined to engage with your content. They’re also going to be even less interested in clicking on your links, signing up for your email list, or investing in your products or services.
Dedicate some time to sit down with your marketing team and create a content calendar for the coming month or quarter. Think about the kinds of posts you can create that will provide value to your audience, help your brand build credibility, and increase trust between you and your audience.
For example, can you share some how-tos to teach people the best ways to use your products? Can you answer frequently asked questions? How about introducing members of the team to let people know what’s going on behind the scenes?
Some brands assume that pre-planning content is inauthentic. If you keep your audience, as well as their unique needs and pain points in mind, though, you can avoid falling into this trap.
As long as you focus on the people who support your brand, you’ll be heading in the right direction with your content and will be rewarded with greater Instagram marketing conversions.
4. Start Using Instagram Shopping
Do you have an ecommerce site attached to your business? If so, Instagram’s new Shopping feature makes it easier than ever for you to generate conversions and boost your sales numbers.
The Instagram Shopping feature allows you to tag specific products whenever you publish content (feed posts, stories, or reels).
When people see these tagged products, they can easily tap on the Shopping icon or the individual items to learn essential details, including product names and prices. Then, they can tap to view the item in your Instagram shop and check out instantly without ever leaving the app.
To set up the Instagram Shopping feature, follow these steps:
- Link your Instagram business account to a Facebook page.
- Link your Shopify or BigCommerce account to your Instagram Account.
- Don’t use Shopify or BigCommerce? You can also create a catalog using the Commerce Manager Feature on Facebook, which lets you manually add items to track inventory on your site with the help of your Facebook pixel.
- Wait for Instagram’s approval; Instagram must review your catalog and approve your account, which takes anywhere from 1-14 days.
Once you get Instagram’s approval, you’ll be able to start adding tags to your posts and taking advantage of all the other features Instagram Shopping has to offer.
5. Run Lead Generation Campaigns
If you haven’t already been running lead generation campaigns on Instagram, what are you waiting for?
When you create Instagram ads, you can set a specific “Lead Generation” objective from the drop-down menu. By default, ads that have this objective set automatically show up in the Instagram feed, the Stories bar, and the Explore tab. This is a great way to reach as many people as possible and generate a greater number of leads.
How do you get people to click on your ads and provide you with their contact details? Offer something valuable (beyond the value you’re already providing in your feed posts and stories). For example, you could create and share a downloadable eBook or guide, a checklist, or a discount code on the user’s first purchase.
For more lead generation success, make sure you also create an impressive landing page that people will access when they click on your ad.
Your landing page should be easily scannable and should provide users with a seamless visual experience. They should be able to quickly skim the page and figure out what they need to do to get whatever you’ve offered them.
Echo the language used on your ad, too, as well as key design elements like the font, color palette, and images. This creates more consistency and helps people feel confident that they’re in the right place. It also adds credibility to your brand and makes it look more professional.
Improve Your Instagram Marketing Conversions Today
From making some simple changes to your Instagram bio to running more effective lead generation campaigns, there are lots of ways you can improve your Instagram marketing conversions. Follow the guidelines listed above and you’ll have no trouble making some positive changes in 2022. Do you need more help leveling up your social media marketing strategy? Check out this blog next to learn about our top 10 social media tips for 2022.
