As proven by their 700 million monthly active users, Instagram is a popular social media platform for millennials. Because of their massive growth, wide reach, and strong influence over consumers, it is hard for any brand to ignore their power. However, launching a company on Instagram may not be as easy. If you are not that familiar with how it works, you might struggle to get a loyal following established. Consider the following tips to help you build your brand on Instagram.

5 Tips for Building Your Brand With Instagram

1. Take Advantage of the Bio Section

There is only one place on Instagram where you can place clickable links—the bio section under your account name located at the top of your page. First, make an informative and interesting bio that can hook followers. Then, promote your brand and boost traffic to your website, online store, or blog by including a link to your targeted landing page. You can also change the link regularly to update your followers about your latest campaign, product launch, event sale, and other promotions.

2. Focus on Content Creation

On Instagram, the two elements you need to focus on are visuals and engaging text. Your content should not only resonate with your followers but also drive them to interact. It is necessary to create high-quality content that is deserving of your audience’s time. As you are about to upload a photo, ask yourself first whether it tells a story or elicits an emotion. An emotional connection can attract and retain the most valuable customers.

Post images outside of your own products once in awhile. Something entertaining, inspirational, or useful. Let your followers know that there is a real person behind that account. To complete your post, make sure to include an engaging caption. It can be a compelling question, a motivational quote, or a powerful statement.

3. Collect & Use the Right Hashtags

Hashtags make it easy for Instagram users to find posts by searching for specific terms. Use the right words to get your brand noticed. You might even gain new followers and be discovered in the process. Although Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, you should aim to use much less than that. Posts with more than five hashtags have significantly lower engagement. Plus, you wouldn’t want to risk coming across as “salesy.” Use relevant hashtags that your brand could use, such as a campaign title, product name, a slogan, or even the location of your store.

4. Engage With Your Competitor’s Followers

The great thing about Instagram is that you can stalk your competitors’ profile accounts without them knowing and you get to scan through their followers. Engaging with their audience is actually an effective way to attract new following. People who are following your competitor’s account already carry some level of interest in the products or services you are offering. Start by targeting at least 50 users. The first step is to follow them, then like a picture, and leave a comment on one of their posts. If the response is good, add more.

5. Partner With a Micro-Influencer

Micro-influencers are well-known in the advertising industry for their ability to generate positive word-of-mouthabout the products and services they feature. According to a study, around 82% of consumers would follow a purchase recommendation from a micro-influencer. The idea is to hire an influencer within a category related to your brand in order to promote your product or service. They can also add a strong call to action in the shout-out to follow your account. It is a great way to gain a large number of new followers quickly.

Instagram marketing is an art. A brand needs to invest time and attention to establish effective engagement and convert followers into paying customers.  If done strategically, a tremendous potential for your business awaits. Get ready to expand your reach, increase brand awareness, and ultimately improve your company’s revenue.