How To Convert Your Instagram Followers Into Customers

By now, it’s safe to assume that you, as a business owner, have a social marketing strategy. You’re present on all relevant social media platforms, you’re making and sharing content regularly, and this has helped you gain a substantial amount of followers. However, converting your Instagram followers into customers requires more than just posting every day.

According to studies, 71% of people are more likely to buy something based on social media recommendation, while 74% use social media to guide their buying decisions. This clearly shows that customers are now more than committed to social media when it comes to making purchasing decisions. As a business owner, it’s in your interest to take full advantage of this trend.

If that’s not enough incentive, here are a few other reasons why you should be using Instagram for your business:

• 80% of users follow at least one business on Instagram
• Instagram has an interaction rate of 2.2%, which is much greater than other social networks like Facebook (0.22%)
• Over 50% of businesses use stories, and 1 in every 5 stories gets a direct message
• Instagram influences almost 75% of user’s purchase decisions
• Over a third of Instagram users have made a mobile purchase

Instagram is now the fastest growing social network. It’s not only very user-friendly and appealing to the younger generation, but it also proposes several functions and advantages over other social networks that business owners can to drive more sales. Here are some strategies that you can implement right now:

1. Offer Discounts to Followers

Everyone loves discounts. Sharing a discount code with your followers is a great way to encourage them to buy your products. Sharing this promo code on your story will make your followers feel more included.

This strategy is not only limited to stories. You can use it as a profile post, or use it to run a targeted ad and gain more followers.

The advantage of this method is that the customer has nothing to do, except select the item they want. The call to action button will lead them to your website and the code will be automatically used.

2. Run Targeted Ads

If your goal is to get more followers, you should consider running targeted ads. Doing so will expose your business to your target market, which can be accurately set using parameters such as age, gender, location, and even interests.

The advantage of using Instagram ads is that they are less invasive compared to other social networks. The post looks like any other post on Instagram, with the exception of a highlighted call to action above the caption.

Have a look at this example from Treat A Dog:

It looks no different than a regular Instagram post, which trick users into looking at it (and the username) instead of immediately scrolling past something that was obviously an ad.

3. Use Influencers to Promote Your Brand

Partnering with influencers is a  great way to increase your visibility on Instagram. Of course, your business may not be as big as Nike, or Fit Tea who partner with celebrities and huge influencers for their ads, but it has been found that 82% of people are highly likely to follow recommendations made by micro influencers.

These micro influences don’t necessarily have a huge following, but their impact comes from the way they engage with their audience. Micro influencers usually have a very niche audience with whom they are deeply connected.

The influencer will usually post a picture of them using your brand’s product, and explain how it helps them in their daily life. Here, Merrill Melideo (@merzidotes), a lifestyle influence is promoting a bag from Lily Jadeco (@lilyjadeco)

4. Showcase Your Products

This year, Instagram introduced the Shopping feature to stories. This is what it looks like:

Businesses now have the ability to tag products using the shopping bag sticker on their stories. When tapped on, it will redirect to the brand’s website. From there on customers will have the option to buy the product in the story. This helps with driving more conversions; the less clicks it takes to make a purchase, the better it is for you.

5. Use Shoppable Posts

Relying on customers going to your website to view your products and make a purchasing decision can be quite frustrating. Now, thanks to Instagram’s new feature, your followers can directly go to a product’s page from a post.

It’s simple: your post would be just like a regular post, except that you’ll be able to tag products in it, as shown below:

It’s then easier for your followers and potential customers to see the product, instead of manually going to your website and looking for something. Shoppable posts increase conversions as the tag already includes the price and a link to purchase the product; all the customer has to do is to tap on the tag and they will be redirected to the product page.

6. Run Contests and Giveaways

Promotional contests and are a great way to increase engagement with your followers. Some business owners are very skeptical of these since they involve giving away free products. However, if done properly, the return can exceed the investment; you have to spend money to make money.

The creative possibilities are endless with this strategy. You can partner with another brand to sponsor the giveaway, you can ask your followers to take pictures with your products. The latter will give you tons of user-generated content to use later on.

To hold a contest or giveaway, simply ask your followers to upload a picture and tag your brand. People who see these posts from people they follow will be more willing to check and follow your page, and maybe enter the contest themselves.

7. Reply to Comments and Messages

Last but not least, interact with your followers. By replying to their comments and messages you are giving your brand a human touch, and showing your followers that you actually care enough about them to reply.

In today’s competitive landscape, you need to make full use of all available resources to give your business the edge. Instagram users value high-quality content and visuals. Creating those will give them an idea of your brand’s visual identity. Using those coupled with the tools and strategies mentioned in this article, will allow potential customers to have an immersive social experience of your brand on Instagram, and allow you to drive more conversions through the social media platform.

For more information on how to convert your Instagram followers into customers, call one of the digital marketing experts at Techwyse at  866-288-6046, or contact us here.