In just over ten years Instagram has gone from a photo-sharing app to a knowledge and business hub. Instagram sees more than one billion visitors every month, and approximately 90% of those visitors follow at least one business. This means that using Instagram to widen your reach and promote your business or service is a no-brainer. Services can run fundraisers through Instagram Live broadcasts, offer merchandise from their profiles, and let people book appointments from their accounts.
Want to use Instagram to promote your services and connect with learners, but are confused about where to begin? You’re in luck! We have compiled a three-part, step-by-step guide to help you get started and set up your Instagram business account for a winning content development strategy. What are you waiting for? Let’s go!
Begin With The Basics For A Winning Content Development Strategy
Step 1: Get an Instagram account!
Let’s begin with the basics. If you want to start a new account from scratch or convert your account to a business one, take a look at these easy steps.
- Download the Instagram app (it is available on iOS, Android, and Windows)
- Open the app and click Sign up.
- Enter your email address. Use an admin email address if you want multiple users to have access to the account, or you are planning on connecting your Instagram business account to your Facebook Page.
- Choose your username and password and submit your profile info.
- Tap Next.
Hooray! You’ve made a personal Instagram account. Now follow the steps below to switch to a business account:
- From your profile, tap the accordion menu in the upper-right-hand corner.
- Click Settings. If you see Switch to Professional Account, click tap it. If not, don’t worry and just move forward to the next step.
- Click Account.
- Select Business. It might also make more sense for you to choose Creator depending on the service you offer.
- Choose your business category and add the relevant contact details so your learners can get in touch with you!
- Hit Done.
Congratulations! Now that your account is set up, let us walk you through how to use it to promote your services, engage learners, and create powerful visual content.
How To Use Instagram To Engage Learners
Step 2: Write An Engaging Bio
An Instagram business profile gives you a small amount of space to convey a lot of crucial information. In 150 characters or less, your business’s Instagram bio should describe your service, engage learners, and highlight your brand’s message. Remember that your bio is often the first thing people look at when they want to learn more about your business, visit your webpage, or book a consultation.
The good news is that the learners reading your bio are invested enough to visit your profile; so now it’s time to reel them in with exactly why they should follow you. Here are a few tips.
- Cut to the chase and keep things concise.
- Use line breaks so that learners can differentiate between the types of info you are providing.
- Use emojis! Emojis are a great way to visually communicate with your learners. Not to mention they can save space, infuse personality into your brand, and reinforce your service’s brand promise.
- Include a call to action. If you want people to click on your link, tell them why they should!
Don’t forget to add a link to your website and your latest blog post. Another great thing about business profiles is that when you add your contact information, Instagram automatically creates corresponding labels such as Call and Email to your profile.
The Secret? Engaging Learners On A Visual Level
Step 3: Don’t Forget Your Profile Pic!
Learners need to see what your brand is all about, and a profile pic is a great way to do that. An Instagram profile photo displays as 110 x 110 pixels but is stored as 320 x 320 pixels, so make sure the photo you upload is approximately this size. Also, remember that your photo will be framed in a circle, so take that into account when creating your image.
- Businesses using Instagram often repurpose their logo as their profile picture.
- If you decide to do this, make sure your logo or profile picture is consistent across all of your social media platforms to avoid confusion and reinforce brand recognition.
Step 4: Begin Setting Goals and Objectives
Before diving into your business’s Instagram project, take a moment to think about what you and your team want to achieve on the platform. Here are a few questions to kickstart your brainstorming session:
- What are my business objectives and how can Instagram help me accomplish them?
- Are my goals specific enough?
- Do my goals have a timeframe?
Asking yourself these questions will help you save time in the long run and help you start your business Instagram journey with a bit more guidance and purpose.
Could Learning Engagement Begin With Instagram?
Congratulations! You have started your business or service’s Instagram account and are on your way to making engaging customized content! Don’t forget to check WeLearn’s blog for the rest of this three-part series, and kickstart your journey to making an unforgettable business Instagram page. Have questions? Share your thoughts, feelings, and perspectives with us here at WeLearn, because together, we learn.
