6 Efficient Ways To Market Your Business On Instagram

There are more than 800 million active users on Instagram worldwide. This massive figure is generated per month. Imagine how many billion likes are collected per day? It is no wonder that Instagram’s international market can enable your brand to reach new heights.

For business purposes, carefully crafting your Instagram profile can lead to viral marketing success. On the other hand, your efforts may go to waste when you use the platform for the wrong reasons.

CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY

Let us start with the basics! As you market your budding business, it is important to maintain consistency through your profile handle as well as your featured photo. Potential followers or clients can easily find you online if you use the same moniker across all platforms. Choose a name that best suits your brand. You may select a name as straightforward as @airbnb, @playdoh, or @adobe.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

All your interactions on Instagram are accompanied by a little round thumbnail of your account. Choose a featured photo that is both recognizable and professional. It is easier to display your brand if all these pieces fit coherently well.

MAKE THINGS ACCESSIBLE

One of my main goals when I set up a professional Instagram account is to sell convenience. You can turn Instagram users to your potential clients by providing significant company information such as your contact number and location. You can display these information through the Instagram Business Profile. This specialized profile allows you to gain access to the extensive analytics data as well. Use said data to tailor your posts among your targeted audience.

Another strategy that enables you to sell convenience is to post a picture of your product launch or your current promotion. Just take some notes from the trending Kylie Cosmetics.

BOOST TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE

There is an element of truth to the age-old saying that “first impression lasts”. Send a potent message to your followers by creating an enticing Bio. Aside from your cheesy thumbnail, Instagram users focus on the contents of your Bio.

Directly under your name is a description box that can either make or break your brand. This is why you must carefully contemplate on its contents. Remember to include a link to your online shop or website to increase traffic.

INTEGRATE TESTIMONIALS

A surefire way to be as relatable as possible is to show your loyal clients’ great experiences. People are more likely to be patronizing a product if they heard about it from an existing satisfied client.

Integrate honest testimonials by using the Instagram stories and its multiple slides. There are many ways to showcase said testimonials. Firstly, you can stream the clients’ reviews on Instagram live. Secondly, you can post a 60-second testimonial video on your feed. Lastly, you can feature your clients’ tagged photos by posting multiple slides.

 

PICK A PROPER HASHTAG

Whenever I am given the opportunity to spearhead an event, I would suggest to designate a specific hashtag. Having an Instagram hashtag enables you to have a gold mine of photos – especially because you can follow #’s now. Apply the same tactic for your business.

Run an exciting campaign that includes a unique hashtag (e.g., #annagiveway2k18 or #ezrasugarcane). Doing this not only promotes your contest, but also allows the participants to connect with each other.

FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION

Put a spotlight on the solutions that your company can bring instead of solely showcasing items. Show the process behind your famous products and services by uploading behind-the-scenes videos. It is possible to do this by uploading short videos or creating interesting Boomerangs. People have always been fascinated by the “how-to videos” (as seen in the millions of Youtube views that this theme receives).

Image Credits: pixabay.com

On Instagram, you are expected to add value to your clients while looking aesthetically pleasing. Tailoring your visual content is vital to your social media presence.

Sources: 1, 2 & 3

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How To Land A Job In The Modern Times

What is the best way to gain the attention of the esteemed recruiters? Consistently dropping your CV in the company’s e-mail? Or perhaps, you can dive into the fresh trend of using social media. The latter is your best bet yet!

Through smart networking and creative strategies, you can get your dream job. Here are just some strategies to keep you busy:

1. ACE YOUR PROFILE

Treat your social media profiles as your striking headlines because potential employers will see these first. Highlight your key skills and prior experiences by adding sufficient information in the “Biography (Bio)” or “About Me” section. For instance, Facebook allows you to include your previous titles by editing the “Work and Education” tab.

Complete your profile by attaching a high-quality and professional photo.

2. USE THE PROFILE’S DIRECTORY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

If you follow the coveted company’s page on Twitter or Facebook, chances are, they are linked to the current employees and employers. Follow or send a friend request to these people and treat them as your inside source. They may post job vacancies to their feeds or walls before these vacancies are widely advertised.

During the job interview, you will have a rough insight about the company and will be able to find a common ground with the interviewer.

3. BE PROACTIVE IN THE CONVERSATIONS

Take part in the healthy discussions related to the industry or the company that you have been eyeing on. You may share an article that interests you, comment on interesting threads, or open a discussion on your profile. Engage your followers by asking stimulating questions.

Respond to these comments to get a holistic perspective about a company or an issue.

4. STAY PROFESSIONAL AT ALL TIMES

Facebook is usually the first platform that hiring managers visit to get an idea of the “real” you. So unless you want them to know about your addiction to Laksa and Adidas sneakers, you must keep your profile professional at all times.

No matter how much you calibrate your privacy settings, your so-called friends can still screen grab your posts. Be careful what you put online! Remember that many of your future employers will be using social media to spy on you.

5. CREATE AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

Hiring managers know that Instagram is one of the main tools that younger generations use today. To look for young talents, they post ads on Instagram. Just search through the keyword “#singaporejobs” to find lots of entries!

You may create an Instagram account that focuses on your brand. Say that you want to work in Singapore’s fashion industry. Stay ahead of the crowd by showing off your unique style through regular snaps of your #OOTD. Do not forget to tag the company’s products in the picture. This is one way for them to notice your talent and to appreciate your free publicity.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Friendly reminder: Use the power of technology with caution. You do not want to get scammed or mistreated because you let your guards down. 🙂

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How To Generate Cash Using An Instagram Account

Social media has infiltrated our lives in ways that our ancestors cannot imagine. Let us focus on one platform – the trendy Instagram (IG). Instagram offers you the opportunity to widen your income or to receive free products by posting photographs. Contrary to popular belief, earning money thru this venue is not limited to becoming an influencer.

There are many methods to capitalize on your IG presence. Here are just of them:

METHOD #1: POST REGULARLY ON INSTAGRAM

To make decent amount of money on the side while feeding your Instagram addiction, you can consider becoming an influencer. Start by treating your feed as a C.V. (Curriculum Vitae). Strategically curate your account to invite as many brands as possible. The wider your feed or portfolio is, the better.

Maintain your Instagram presence by using consistent posting schedules, pristine images, and witty captions. Andrea Chong’s account is an example of a strong local influencer. Remember that you attract the brands that match the content of your feed. For instance, you may be hired as a brand influencer for a detox tea if you exude enthusiasm toward fitness.

METHOD #2: SELL YOUR WORK

You have a knack for photography. If you have numerous quality images that companies and individuals may want to pay for, you can display it on renowned websites such as Shutterstock. Another (relatively uncommon) option is to upload your portfolio on Instagram.

Make sure to add a watermark and a detailed caption to each of your image. This will not only protect your rights, but it will also clearly direct your potential clients.

METHOD #3: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SLIDESHOWS

Do you own a budding small business? Well, you better listen up! This method allows you to establish the diverse angles of your brand using a single post. You do not have to pay for an upgrade.

Instagram has solidified its status as an efficient platform for sharing singular square-shaped photographs. Instagram did its best to sway with the dance of modern technology. It has since expanded to adding videos and time lapses. Furthermore, the Facebook-owned company introduced the slideshow feature. Users can post up to 10 pictures that will appear in one post. This move seeks to help advertisers (like you) to tell sequenced stories. Ensure that your photos follow a unified theme or filter.

METHOD #4: EMPLOY AFFILIATE MARKETING

Various websites display their partners with sidebar banners. This type of publicity is called affiliate marketing. The same principle applies when you are rolling out your affiliates over to Instagram. Affiliate marketing will enable you to receive commission for the products or services that you will promote. Use catchy hashtags and high-resolution images to drive more traffic to the affiliate code or URL.

Step up your game by mentioning the brand on your Instagram stories. Simply edit the text and type “@” followed by the brand’s username. A notification will be automatically sent to the brand’s inbox right away.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

BONUS TIP: You can promote “flash sales” by posting on your 24-hour Instagram stories!

Sources: 1,  2, & 3

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Starbucks: 1-for-1 Venti-sized Christmas Drink (2 – 5 Nov 2015)

Christmas is coming and Starbucks has brought back their popular Christmas drinks.

Besides their all-time favourites Peppermint Mocha, Toffee Nut Latte and Gingerbread Latte, they have also introduced a new flavour – the Christmas Panettone Latte.

To celebrate, fans can enjoy 1-for-1 Venti-sized Christmas Drink from 2 – 5 November 2015, from 3pm – 7pm.

Follow Starbucks on Instagram here.

Starbucks 11 Christmas Drinks

SB IG

Who’d your share the Starbucks Christmas Drinks with? Share this 1-for-1 deal with your friends and family members to find out!

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Make a Six Figure Income as a Fashion Blogger? Well, she just did.

Weworewhat instagram

Step aside Singapore’s bloggers.

Meet the new Instagram sensation who has recently hit 1 million followers last month.

Danielle Bernstein of We Wore What (@weworewhat) is a popular US’s fashion blogger that has set the fashion world abuzz with her inspiring street style.

Since started in 2011, she has amassed over 6,000 posts on her Instagram and is currently rank 1852nd in the World on Social Blade — a website that measures social media presence.

weworewhat

Photo: @weworewhat/Instagram

Bernstein had revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that she charges between US$5,000 to US$15,000 for each piece of sponsored content. And mind you, she don’t have to write a long review like any other bloggers did — instead, she just need to pose and get a #instaworthy shot of herself featuring a brand onto Instagram.

On average, if you have hundreds of thousands of followers you can make anywhere from $500 to $5,000 a post, but if you have upwards of 6 million followers, your fee can be $20,000 to $100,000 a shot. “Which is kind of crazy,” Rankin says. (Source: Harper’s Bazaar)

Of course, having the opportunities to work with big brands such as Lancôme and H&M helps.

weworewhat-lancome

weworewhatliterally on the move with @lancomeusa #miracleonthemove makeup | #ad (Photo: @weworewhat/Instagram)

Companies and brands shell out billion of dollars each year on sponsored content from the so-called new generation of social influencers. Being able to attract followers on Instagram (or other social media platforms) is a serious business.

Even Bernstein said: “Without my followers, i would not be where i am today”

For some, the holy grail of having a huge fan base would almost put you in the rank of celebrities.

Kelly Cutron, a judge on America’s Next Top Model, said to The New York Post:

Are bloggers important? Yeah they f–king are. They’re super important. Bloggers are being paid to sit in the front row, and editors aren’t. They’re talent along with reality-TV people and actors.

With the advent of Internet and technology, Generation Z social-media influencers are changing the way how brands engage their audiences. In fact, a recent research from BDMI has shown that social influencers have a far better reach than the brand itself.

BDMI Social Media

(Chart: BDMI)

Well, then what about the local scene? Let’s not entirely discredit our own Singapore-based fashion bloggers. We do have some popular fashion tastemakers who have got their own taste of success. Ms Andrea Chong (@dreachong) who first started out as a fashion model years ago now boasts an impressive amount of followers on her Instagram. She has worked with numerous brands such as Victoria Beckham, H&M, D&G, Kate Spade Saturday and more.

Drea Chong

Screengrab’s dreachong.com

Her street casual style has definitely won the heart of her fans from all walks of life. And she’s not afraid to share too. Last year, she ran a workshop on “I Want A Fashion Blog” and she covered topics like photography, blogging to social media marketing. If you have missed that, follow her on Facebook and Instagram to get your daily dose of OOTD and fashion tips.

Can you make that kind of money as a fashion blogger? You certainly can. But to make that amount of money, it takes a lot of hard work and passion in the ever growing niche.

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