If your fencing business is not on Instagram, you are missing out on a dynamic way to reach and retain customers especially Millennials.
Instagram is a relatively new (2010) photo and video sharing social media platform with more than one billion users. Since its inception, Instagram has played a key role in popular culture, with popular users dubbed “influencers.”
Facebook quickly saw Instagram’s potential and bought it for $1 billion in 2012. It was a shocking purchase price at the time, but today Instagram accounts for over $20 billion of Facebook’s annual revenue.
Here are some statistics that point to Instagram as a powerful marketing tool:
Instagram has about 500 million daily stories.
There are 140 million Instagram users in the U.S.
About 70 percent of U.S. businesses use Instagram.
Roughly 70 percent of Instagram users are under 35.
Users browse the site for an average of 53 minutes each day (second only to Facebook).
Setting up a business account on Instagram is free and relatively painless. Here are some tips for doing Instagram marketing the right way.
Create an eye-catching and engaging profile
Instagram is all about images and storytelling. So your first step is to create an appealing profile that shares who you are and what you do. Use the same logo, style, and tone you use in your other marketing materials for consistency in brand image, but strive to add something unique.
Your aim is to convince users to follow you. To do that, you need to grab their interest and make them feel that adding you to their list will offer valuable content on their feeds. Make it personal. Are you a family-owned business? Do you (or your employees) serve the community in some meaningful ways? Share this information in your bio and profile information.
Link your Instagram account to your website and other social media accounts to make it easy for customers to find you online. It’s a god idea to include an Instagram share button on your website. Also, make sure your privacy settings allow everyone to see and comment on your posts.
Share quality visual content
Keep in mind that Instagram is a visual medium. Yes, words matter, but high-quality photos and videos are the better way to attract interest on this platform.
This is your opportunity to post some great photos of your colorful vinyl fences. However, Instagram users tend to scroll past blatant advertisements. Instead, aim to capture your brand and your company culture with behind-the-scenes looks of your team at work installing a fence and with lifestyle shots of your fences at homes and businesses.
Instagram provides an array of user-friendly filters to shade your photos, change the contrast settings, and add other visual effects. You can play around with these tools to get the look you want.
Short videos are a great way to show your fences in action. What about asking that new customer if you can shoot a video of their new backyard fence? Be sure to include that cute but mischievous puppy that prompted them to buy the fence in the first place.
Also, consider sharing photos and videos that are not about your brand. Highlight local non-profits and individuals who are making a difference in your community. This kind of Instagram sharing helps users understand more about your company’s values and increases brand awareness.
Incorporate tags and hashtags
When you tag other local businesses or followers, you can boost your posts and the connections that come from them. That is good for business!
And be sure to add some relevant hashtags. Hashtags allow Instagram users to find and track the content that interests them. You can create brand-specific hashtags and use location-based hashtags to build awareness of your company.
Do not go overboard with hashtags, though. Make sure they relate to the visuals you are posting, or else they might make the whole post appear to be inauthentic.
Keep it fresh
Instagram is meant for sharing timely information. It is not enough to set up an Instagram account; you need to actively manage it in order for it to be successful. That means engaging with other users with likes and comments. It also means posting new content on a regular basis—at least once a week, according to social media experts.
Add Instagram to your marketing calendar so that you post new product launches or discounts on the platform at the same time you begin an ad campaign. Again, it is best to do this in a non-salesy way. Post a photo of your employees hard at work unloading the fences, or someone taking a much-deserved break at the end of a busy day.
Make adjustments
Keep track of how much interest your posts generate. If they are not getting the level of response you would like, it may be time to try a new approach. Take a look at your competitor’s followers for ideas. Scroll through popular local events and hashtags related to your business to find out what they are doing that you are not.
Here are some other ideas for building a base of Instagram followers for your fencing business:
Make sure your username is easily recognizable and searchable.
Follow accounts that interest you and relate to your business.
Use teasers to promote a new fence product or service before it is available.
Offer discounts and promotions just for Instagram followers.
Use Instagram Live to post live videos of product launches or community events.
Repost photos and videos from your employees’ Instagram accounts to show the human side of your fencing business. Just be sure to tag and credit the employee.
Post motivational quotes that are consistent with the brand image you want to convey.
Share posts from your followers to extend the reach of your account.
Instagram can be an affordable, easy, and creative way to grow your fencing business. You can find more tips and tools for navigating this popular social media platform at business.instagram.com.
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