In 2018, around 1.8 billion people around the world purchased goods online and worldwide eCommerce sales reached USD 2.8 trillion. According to Statista, sales will reach USD 4.8 trillion by the end of 2021.
Social media is a prime avenue for product research and marketing. According to Search Engine Land about 88% of consumers search for a product on Google before they decide to buy it or not. Because users search for increased approval for their decisions, they require additional clarification and support. Simple searches have transformed into inquiries. It’s where social media comes in. Every month, more than 14,000 users type “Can anyone recommend” on social media platforms and over 30,000 users write “Where can I buy” on social networks.
On Google, it’s difficult to outrank big brands such as Amazon. To get your brand in front of prospects easier, don’t just rely on SEO, use social media networks. Social media allows you to go where your prospects are and increase your brand awareness.
Instagram has more than 200 million active users every month who post about 60 million photos daily. And 86% of the world’s top brands have an Instagram presence. What’s more, brands with a following of over 100,000 users have grown by about 160% in two years. So, read on to discover Instagram’s marketing secrets for eCommerce. You’ll boost your business sales and brand awareness in no time.
Branding
Branding your posts on Instagram and maintaining consistency will attract more prospects. Users view consistency as a sign of credibility and trustworthiness. When users trust your brand, they’ll likely purchase from you.
For the perfect image branding, you must choose the right color scheme and create inspirational visuals. Draft a shortlist of your competitors and check what visual strategy they’re using. Use 3rd party tools and search for your competition’s accounts. Check how their images reflect their brands. You’ll discover what ideas work best. Create your own visual branding focusing on what you want to capture in your posts.
You’ll find a variety of ways to create consistent images. For example, Nike’s branding on Instagram comprises different filter overlays and videos. But each image is clean and focused. Nike is a sports and fitness brand but its posts are emotional. They evoke power, concentration, and optimism. Although the posts vary in color, they stay true to the brand’s values.
You must pair your images with the right fonts. Choose different styles for your titles, subtitles, and captions. Once you’ve selected the fonts, stick with them for increased consistency.
If you already have a successful eCommerce store, it’s likely you have an established color scheme. Use tools such as ColorZilla to pick the colors from your site. You can copy and paste these colors into Canva. But if you don’t have an established color scheme, use Coolors. It’s a free and user-friendly tool. You’ll easily find a color plan to use in your Instagram posts.
Inspirational Posts
Users love beautiful photos. But posting on Instagram is more than just taking a picture with your smartphone. Your posts must evoke emotion and your brand’s values.
You can use a variety of apps to edit your photos and create inspirational and captivating posts. You’ll find tools such as Canva, beFunky, Snappa or Design Wizard, which are easy-to-use and efficient. Check out the editing features each tools offers and use a combination for best results.
Finding the Best Instagram Feature
Instagram offers a wide variety of features to increase brand awareness. For example, Instagram Stories is an effective way to improve your reach and engagement rates on the platform. Upload different video formats such as boomerangs, reverse, or super-zoom and appealing images. Because the lifetime of an Instagram Story is 24 hours, it’s a great way to attract prospects for a new product launch, limited offer, or an upcoming event.
To further engage your audience, publish an article on your site and link to it in the Instagram Story. For example, Lowe’s uses Instagram Stories to showcase different tutorials on home improvement and décor. One of the Stories highlights how to transform an abandoned room into a playroom for your kid.
Use Videos and Images to Generate Ideas
Instagram comprises many tools to help you create fun, engaging, and exciting content. Take Ben and Jerry’s, for example. They’re famous for tasty ice-creams, frozen sorbet, and yogurt. But the brand is also known for its original and playful Instagram posts. You’ll find posts comprising a spinning wheel with a variety of ice-cream ingredients or posts with their products’ mathematical specifications. Users often share these posts, generating free advertising for Ben and Jerry’s. The more creative your posts, the more your followers will interact with them.
Showcase Your Clients with User Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) improves your Instagram marketing strategy by boosting engagement rates and sales. UGC influences purchasing decisions as users consider it to be 2.4 times more trustworthy than branded content. You can organize competitions on Instagram or ask users to share product reviews. Ask your followers to share posts with the products they’ve purchased from your brand. And, with their permission, post the pictures to your brand’s Instagram account. This way other users will be inspired to make a purchase from your eCommerce store.
Referral marketing on Instagram has a strong positive effect on sales. And most fashion eCommerce businesses are implementing referral marketing in their Instagram campaigns to promote their brands. For example, Aerie, which is a clothing brand, asked women to send in photos wearing their Aerie swimsuits.
Use the Right Hashtags
Hashtags help users find your posts. Just publishing great photos on Instagram isn’t enough. Each post must include at least one hashtags. While adding the right hashtags to your posts will improve your reach and engagement, the wrong hashtags or too many added to a post can negatively impact its performance.
To search for relevant hashtags you can use Instagram’s search tool or 3rd party tools such as Iconosquare. For example, a dance enthusiast will search through Instagram using hashtags such as #dancelover, #danceforlife, #dancechallenge, #dancehall, or #dancedance. You can use up to 30 hashtags on an Instagram post. The best way to find out how many tags you should use is by testing different variations. When you have enough traction, you can also create branded hashtags and make your posts shoppable through Pixelshop.
Selling on Instagram
As an eCommerce business, you can use selling software to convert a link into a clickable storefront, which includes all your products. Use a 3rd party tool such as Yotpo, which connects multiple products to an image. With your bio link, a prospect can visit your store and use the buy now tab to make a purchase.
Hashtags can also help you sell on Instagram. For example, with #Inselly you can mark products as buyable. Users can discover your items easily and make purchases through Instagram.
Conclusion
Instagram is a popular and efficient marketing platform for eCommerce businesses. With the right branding strategy and marketing techniques, you can easily boost your brand awareness and sales. Use a variety of tools such as Canva, Iconosquare, Inselly, and Yotpo to create a high-performance Instagram presence. You’ll attract a huge following and boost your conversions.