Designing Your Instagram Marketing Content Plan

Is your small business ready to start making Instagram a part of your marketing mix? Here is how we recommend developing an Instagram marketing content plan that most effectively promotes your business and attracts potential new customers.

If your small business is ready to start making connections with your current and potential customers, Instagram offers a unique opportunity for you. This social media outlet differs from Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ in that it is primarily used for telling a story. Pushing your services or products and making a hard sell will not work well with this audience. Instagram is a great forum for making connections and adding value to your ideal clients that build trust and establishes your expertise.

The Right Mix of Content

In order to achieve this, you need to have the right mix of content types. You will want to include a heavy dose of content that adds value and helps potential clients, along with posts that make connections with potential clients, while mixing in some soft promotion that highlights your service or product.  Using Instagram’s 3×3 content square, we would recommend a 4:3:2 ratio of four posts that add value, three posts that make connections, and two posts that promote or sell your product.

Adding Value

When planning for posts that provide value to your audience, you should focus on sharing your expertise and providing tips that are helpful to solve problems your audience may be facing. Your willingness to give away your best stuff for free will not only build trust but also establish you as the authority in your field. When the time comes that your audience needs help they will be more likely to call on you to provide that assistance.

The next way to add value is more generic and only slightly less important. Bring out your humorous posts and inspirational quotes that showcase your personality and values as a company.  Sharing inspirational quote cards helps potential clients to connect you and encourages them to reach for their dreams and goals — especially those dreams directly related to your product or service. These cards are also highly shareable and will help to extend your brand’s reach.

Making Connections

Next, you want to plan posts that connect with your audience and showcase what your company is all about. Tell a story and help users to know the people behind your business. This is a fantastic way to build trust and make connections with potential customers.

Showcase Your Product or Service

Once you’ve taken the time to focus on telling your story and adding value, Instagram users will be more open to hearing your sales pitch. Now it is time to plan the posts that sell your product or service.  You just don’t need to be in a rush to make this the first thing they hear from your company.

Instagram can be a great platform for connecting with current and potential customers.  Tell your story, share your expertise, and be prepared to bring new clients into the mix through Instagram.