Instagram Marketing - how to do it efficiently

If you want to successfully market your business on Instagram, it's important to really stand out on Instagram. That's always easier said than done, especially in a crowded market like Instagram. According to bmwi, there are 3,5 million companies in Germany classified as small or medium-sized enterprises. Of course, not all of these companies are directly competing with you on Instagram, but this number should give you an impression of how many will try to market themselves and likewise do Instagram marketing. Most companies fail. 80-90% of all start-ups never manage to establish themselves, which is why in such a position it is extremely important to make use of all available marketing options. So you shouldn't just start right away and share random photos, but plan a strategy for ideal marketing on Instagram.

Instagram as a marketing tool

Marketing is the most important task of a new business: if nobody knows about your services or products, no one will buy them, no matter how good they are. With Instagram you have an excellent way to reach new customers, inform them about your products and win them over. For this, they don't necessarily even have to follow you; Instagram increasingly focuses on showing people interesting content rather than just the latest posts from accounts they already follow. The start is the biggest hurdle, though: how do you get the first likes and reach the first users? One option here is buying Instagram likes, which can also generate high reach for new accounts.

An engaging bio

Bio and profile picture are the first things a new user sees when opening your profile. We already have a detailed guide for the ideal profile picture. But the bio is at least as important as the profile picture, so here we want to briefly summarise what must not be missing from your bio. Your bio should summarise at a glance what the user can expect on your profile. Explain briefly and concisely, within the character limit, what kind of company is behind the profile and why the company is special. Don't forget to include contact details and link your website, and you're ready to go!

Instagram Stories and Reels

Stories and Reels are 2 important tools: on the one hand, Stories keep existing followers up to date, and on the other hand, Reels help you reach entirely new users. Stories are ideally used as a more personal medium, where followers should be addressed directly. The options for starting polls and feedback/Q&A rounds are excellent for building a closer bond with your followers and also learning what they expect from your content. Ideas for creating Stories can of course also be found with us. Reels are almost the exact opposite in their use: use Reels to reach entirely new users who don't know you or your company yet. How to use Reels best. In short, Reels tend to gain you new followers and strengthen brand awareness, and sell fewer products. But precisely this effect of spreading your brand is extremely important in Instagram marketing and should by no means be neglected.

Direct messages and comments

Not to be forgotten: behind all the numbers are people. When you communicate with your followers, you can strengthen their bond with your company and become even more successful in the long term. Reply to comments, tell something interesting in your caption, and keep your followers up to date about your company where appropriate. We also have a guide on writing interesting captions. Instagram offers many ways to get in touch with your followers, and you should use them, as this creates interest in your content that goes beyond a short laugh or purely informational interest. When it comes to Instagram direct messages, restraint is required. Since this feature is also heavily abused for spam, it only really makes sense to use it to contact existing followers, for example as a reply to a comment, and in that context to present a suitable offer. Otherwise, you can of course also use it to collect feedback. If used incorrectly, however, it can quickly backfire and make your company appear extremely unprofessional and spammy, so caution is advised.

Paid ads, influencers and giveaways

With paid ads, you can hand over part of the marketing work to Instagram. Here, however, it also matters to target a good audience and to test a lot. This is how you can launch large-scale, profitable campaigns that increase both your revenue and your follower numbers. When used properly, influencers probably offer the best option for a monetary investment. A collaboration with an influencer or other large profiles offers the opportunity to win more followers and prospects, as well as to build great trust in your company. Such a campaign can be significantly more profitable than a classic advertising campaign, especially in the long term and potentially even in the short term. Followers of an influencer have a special bond with them, and advertising through this channel is not perceived as such so quickly. Giveaways are probably ideal in combination with influencers, but they can also generate great engagement on your own profile. Ask your followers to tag their friends: that means more potential customers and free word-of-mouth marketing. In addition, with a call to like and tag, engagement will be significantly higher than usual, so your post is quickly recommended to new users on the Explore page or via hashtags. Instagram marketing is an important lever for marketing your company and, as part of a broader strategy, can quickly bring you more revenue, fans and a stronger bond with existing customers.