How to Make the Most of Lead Generation on Instagram
February 14, 2020
The whole point of advertising, on any platform, is to get leads.
This is true whether you’re advertising on a bus bench, on a billboard, on Google, or on your favorite social media platform, like Instagram. Although the investment of time and money will be different depending on which medium you choose, every form of advertisement takes some sort of investment.
Learning to make the most of your investment in advertising means learning how to make every dollar you spend go as far as possible. After all, very few businesses have unlimited marketing and advertising dollars, and the most successful ones learn how to make the most bang for their buck.
Approximately 80 percent of the users on Instagram follow a business account, which means that Instagram’s users are open to marketing, and if you’re not taking advantage of Instagram marketing for your business, it’s time to start.
In terms of lead generation, Instagram is the name of the game; although, the vast majority of social media marketers would never think of Instagram as a lead generator, per se. But, when done right, Instagram can be a powerful lead generator; you just need a little know-how to get it right.
5 Tips for Generating More Leads on Instagram
#1. Maximize your bio.
The first step toward generating more leads on Instagram has nothing to do with your ads or your posts; it’s all about your bio. Optimizing your bio is important because it helps to set your business apart from the many others.
The three main aspects of your Instagram bio that need to be optimized are the profile image, content, and link. Your profile image should be branded, clear, and professional. Your bio should be informative and intriguing, and it should be less about what your business does and more about what it does for customers.
The link space on Instagram is incredibly limited. There’s just enough space to include a single link in your bio. With such limited space, it vitally important that you maximize it as much as possible, and that means pointing your Instagram followers to a landing page that’s designed to convert.
#2. Take advantage of lead ads.
Lead ads on Instagram help businesses gather information about their customers, including phone numbers, email addresses, job titles, and birthdays. They are beneficial because they help small businesses learn all about their customers, which leads to more targeted and, therefore, more effective advertising campaigns on Instagram and beyond.
In order to create Instagram lead ads, you’ll first need a business account on Instagram which will mean that you also need one on Facebook. Instagram ads are built into Facebook’s Ad Manager, and they allow for a better understanding of your audience.
Luckily, the process of creating ads for Instagram on Facebook is easy and user-friendly. You’ll simply choose the objective of your campaign, define who your audience is, choose your placement (I recommend using Automatic Placements for most campaigns), set your bid, pick the right ad format, and, finally, create your lead form.
#3. Build out Lookalike Audiences.
Are you looking to target Instagram users who share many commonalities with your existing customers and have similar wants and needs? If so, there’s no better way to do so than by building out Lookalike Audiences.
Creating Lookalike Audiences starts with choosing your source audience. Facebook will then identify the information people have in common within that audience, such as interests and demographics.
A part of the creation process includes choosing the size of your Lookalike Audience. By choosing a smaller audience, it will line up with your source match more closely, but the reach will be limited. And, if you choose a bigger audience, you’ll have the potential to reach more people, but your audience won’t be as similar to your source audience.
#4. Share and encourage user-generated content.
Posting regularly on Instagram is a must, but the idea of consistently creating content to post can be overwhelming for many busy small business owners. Luckily, though, there’s no rule out there that says you have to create your own content. In fact, some of the best content to share with your followers is the content they create!
Any time someone posts a picture wearing or using your product, shopping at your store, celebrating an event at your restaurant, etc., it’s important to share it and promote it with your followers. Of course, you want to ensure that the posts are appropriate and applicable, but as long as those boxes are checked, user-generated content, of almost any kind, is incredibly powerful.
Sharing user-generated content helps to provide your brand with the social proof it needs to make a statement on Instagram. It’s pretty simple; consumers trust other consumers more than they trust businesses, even when they’re anonymous users online. It also helps to improve engagement.
#5. Make it a point to engage with your audience.
Most forms of marketing are a one-way street, with business owners or marketers providing information and consumers absorbing that information. But, one of the reasons why social media marketing is effective and powerful is that it allows for two-way communication with your audience. However, in order to make the most of the two-way street in social media, you need to start engaging with your audience.
Engaging with your audience on Instagram is a great way to encourage more users to comment, share, and like your posts. And, one of the best things you can do to start engaging with your audience more is to simply respond when they comment on your posts.
Engaging with your customers doesn’t mean just replying with a simple thanks. It means creating an impact, which can be done by asking follow-up questions, sharing related GIFs and images, and using emojis.
Most marketers and business owners don’t think of Instagram as a huge lead generator, but with a little patience and know-how, it can be. Learn how to make the most of Instagram and your social media marketing strategy as a whole by visiting us online at Marketing 360® today.
Get Plans and Pricing Below
Get the know-how to get ahead
Get business, marketing and sales tips written by experienced industry practitioners. 100% free. Cancel anytime.