What role does Instagram play in my marketing strategy?

Instagram marketing is amazing. But, Instagram shouldn’t be your entire marketing strategy – instead, Instagram should play a part of a larger marketing strategy. This episode is a quick one, but it’s a must-listen if you’re relying on Instagram marketing to grow your business. I’m looking at where Instagram fits in with your bigger picture and what role it plays in your marketing strategy.

 

 

 

What role does Instagram play in your marketing strategy?

Instagram isn't a small business marketing strategy. Yep, that's right. So many people start a business with the idea that they will be able to market their business solely through Instagram. And, fair enough. From the outside, it seems like this amazing, magic, free way to market your business and there are so many people out there telling you how they built their multi-million dollar businesses on the back of Instagram, without spending a cent.

While that may have worked once upon a time, these people are now the exception, not the rule. If you're planning on only marketing your business through Instagram, you need to do some serious thinking.

Instagram can play a key part in your small business marketing strategy but it shouldn't be the only way you market your business.

What role does Instagram play in your marketing strategy?

It's all well and good trying to build a huge Instagram following but here's a question for ya: What would you do if Instagram shut down tomorrow?

How would you communicate with your followers?

This is why you need to get people off of Instagram and onto another platform. Ideally, your email list, because this is something you have control over to an extent.

Instagram fits into your marketing strategy as a top of funnel activity. Remember, way back in episode 8 where we looked at the buyer journey and mapped out your marketing funnel? Or maybe you need to go back and listen.

Basically, Instagram is a way to get your business in front of new eyeballs and start to nurture people down the funnel. You can also use Instagram to build connection and create trust with your audience.

However, it's not likely to be the main source of your revenue. Organic Instagram simply doesn't scale in the way that other forms of marketing, like Facebook Ads, do.

That doesn't mean you should give up on Instagram altogether though. It means you should instead use it as a way to nurture your audience, rather than using it to sell to them all or time

Consider partnering with influencers to speed up your growth and get your brand in front of new people and make sure you give people an incentive to join your email list. Something like a free e-book or a 5-day challenge. Promote this on Instagram – have a link to it in your bio, talk about it in your posts, talk about in your Instagram Stories.

Think about other ways you're marketing your business and how they all fit together. Don't be afraid to do some cross-platform promotions. There's nothing wrong with promoting a podcast inside of a Facebook Live or asking people to follow you on Facebook from an Instagram stories post.

And, don't be afraid to run paid ads either. They're all so powerful and you can target people so narrowly and make sure you're getting the right people on your website.

Just remember: it takes a hell of a lot more than one touchpoint to convert someone into a customer. So think about how it all fits into your buyer journey.

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