Sep 3, 2018
Despite the difficulty of driving traffic through Instagram, especially when compared with Twitter or Facebook, publishers still find ways to turn followers into readers. During the past several years, Instagram organically turned into a powerful marketing machine from an ordinary photo-sharing application. Clickable links added into Insta stories and shoppable posts make users consume news, visit brands’ websites and read blogs right from Instagram. And today publishers already use creative tactics to engage followers and turn their target audience into real-life readers. And if you are interested in how they manage this, InstaBF, one of those Instagram and IGTV providers you can thoroughly trust, will gladly showcase several examples of tested and succeeded tactics to adopt.
Rolling Stone Magazine Chooses Insta Stories and Regular Posts for Driving Traffic
Rolling Stone Magazine founded in the 1960s has always been on the top. The reason for such a tremendous success is not only the quality of content they publish but also the strategy they use. This magazine uses Instagram regular posts and stories to cross-promote its latest releases and drive even more traffic through this social network. Additionally, Rolling Stone allows its followers to read their articles with just one click without even leaving the application or using the link in the bio.
Inc. Magazine Chooses Engaging Quotes for Capturing its Audience’s Attention
Attention-grabbing quotes are a working tool for breaking up blocks of copy for plenty of publishers and it has turned out to be working on Instagram, too. For instance, the popular weekly magazine Inc. adds quotes in its captions for both capturing its audience’s attention and making them click the link in the bio. If the caption is picked up correctly, it will provide context, add personality to your post and inspire lots of followers to take an action. This seems to work great for publishers.
Fast Company Creates Wonderful Captions and CTA
Just like the magazine mentioned above, Fast Company pays close attention to its captions and call-to-actions. Quite often, you can find small parts of the magazine’s latest content in the captions of its Instagram account. Additionally, it uses Linkin.bio to drive more traffic than it could do without it.
Complex Stops on Instagram Stories Highlights for Driving Traffic
Do you remember how all Instagram users including businesses were excited about the Instagram Stories Highlights once they appeared in December last year? Well, Complex was among those excited brands, too. And if brands use this Gram feature for showcasing their products, Complex is targeted at driving traffic to its articles and it does it like a real pro. For instance, when Complex created a highlight to promote “The Best Rapper Alive” article, it didn’t simply encourage its followers to read the article. Instead, Complex created three teaser stories and only after a follower has tapped through each of them, he becomes able to click-through to the article published on the website of Complex.
Mashable Generates Interest through Video Content
It’s been proved that videos on Instagram have turned to be more popular than ordinary images. And even though plenty of brands don’t make use of this, yet (unfortunately for them), Mashable is always ahead of time. This is quite natural, as Mashable is one of the most prominent tech-focused publishers, but unlike others, Mashable manages to turn video views into website clicks. Under each video that it posts, you can find a CTA that will lead the viewer to the website and find out more about the content in the video.
Aug 31, 2018
Perhaps every girl feels the same jealousy when scrolling through another more famous girl’s Instagram feed filled with super catching photos. Whether it’s an image of a girl basking in the sun on the beach with golden sand or one when she is sipping a fancy freakshake in a cafe, you can’t but start thinking about getting up out of your bed and creating some Instagram-worthy images of your own. Surely, traveling a lot and leading a luxury lifestyle sounds great, but it’s far not realistic in most girls’ lives especially when they are on a college budget. Nevertheless, if you have determined to create some awesome pictures to up your Instagram game, InstaBF is here to support you. First of all, it offers to order as many Instagram likes, comments and followers (also for IGTV accounts) as you may need. Seeing what a huge number of followers keeps an eye on your feed will make other users get attracted. And secondly, InstaBF would like to share some really working tips to help you make your Instagram account look like you have a chic life. So, eyes wide open and pens ready to make notes, we head on:
Photo editing apps
Remember to never post a photo without editing it beforehand. Otherwise, your feed will look untidy and unprofessional. For instance, VSCO Cam is an essential tool in creating some marvelous images for an Instagram account. It features numerous filters with the help of which you can transform a photo. Once you dig in the miraculous world of VSCO features, most probably you will become a fan of photo editing.
Fancy food pictures
Perhaps you have already noticed what great popularity food has on Instagram. You have certainly admired the appetizing looks of the meals pictured, yet can’t be certain in the good taste, can you? Hence, even if you are having a simple breakfast, arrange your plate artistically, place a flower in a glass near it, take a photo and post it on your feed. Become the person you can’t eat a meal without snapping an image for Gram beforehand.
Feet are in
Even if you think your feet aren’t the most photogenic part of your body, Instagram will think otherwise. Such images as you can see above can document all the places you have been in a creative way. Besides, this way the surrounding around doesn’t have to be a world-known destination.
P.S. Make sure your nails are painted or your boots aren’t thorn.
Use Candids for unique images
Duck-lip selfies are already a past. Today pictures showcasing real emotions like laughter, a sincere smile or a dreamy condition will score you higher points. Go for that instead of stereotyped selfies.
Images from the back
Images taken from behind are really stunning. This is a great way to highlight not only your outfit but also where you are. Take the pose that best fits the surrounding: you can throw your hands in the air and your head to the sky, pose as if you are running or take V gesture with your hands.
Use the nature around you
Have you noticed that nature has a magic power of appearing grandiose in any photo even if you don’t? Hence, even if you have no opportunity to head to some remarkable destination, use the local forest, park or even the drops of rain on your window to take some attractive images. Be sure, there is no one who wouldn’t appreciate nature-inspired images.
Set up is a game changer
Who said you can’t take some nice pics right at your place? Just pick up a theme and find respective items around your house. Place the items in a lovely mess on the floor in the bathroom and take the so-popular flatlays! Or you can put on some lovely socks, switch on your laptop, grab a glass of tea and take a photo. Such an image will warm up your followers on winter cold evenings.
Aug 2, 2018
From the hundreds of million registered accounts on Instagram, twenty-five millions belong to diverse brands. This number seems to have started growing as this social platform proved to be a highly “fertile soil” for running a business. It’s a highly active platform where brands have all the chances to build a brand awareness, find and attract target customers, and eventually driver sales. One of the most efficient tools of Instagram business accounts is the Instagram Story. Today InstaBF, a leading Instagram and IGTV provider, is going to reveal how you can generate leads with this feature of “all-mighty” Instagram!
The Science Lying Behind Instagram Stories
As the State of Instagram Marketing in 2018 shows, around sixty-four percent of businesses accept Instagram Stories as a powerful means for promoting their businesses. It was proven by Social Media Today that the more posts you make in your stories, the lower the competition rate is. Therefore, for a higher engagement, it’s better to keep the story in a single digit range. How can you profit from the relationships with your story viewers? Remember that Instagram is, first of all, an acquisition channel. It will help you redirect potential customers to your brand’s website. And even though most brands mistakenly think that the user actions can be performed right on the social network, in reality, people prefer to engage with their favorite brands right through their official websites.
So, briefly to say, an Instagram Story is a wonderful channel for generating the initial interest among your customers, yet capitalizing on that very interest is not that easy.
Generating Leads
A good strategic plan is a basis for increasing the engagement. And having a high Instagram engagement rate is beneficial as long as it grows your leads and respectively sales. To increase your Instagram profitable engagement and generate leads with your Gram Stories, it’s crucial to work out a comprehensive strategy. How to do that? Let’s find out all the steps together:
Set up a Target Audience
A precisely-worked out audience persona is the core of a good marketing tactic. How to scheme one, InstaBF has already addressed to. So, if your researches show there are few people on Instagram coinciding with your audience persona, it’s better to drop the idea of generating leads through Instagram Stories. If not, move ahead.
Establish Your Brand’s Website Campaign
Make sure once a visitor is on your website, he is immediately aware what to do. The conversion element is to be ready and waiting for each and every visitor. Here are what your Instagram campaign should convert:
- A specific landing page;
- Compelling message;
- GFPR compliance.
Creating Capturing Instagram Stories
Now, when all the follow-up steps are well established, it’s time to create some awesome Instagram stories. Here you first need to take into account your target audience – the audience persona. Your stories should be fun and entertaining, or interesting and essential particularly to them. Use CTA and clickable links in all your stories, apply to influencer takeovers (especially if you are a new brand to Instagram) we have already talked about in one of our posts, host an Instagram competition or giveaway. Remember that every story should not only represent your brand, but they must also make your customers feel a part of it (well, at least want to become a part of it).
Test, Measure, Improve
The final essential steps in running an effective Instagram campaign are testing, measuring and improving. With this, we mean finding out how many leads your Instagram stories generate for your business. Improve those elements that turned out to be not that effective or which are not so profitable.
So, as you can see, to generate leads and increase your product sales, you have to be both strategic and creative.
Jul 2, 2018
Instagram seems to be everywhere touching every sphere possible including culinary. You will agree if we say that every day you can see a new photo or video of a delicious-looking croissant, an extraordinary freak-shake, a healthy salad offered by diverse cafes or restaurants appear on your feed. Nearly all of them are colorful, appetizing and simply amazing. Running a food business nowadays is a harsh business, yet with the help of Instagram, it’s more than possible to stand out in this competition. If you own a food business and want to use this social network for its promotion, follow the few steps described below by InstaBF. This famous provider of Instagram and IGTV likes, comments, followers and views can help to make your venue generate a huge buzz online that will lead to people lining up out your door.
Doing a Research
If you are passionate toward your work, you are sure to be eager to run to your kitchen and experiment like a crazy scientist! However, you needn’t hurry as researching prior to getting to work is the halfway towards a success in business. So, it’s better to grab a pen and paper, turn on your PC and start seeking for the trendy dishes and ingredients. It’s so important to understand particularly what can make your cafe popular and what can make people talk about, come to taste and return for more. Briefly saying, you always need to have a current top-selling meal. This can be cocktails, unique ice-creams, hotcakes, milkshakes (freak-shakes are rather popular among the youth). Search down social media platforms, see what influencers like to post, and, of course, track your own sales report.
Brainstorming Some Ideas
What would you add to your menu or how would you upgrade your cafe if you had all the money of the world? Don’t laugh, but write down any sensible idea that comes to your mind. Afterward, call in your entire team starting with baristas and ending with the waiters to ask the same question. Once you notice some common ideas flowing, fix them and start working to implement them as much as possible. Working with visitors directly, sometimes your staff may notice what you can’t and suggest a better idea than you could. Besides, this way your workers will feel more valued and operate as a unit, devoting more energy and passion into creating something they believed would work.
The Wow-Factor
Do you remember how you were eager to take a photo of the meal you were served the other day and post it to your Instagram feed? Particularly that’s the wow-factor! It’s something that makes people like, remember, and speak about immediately. If you are a success in making your meals appear on Instagram by your cafe visitors, a rise in sales is to be expected! So, remember that any dish you prepare and serve is to be photogenic!
Documenting the Entire Process
Have you noticed how artfully fashion brands hint about new clothing lines? What about the buzz that movie trailers create on the web? Use the same technique on your Instagram account to keep your followers engaged. Whenever you are going to introduce something new in your menu, post some well-schemed teasers and sneak peeks of what’s going to be offered to your cafe visitors in the near future. Let your followers-visitors be a part of your cafe’s fairy tale and they’ll love to stay in it further.
Additionally, it will be great to use Story polling feature to find out what your visitors prefer more in your menu.
Posting Photos
Every time you prepare something delicious and beautiful for any visitor, take a photo and upload it to your Insta’s page and tag the visitor who ordered it (if he/she is your follower). Remember that the mere sight of delicious meals stimulates the appetite!
Jun 26, 2018
Recently Instagram has introduced a brand new feature called IGTV. Namely, it allows Instagram users to upload videos that are up to 1 hour long. These videos are similar to the Stories functionality which was intended for capturing momentary videos and share them with your friends. This feature was getting more and more popular with beauty and travel bloggers, so now Instagram decided to launch the standalone mobile app to create video content.
Technically, the IGTV is still purely mobile-oriented – the videos are in the vertical format intended for tablet and smartphone users. The app has several tabs: For You, Following, Popular and Continue Watching. The first one is a video stream compilation based subscriptions and recommended videos. The Following tab contains the videos from the people you are following on Instagram. Continue Watching allows you to return to some video you haven’t watched up to the end.
Surely, you can like, follow and share the videos with your friends and followers.
Now, what are the opportunities for professional Instagram users and what are the prospects of IGTV on the Web?
How can IGTV change the game for Instagram bloggers?
The Instagram officials say that the creators are the channels and suppose that in the long run IGTV is supposed to become an alternative to the conventional TV. According to some researches, the share of video content in the Internet traffic will be up to 78% by 2021, and without any doubt, up to 80% of this traffic will be via mobile devices. That’s why the introduction of the vertical screen may be a good foundation for future success.
Still, IGTV will have to struggle for leadership with other video content and streaming platforms and the mastodons of the industry such as YouTube or Vimeo may be pretty tough to defeat. But IGTV has a certain audience of users that will for sure take an advantage of it.
IGTV is a really revolutionary feature for spontaneous, on-the-go content makers. Previously, the beauty, fitness or travel bloggers, celebrities, music bands and other representatives of the showbiz world had to use third-party platforms to publish their personal videos and vlogs. Taking into consideration that the logic of modern show business is built around the social network functionality, they were using YouTube mostly as a video hosting for long videos. Now they can do it directly from their mobile.
This doesn’t mean that IGTV is a newborn YouTube killer. The vertical format of the videos means that they will be mostly spontaneous, raw. So, the target audience of more professional content will still use YouTube, but the latest surveys show us that the larger part of content consumers prefer the videos produced by non-professionals (mostly vloggers).
It’s much easier to trace the popularity of your content by publishing the videos directly on the platform getting likes and shares. IGTV will also speed up the creation of a follower base as it will speed up the process of content making. So we may expect an emerge of a new content market in the nearest future.
IGTV and SMM professionals: new horizons
The emergence of a new content format and platform interwoven with the fastest growing social network on the planet will mean that the SMM specialists will have a bunch of new strategies to explore.
First of all, IGTV has a huge advertisement potential in terms of product reviews (for example, the cosmetics reviews by top beauty bloggers), real-life demonstrations and especially viral marketing. In fact, one can multiply the ease-of-use and democracy of YouTube by the huge social resources of Instagram and get the approximate understanding of what can be done with IGTV.
Secondly, the above-mentioned marketing opportunities are now available for everyone and it’s crucial for small and local businesses who cannot afford high advertisement budgets. So SMM specialists may expect an increased demand for their services.
The other side of the medal is that content making for IGTV will require more resources, but considering virality the effort will pay for itself. Besides this, the platform will probably urge the advertisers to mimic the non-professional video content which means that the budgets will be really lower than those required for promotional videos on YouTube.
All in all, IGTV has much to be explored and discovered by the SMM professional and, probably, we will witness new trends and new marketing strategies within this platform.
InstaBF Team have been working both with individuals and professional SMM and PR managers for several years already offering promotional boost services. Certainly, we cannot ignore the changes on the market and we proudly present our new packages for IGTV. Now you can buy IGTV likes, buy IGTV views and buy IGTV comments for your IGTV videos and catch the hype waves in the newly discovered ocean of opportunities.
