1.WHAT IS INSTAGRAM:
“Instagram is an entirely visual platform. Unlike Facebook, which relies on both text and pictures, or Twitter, which relies on text alone, Instagram's sole purpose is to enable users to share images or videos with their audience.” - HubSpot
2. HAVING A COMPLETE INSTAGRAM PROFILE (take these steps):
- Download the app and create an account with a company email and private password (not a personal one)
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To be consistent the brand's Profile Name, brand colours, brand fonts should match on all platforms
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Bio image must be updated with the most recent picture of you or your business (logo)
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Add a phone number
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Add email
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There is only one field in which a link about the business can be displayed. Add a website link associated with your business or create a floating landing page summarizing all important attributes of the business onto one web page
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Add a bio - make sure you give a mission statement/company goal
to pull people’s interest - add your location
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Turn on ‘Similar Account Suggestions’
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Professional Account - choose your category ex: “Beauty,
Cosmetic, Personal Care". You may not be able to add your own descriptor
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Turn push notifications on - each tab should say “From
Everyone”
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Under ‘Privacy and Security’ allow story sharing - allow
show activity status
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Start adding images and videos
3. ALL THE FEATURES AVAILABLE ON INSTAGRAM:
--> Likes:
- ‘Likes’ indicate that someone has seen your picture or video and appreciates the content for whatever reason
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Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile (to view your likes). Tap in the top right, then tap Your activity. Tap Interactions, then tap Likes. Tap the post or video you'd like to view
--> Comments:
- 'Comments' is one of the two ways people engage with the content they see on Instagram (The other option is to like the post simply). Comments are often a more sought-after form of engagement.
- Pinned comments, when you pin comments, they appear at the top of a post or in the comment summary that appears in the feed.
- You can also like people's comments (located on the right side of the comment)
- You also have the option to turn off your comments - Step 1: Open IG, Step 2: Open that particular post to turn comments off, Step 3: Tap three dots (Menu) above your post, Step 4: From the given options, select Turn Off Commenting.
--> Shares:
- The number of times your story was shared with other accounts (usually sent through DMs)
--> Saved:
- Users save posts they like by tapping the bookmark icon in the bottom right-hand corner of any Instagram post. Saved posts can be found by navigating to the Instagram profile, clicking on the hamburger menu, and then tapping “Saved.”
--> DM's:
- DirectMessages lets you send messages to one or more people. These messages can include text and photos or videos you take or upload from your library. You can also send other posts or stories shared by your account or posts from other accounts.
--> Reels:
--> Videos:
- Instagram feed video refers to the videos you upload to your main Instagram page, rather than to your Stories. These show up in the Instagram feeds of your followers, as well as on your main profile page.
- Videos can be promoted.
--> Carousels:
- Post up to 10 photos or videos as 1 swipe-able carousel. You have the ability to share a mix of up to 10 photos or videos as a single carousel post that friends can swipe through
- Carousels can be promoted.
--> Guides:
- Instagram Guides are a cross between Instagram carousels and blog posts. They can be created using pre-published posts, places, or product listings from the creator's account or public accounts. Each guide includes: a cover image, title, introduction, and optional descriptions for entries.
--> Stories:
- Feature that lets you share all the moments of your day, not just the ones you want to keep on your profile. As you share multiple photos and videos, they appear together in a slideshow format: your story.
- Other features available on stories: include a link, shoutout/support a small business, trending stickers, hashtags, temperatures, clock/current time, add a food order and the platform used (Uber, DoorDash, etc.), quizzes, countdowns, polls, questionnaires, throwbacks, mentions, templates (top 3 accounts to follow, quick draw challenge, quote of the day etc), gifs, and shoutouts.
- You may now like people's stories (located at the bottom right corner)
--> Highlights:
- Stories ‘Highlights’ is a part of your profile where you can express more of who you are through stories you've already shared. And to help you build highlights, your stories will now automatically save into a private ‘Stories Archive’ so you can easily relive them whenever you want. You can find these highlights under your IG bio.
--> Collaborators:
- Instagram ‘Collabs’ allow you to invite someone to collaborate on a Feed post or Reel, so they can share the content with their followers. Essentially, you can co-author content with a fellow Instagram user, and the post will show up on both of your profiles.
--> Tags:
- Tagging, the act of creating a “tag” on Instagram, is when a person attaches a specific label to a post, picture, video, or status that groups it with other content that uses the same label. Tags are a convenient way for individuals and businesses to expand the reach of a message or photo on Instagram.
--> Bio:
- An Instagram bio is a small summary, found underneath your username, about yourself or your business. In your Instagram bio, you can include a short description, contact information, emojis, and more, provided you keep it under 150 characters.
--> Website link:
- A common phrase when referring to a link, 'Link in bio' is the most common. It refers to the clickable URL (domain address) that users can see on top of your Instagram profile, and when they click on the link, they will be taken straight to the desired website (This URL can be a product page, landing page, about us section, etc.)
--> Following:
- Following refers to the list of users that you follow on Instagram; these users' posts appear on your feed, and you have access to view their profile if you want.
--> Followers:
- Instagram Follower. An Instagram follower is a user who follows your account and is able to see, like, and comment on any media you post to your profile.
--> Posts:
- Instagram Post. An Instagram post is a photo or video that an Instagram user shares on the platform.
--> Boosting Posts:
- When you boost a post on social media, you pay social media platforms to amplify one of your existing post's reach to your followers, a recommended audience, or a targeted audience. It'll show up as a sponsored post on your audience's feed.
--> Insights:
- Insights on Instagram are the data that helps your business to analyze & understand your prospects. It is a great way to observe the basic analytics of your Instagram profile, your feed post, followers, reel & Instagram story.
--> Hashtags:
- A hashtag is a combination of letters, numbers, and/or emoji preceded by the # symbol (e.g., #NoFilter). They are used to categorize content and make it more discoverable. Hashtags are clickable.
- After you tag your post with a hashtag, you'll be able to tap the hashtag to see a page that shows all photos and videos people have uploaded with that hashtag. Things to keep in mind: When people with private profiles tag posts, they won't appear publicly on hashtag pages. Numbers are allowed in hashtags.
--> Search Bar:
- As part of the Explore page, Instagram ‘Search is the directory to every Instagram account on the app. Just like you would type a search term into Google, you can use the search bar on the top of the Explore page to find and discover accounts and hashtags.
--> Shopping Cart:
- Now there is a checkout option on Instagram, which allows users to browse and buy products without leaving the Instagram app, to all North American-based businesses.
- Instagram Shopping is a set of features that allow people to easily shop your brand's photos and videos all across Instagram.
- Rather than directing customers to your website, Instagram Shopping allows them to select and purchase products easily from the app.
4. A STEP BY STEP ON HOW TO BOOST A POST:
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Open IG profile - on phone or tablet - doesn’t work on desktop
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Click Ad Tools (go on your profile, and it will show under your bio)
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Select a post to promote
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Choose the goal(s) (more profile visits, more website visits or more messages - more profile visits is best)
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Select Automatic, Consumers, or Create your own (I title it ‘potential clients’ and create the audience myself - if creating - add demographic, interests (beauty/hair etc) and location)
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Choose your budget, $2 minimum, $1000 maximum daily
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Choose duration, 1-day minimum, 30-day maximum
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Minimum cost per day - $2/1-day = 130-340 estimated reach - Maximum cost per day - $1000/1-day =64,000-170,000 estimated reach
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Budget and duration per week should be = $5-10 (mainly for unique posts of our clients or our team/company) EX= $2 daily for three days = $6 over three days with an estimated reach of 380-1000 potential followers
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Add payment info - name card number, location, currency
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Create boost, and IG will approve it within 24 hours - if against guidelines, it will not be approved, and you will be notified
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Best ads to boost - Videos - (of the salon, before & after with clients) or - upcoming promotions, new location openings, events, etc - NO basic posts such as holidays/pictures of hair (videos are more appealing), nothing political (it will not be approved), no swear words, do not add COVID into the texts or it will have to be ‘fact checked’ and takes longer to promote/has lower chance to be approved.
SOURCES:
- LOCALiQ
- Later.com
- Hootsuite
- Instagram
- Pixlee
- MANEreviews.com marketing services
For more information or how Instagram and social media can apply to your salon or suite business, contact us at: support@MANEreviews.com
To see our complete collection
of DIY Marketing Modules
or contact
John Doucette
(30 years experience as a stylist, colourist,