A Small Business Guide to Advertising on Instagram

Posted on 8th Nov, 2018 by Barbara Davidson

As more and more brands join Instagram and the feed becomes more competitive, it can be harder for a small business to stand out. But Instagram ads have become an enticing avenue for businesses looking to increase engagement (and profits, too).

With nearly three-quarters of Instagram’s 800 million active users claiming to have a made a purchase under the influence of the photo-sharing site, you don’t need to be a master entrepreneur to see the opportunity. You might want to up your Instagram game, though, if you want to make the most of Instagram’s advertising tools.

There are six different types of ads you can post on Instagram, and each serves a different purpose. The classic single image is a great way to let your audience linger over your product. But it can be more effective to show your product in action, using humor and a personal touch to integrate it into your audience’s social feed.

Instagram Stories is a newer way to create a ‘moment’ with sound, video, and text. You can deliver a more detailed message and an urgent call-to-action to get those users shopping for your brand.

But advertising on Instagram isn’t just about creating captivating imagery. Your business needs to know why it’s creating the ads, the results you want, and how to measure them. Thankfully, because Instagram is part of the Facebook family, you can find access to all sorts of tools and statistics once you get under the hood.

We’ve made it simple for you to figure out what you need and how to go about it. Our new visual guide to advertising on Instagram contains the hows, whys, and best practices for setting up your first campaign.

Over half a billion potential customers are out their scrolling their Instagram feeds right now. What would you like to tell them?

Sources

  1. Instagram. Stand out with Instagraminstagram.com
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  12. Facebook. Create an Instant Experience for ads on Instagram. facebook.com
  13. Instagram. (2018). Instagram Stories adsinstagram.com
  14. Facebook. Guide: Choosing the Right Advertising Objectivefacebook.com
  15. Facebook. Create ads with Guided Creationfacebook.com
  16. Adam. (2018). Instagram Ads 101: The Anatomy of An Winning Adjarvee.com
  17. Adespresso. (2017). 55 Amazing Instagram Ads Examples To Inspire Youadespresso.com
  18. Allen, J. (2017) Vertical Video Really Might Be More Engagingstateofdigital.com
  19. York, A. (2018). How to Not Suck at Instagram Hashtags in 2018sproutsocial.com
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  21. York, A. Best Times to Post on Social Media: 2018 Industry Research. (2018). sproutsocial.com

About Barbara Davidson

Babs is Lead Content Strategist and financial guru. She loves exploring fresh ways to save more and enjoy life on a budget! When she’s not writing, you’ll find her binge-watching musicals, reading in the (sporadic) Chicago sunshine and discovering great new places to eat. Accio, tacos!