So here you are, ready to embark on your first Instagram promotion journey. You have set out clear goals you would like to accomplish on this platform. Well, here is a beginner’s guide on how to effectively advertise your Instagram marketing campaign. This blog will guide you through the decision-making process you will need to make when establishing your first marketing campaign and focus on effective ways to successfully use Instagram ads.
Instagram has proven to be an efficient means for generating new business. According to Instagram Business Statistics in March 2017, over 120 million Instagrammers visited a website, got directions, called, emailed or direct messaged to learn about a business based on an Instagram ad clearly signifying a high level of interest, which can be considered as leads.
Instagram Advertising
So how exactly does an Instagram’s ad work? Well, it measures each campaign’s success based on metrics such as reach, ad recall and awareness, instead of likes, comments, and follower counts over the duration of the campaign. Whether your goal is to build brand awareness, get more traffic to your website or increase engagement, Instagram can help you access a huge, engaged audience.
There are three main types of Instagram ads to choose from:
Single Image Ad
Firstly, with Instagram photo ads, businesses can tell their story and feature products through visually engaging imagery. Market your brand to a broad audience or just the customers in your hometown with guaranteed impressions.
For example, Nike promotes their running app’s replay function with just one image.
What Nike did well
Imagery: This sponsored post perfectly captures the moment before a run, and the challenge of beating your personal best. It also falls under the category of “Instagram aesthetic."
Caption: Nike gets straight to the point, providing instructions on how to use their app's new replay feature and notifying their followers that it uses Google Street View and wisely making use of only one hashtag. This is a good combination and reads well.
Reason to click: This represents an excellent example of when to use the "Download" call-to-action button to drive app installs.
It is important to recognise that using a photo ad is your opportunity to showcase a specific moment in time and what that moment should express.
Video Ads
Secondly, sometimes the best way to capture and share a moment is by using video. Instagram’s video ads offer the same visually immersive quality as photo ads; however, they take things up a notch by incorporating sound and motion. Airbnb make excellent use of Instagram video ads. For instance, one video showed people watching a sparkling Eiffel Tower from the balcony of their vacation rental, while ad text encouraged others to “Live Here.” Airbnb’s “Live There” campaign encourages travellers to not just visit a destination but “live” there.
Understanding your audience and brand are essential to promoting, advertising and engaging on Instagram, this is clearly what Airbnb have acknowledged and accomplished through their video ads. It is imperative your Instagram content stands out in a user’s feed; visual aesthetics is an incredibly important factor when creating content. If users feel like they’re seeing something fresh and authentic, they’re much more likely to engage and warm to your brand.
Carousel Ads
Thirdly, Instagram users can swipe to see additional images and a call to action button leading them to a website to learn more. Carousel ads enable you to creatively tell sequenced stories in a compelling and meaningful way without the worry of overcrowding the feed or overloading customers with sponsored content. For example, Airbnb repurposed one of their slideshow posts on Instagram as a creative carousel ad promoting their new Experiences offerings- http://bit.ly/2hMa3Io
This beautiful panoramic photograph of a long paddle boat is divided into three shots. The caption of the post highlights the hosts and how they use Airbnb to give guests a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With this carousel ad, Airbnb shone a spotlight on their valuable hosts while presenting users the unique benefits of traveling with Airbnb. The call to action on the post includes a link to other San Francisco experiences available through Airbnb.
Like Airbnb, your brand can use a panoramic format with carousel ads to:
Show off your new office space
Share an event experience
Share a lifestyle image showcasing your product e.g. scenic image showcasing new outdoor (durable) rucksack
With carousel ads, it is all about exhibiting your creativity whilst also getting your message across and that is what we can help with.
Setting up your campaign
Now that you have seen the capabilities of advertising on Instagram, it is time for you to kickstart yours. First and foremost, to run ads on Instagram you require a Facebook Page.
Follow these steps to connect your Instagram profile to your brand’s Facebook page:
Go to your Facebook Page and click Settings in the top right corner.
Select Instagram Ads from the left column and click on Add an Account.
If you have an existing Instagram account, enter your username and password. Otherwise click Create a new account.
Click Confirm.
Once that is set up, Go to ad creation.
Choose an objective from the list that align with yours.
Next add a name for your campaign
Choose an audience for your ad.
Having a creative name for your campaign can help boost your promotions. Use Airbnb as an example - their “Live There” campaign was a success. Knowing who you’re going to target is pivotal in taking the campaign to the next level.
Once you have decided your budget the next step is to build your ad. Having a budget in place can help you prioritise and spark creativity in the right areas. Now once you have chosen your ads format upload your photo/video that you would like to advertise with a captivating message that entices your audience to act. It is important to be concise and straight to the point and let your visual content do most of the work. If you’re including a call-to-action button, make sure the website link utilised is web friendly and short-presentation matters in ads.
Once you are happy with your created ad, ensure there’s a checkmark next to Instagram and click Place Order.
With the right motivation, you can achieve your desired goals. Advertising on Instagram can be a challenge, these steps will help get your campaign underway.
With your campaign kicked off, what is the next step? You’ll need to monitor and measure your campaign’s success...