If you’re in business and you have a website, you probably know that online advertising is the way to reach a large audience and attract traffic to your site.
The most common platforms that entrepreneurs use in their marketing campaigns are Google and Facebook. However, many enterprises are turning to Instagram as well, and here’s why you should consider doing the same.
Research shows that over two million advertisers are running paid ads on the third largest social media outlet. You can reach a potential audience of more than a billion people, with a high percentage of them willing to buy a product they see on their feed.
If you’re new and want to create Instagram ads, read on.
An excellent starting point is to search for a step-by-step guide for the latest Instagram marketing trends. The online business scene is continually changing, and you need to be current to plan an effective strategy.
But before we get into more details, you’ll need to know what you’ll utilize to promote your enterprise.
What Are Instagram Ads?
Instagram ads are images and videos that you, as an advertiser, pay to display on users’ feeds. They’re similar to regular posts except for the “Sponsored” label.
There are several promo formats you can choose from based on your business goals. You can also include various call-to-action buttons depending on your objective.
Now that you have the tools, it’s time to understand how to use them effectively.
7 Tips to Make an Effective Ad on Instagram:
1. Have a Clear Objective
Your Instagram advertising strategy should be part of an overall marketing plan. It would be best if you didn’t create ads in a vacuum.
The type of ad you choose should be based on your goals, which include:
- Creating general awareness of your brand.
- Getting your promos in front of as many people as possible.
- Generating traffic to your website or landing page.
- Encouraging users to engage with your ad by liking, commenting, or sharing it.
- Directing prospects to download or buy apps from the online store.
- Converting visits into sales.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
Select the right segment of the population to show your ads to yield the results you want.
You have several demographic options such as location, age, gender, language, and interests to choose from. You can widen or narrow your reach based on your objectives.
Avoid making the mistake of trying to target everyone. You’ll only be wasting money.
Knowing your audience also allows you to craft a message that connects and engages with them. You’ll need to understand what your prospects want and decide how to show them that you have the solution.
Always start with the customers’ needs in mind, or they won’t pay attention to what you’re offering.
3. Choose the Right Image
A critical factor in creating Instagram ads that convert is using an image that’ll entice your viewers to respond to your call-to-action. It would be best if you used pictures taken specifically for your campaign.
You can start by looking through your existing content and identifying the posts with high engagement rates. The ones that performed well indicate what your users want to see. You don’t have to rely on guesswork.
Once you’ve selected the photo or video, you can use them in your ads. However, be sure that they’re relevant to your objective. Images of babies may generate a lot of interest but can be ineffective in getting your marketing message across.
It may seem tedious if you have a lot of existing content, but you can always use the tools provided and save time.
4. Proper Use of Keywords and Hashtags
If you’ve used Twitter, you’ll be familiar with words or phrases that come after the # sign. These are hashtags, which you can use in your posts so that they’ll appear in searches.
Ensure that you add these tags to all your content. If you haven’t done so before, you can edit your older images.
Keyword research is of paramount importance. The ones you choose must be relevant to your brand and products.
5. Tell Stories
Visual stories are very popular with Instagram users, especially those that affect them emotionally. Storytelling can be in the form of a series of pictures or videos. Done right, it’ll boost the effectiveness of your ads.
It’s an art to be able to craft a message using images instead of words. You should study effective Instagram ad examples to be inspired.
6. Get Users to Take Action
A call-to-action button is a crucial component of your ads. You must lead your viewers to take the necessary action to achieve your objective.
Whether it’s to download an app, visit your website, or purchase your product, your promotional copy’s success is based on the rate of response by your audience.
7. Test Your Instagram Ads
Creating successful ads is a learning process. You’ve got to test your promotional copy to know what works.
First, establish a benchmark, compare your creatives against it and study the results. You’ll need to identify which element increases the response rate. These factors include your target audience, time of posting, and type of offer.
The standard A/B split test is an excellent method to use. Rinse and repeat until you feel that you can’t improve further.
How to Place an Instagram Ad
The actual placement process is relatively straightforward. You can use Facebook Business Manager to create your Instagram ad. All you have to do is complete these steps. If you keep the above ideas in mind, you’ll have no problem coming up with an effective promo.
See Also:
- Facebook Alternatives
- WhatsApp Alternatives
- ChatStep Alternatives
- Best Lead Generation Tools for Small Businesses
- Best Call Tracking Software for Marketers
Take Advantage of Instagram’s Increasing Popularity
With Instagram being the third-largest platform after Facebook and YouTube, it offers immense potential to advertisers.
By following these tips and adding your creativity, you can optimize your ad campaigns and achieve more sales.
Be sure not to get complacent once you’ve accomplished some success. You’ve got to keep improving to stand out from the crowd and stay ahead of your competition.