Are you promoting your company through the various social media platforms?

More than one billion people use Instagram on a monthly basis, and that number is expected to rise to 1.18 billion by the year 2023, making Instagram one of the most popular social media networks currently available.

Instagram has traditionally been the go-to platform for eCommerce businesses that are looking to showcase their goods through high-quality product shots. However, the platform is also a powerful tool for owners of service businesses that are looking to grow their audience, generate leads, and most importantly, find customers. And taking into consideration that the typical Instagram user spends almost half an hour per day on the application, this is one marketing tool that you won’t want to overlook.

Here are some tips for using Instagram to expand the number of clients you work with, whether you run an agency, are self-employed, or give services to others and are wanting to grow your customer base.

Is it possible to actually get customers on Instagram?

In short, the answer is yes. Through the use of the Instagram app, potential customers can be located for any type of service provider, from social media agencies to personal trainers.

According to the collected data, after viewing a product or service on Instagram, 79% of people from all over the world would search for additional information about it. In addition, 67% of people in the United States will go to the company’s website or app, and approximately 46% of those people will make a purchase (either through online or offline channels).

Because of this, businesses that provide professional services have quickly become the second most popular advertising industry on Instagram.

If you want to attract your ideal clientele, convert them into leads, and eventually turn them into paying customers, you need a well-thought-out Instagram marketing strategy. This is true regardless of the service that you are providing.

What are the most effective strategies for attracting customers on Instagram?

Sharing amazing content and cultivating an active community on Instagram are essential steps in the process of acquiring new customers through that platform. It is true that it requires time and work (marketing on social media is not a simple job), but if you are successful, you will be able to reap the benefits of your efforts.

1. Create an account for your company on Instagram

Verify that your personal Instagram account has been upgraded to a business profile if you already have one set up for the company you run that provides a service. Unlike personal accounts, corporate accounts on Instagram have access to a number of additional features, including the following:

Discover how many people are engaging with your material on Instagram, as well as your overall impressions and the demographics of your followers, by using Instagram Insights.
Instagram advertising campaigns:
Have a post that is doing well in terms of its organic performance? It is possible to invest some money in it and then promote the post so that it is seen by a greater number of people.
“Swipe up” links:
If you have reached 10,000 followers on Instagram, upgrading to an Instagram business account will enable you to add links to your Instagram Stories. These links will send your followers to the pages you specify.

It is in your best interest to take the time to ensure that your Instagram business profile is optimized when you are in the process of setting it up. You can use a picture of yourself or the emblem of your firm as your profile picture, and you should also write a bio that describes what it is that you do. The objective is to provide the impression that your company is reliable. Accounts that do not have a profile photo come across as spammy, which reduces the likelihood of you gaining customers using Instagram.

Finally, you should include a link in your Instagram profile that directs potential customers to the website that has the best chance of converting them into paying customers. Because Instagram only permits one link in the bio, you should make use of organizational tools like Later or Campsite to emphasize and arrange your most significant links, such as the landing page for your service, your homepage, or the podcast download page. People will now have the ability to discover your content in other places and engage with you outside of Instagram thanks to this.

2. Include a “Book Now” button in your profile description on Instagram.

After you have created your business account on Instagram, you will have the ability to add several calls to action (CTA) to the pages of your business account. One of options is a button labeled “Book Now,” which makes it simpler for prospective customers to make an appointment or call with you at a time that is convenient for both of you.

You can add the Book Now button to your profile with just a few clicks, and it will automatically interact with a number of different apps (including Appointments by Square, Appointy, MyTime, and Schedulista).

• Go to your Instagram profile and click the “Edit Profile” button there.
• Proceed to “Action Buttons” in the menu.
• Click the “Book Now” button to proceed.
• Select the booking app you want to use, then press “Confirm.”

3. Encourage your Instagram followers to sign up for your email newsletter.

Remember that not everyone who views your material will be ready to make a purchase when you are attempting to recruit customers for your service business. This is something that is very important to keep in mind. Customers are more likely to make purchases from well-known and liked companies. Email marketing is a medium that is commended for helping marketers develop trust because it gives value over extended periods of time in a sacred place: the mailbox of their target audience.

(Still not persuaded? Take into consideration the statistic that 59 percent of business-to-business (B2B) marketers believe that email is their most successful channel for creating revenue. When compared to other channels, it offers a very high return on investment (ROI), delivering approximately $55 in income for every $1 that is spent.)

You may increase the number of leads that enter your email marketing funnel with the help of Instagram. Once individuals have provided their consent to receive communications from you, you will be able to advance leads through your nurturing sequences, at which point you will (hopefully) convert them into customers.

Using Instagram to expand your email list may be accomplished in a few different ways, including the following:

Include a link to the page where visitors can sign up for your email newsletter on your Instagram bio, and then direct users and followers to that page whenever you publish new material.
Make use of Instagram to promote bargains that are only available via email. Around forty percent of people follow brands on social media in order to stay informed about sales or discounts; this makes it a great opportunity to get people to sign up for your email list.
Direct Messages, often known as DM, allow you to communicate with users and solicit their email addresses so that you can send them additional information.

4. To connect with your ideal customers, make use of hashtags.

There is a hashtag for practically every subject imaginable, ranging from “marketing” to “pool cleaning,” among others.

However, hashtags are more than just a passing marketing trend. Even if they don’t follow the brand, Instagram users may still follow hashtags and read posts that contain the phrase in the caption by clicking on the hashtag in the search bar. This indicates that service organizations have the potential to increase their visibility by using relevant hashtags in the content they post to Instagram.

Consider for a moment that you are running an agency that specializes in social media marketing and that you are looking for new clients. Tools such as SparkToro compile the hashtags that are the most popular or often discussed in relation to a particular topic. Make use of the information that has been gathered and add some of the more popular hashtags to the caption of your Instagram photo or as your first remark.

When you conduct a search for hashtags on Instagram, the app will offer suggestions right within the text editor. Be sure to keep an eye on these as well. Rather than depending entirely on more commonly used (and hence competitive) hashtags, you might want to consider using certain hashtags that aren’t as widely used to expand your audience reach.

5. Make sure that your information is both helpful and approachable.

Your activity on Instagram should be geared at generating leads and bringing in new customers so that you may achieve your business goals. In order to accomplish this goal, you will need to establish a reputation for authority and experience in the field in which you specialize.

Make a content calendar so that you can share items with your audience that are legitimately helpful to them. Aim to resolve their issues and pain points and provide them with a cause to continue connecting with your service business before they realize that hiring you will be more convenient for them.

One advantage of disseminating useful content is that it frequently gives rise to unplanned dialogues. When something like this occurs, you should make sure the partnership is a mutually beneficial one. Please “like” any compliments and respond to any inquiries. Developing a relationship with a follower can significantly increase the likelihood that they will become a customer, particularly if the follower need additional assistance.

6. Give away gifts to attract potential customers.

Free stuff is one of the things that humans can’t help but covet. You may hook potential customers and drive them into your sales funnel by giving away freebies using this psychological principle as part of your Instagram marketing plan. These freebies could take the form of an e-book or live training.

Not only does providing your Instagram followers with free material help create trust with your brand, but it’s also an excellent approach to persuade them to sign up for your email list. People are motivated to join mailing lists for a variety of reasons, but one of the most compelling reasons is the promise of access to valuable content. Another compelling reason is the promise of being kept up to date on company announcements. Make use of this in your approach to give away one of the following freebies to the people who follow you on Instagram:

• A free instructional manual or white paper.
• Kindle books or online articles.
• Video series.
• Checklists.
• Email series or courses.

The best part about Instagram giveaways is that once your freebie is ready, you can automate the process of giving it away to your followers so that it happens completely on its own. The Instagram Automation feature of ManyChat enables you to set off automated answers whenever a user sends a message that contains a particular trigger phrase.

You could, for instance, program an automated response to be triggered whenever a user mentions the term “e-book” in their message. The automaton will then react with a link to the e-book on your website, or it will request the user’s email address in exchange for the free content that was requested.

7. To strengthen your presence in the community, make use of geotagging.

Do you just provide services to customers located in a particular area? At this scenario, it is essential that you are able to be seen in the place that you have chosen.

The geotagging feature of Instagram makes it simple to highlight the areas that you serve as well as where you currently are. It also has the potential to increase the likelihood of you being noticed by individuals in your immediate area. In addition, the usage of geotags improves a post’s chances of being highlighted in the Explore section of Instagram, which is accessed by over 200 million users on a daily basis.

8. Present case studies and testimonials from satisfied customers.

In reference to prior campaigns, it is important to spread the word if you have been doing excellent work for other customers and that you plan to continue doing so. Your Instagram account was created specifically so that it can be used as a promotional tool for your service business. Sharing instances of your exceptional work and the ways in which you’ve assisted past customers is the single most effective method for accomplishing this goal.

According to research conducted, 72% of individuals believe that reading favorable reviews and comments makes them trust an organization more. Share your success on Instagram, whether it’s a tale about a happy customer or the announcement that you’ve been given an award. Demonstrate to prospective customers that you are capable of delivering the kind of work that satisfies your existing customers.

9. Demonstrate the personal nature of your service company.

It doesn’t make a difference what kind of customers you’re targeting with your Instagram profile in order to bring in more business. At the end of the day, people purchase goods and services from other people.

“Individuals do business with and refer business to those people they know, like, and trust,” said Bob Burg, an entrepreneurial author and speaker. “All things being equal, people do business with and refer business to those people.”

Going behind the scenes of your company is an excellent way to incorporate “being human” into your Instagram marketing approach. Demonstrate how you put your efforts to use to ensure the success of your clients. Highlight a different member of the staff every week. Give one of your employees the opportunity to try out their role by letting them run the Instagram account for the company for a day.

According to the findings of a recent study, Instagram pictures that include human faces garner a greater number of likes and comments. Sharing posts of this nature on your Instagram profile can help you develop a deeper and more meaningful relationship with your followers, which will increase the likelihood that they will become paying customers of your business.

10. Immediately respond to inquiries from potential customers

After you have perfected your Instagram strategy, you will start to see an increase in the number of leads you receive.

You have already made it simple for prospective customers to get in touch with you (by including a link in your bio and providing a Book Now button), so at this point, it is imperative that you react to any queries as quickly as you can.

According to studies, 46% of individuals have an expectation that a response to their enquiries regarding customer service will be provided within four hours. However, if you don’t have the time to personally respond to those inquiries, you can alleviate some of the stress caused by the requirement to check your inbox at regular intervals by using Instagram Automation.

Are you prepared to locate your next customer on Instagram?

Selling a product on Instagram is a quicker process than finding customers on the platform. Make sure that prospective customers are aware of how to get in touch with your company (either through direct messages or email), and use geotags and hashtags in your posts to increase the number of people who see them.

Before consumers are ready to take the next step, you must first establish trust with your audience by providing them with information that is actually helpful and highlighting testimonials from previous clients who are satisfied with the service.