Business
How to use Instagram for business
Instagram isn’t just a social media app full of Love Island influencers and hilarious memes.
It is also a vitally important tool for commerce, with 90% of its users following at least one business account and 44% of them using the platform to shop weekly, according to Instagram’s latest internal data.
It would be a missed opportunity to not use this platform to showcase your brand. But we understand that getting to grips with the business side of Instagram can be a time-consuming and complex task, particularly if you are not very social media savvy.
If you’re low on time and require a bit of support in launching a successful Instagram strategy, we’d advise reaching out to an agency for a little help to enhance your efforts. In fact, if you have two minutes spare, you can use our digital marketing cost comparison tool and see what social media support is available within your budget.
They employ seasoned Instagram pros who will help save you time and money in the long run – and these services often cost much less than you think!
Or read to discover our easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide that will help you gain that highly sought-after verified account tick in no time.
Step 1: set up a business account
If you are one of Instagram’s two billion monthly users, there is no doubt you already know how the platform works.
But note that one of the fundamental rules of setting up your business on Instagram is to make sure it is set up as a business account.
This type of account is very different from the personal account you may already have.
We’ve listed some of its unique features below.Instagram business account features let you:
- Boost your posts and advertise to a target audience
- Access Instagram insights to monitor post and ad performance
- Add business info, including opening hours, location and contact methods
- Add call-to-action buttons to direct Instagram users to your website
- Sell your products in the app via the Instagram Shop functionality
Step 2: create an effective Instagram strategy
Before you run in all posts blazing, any digital marketing professional will tell you it is integral that you put together a solid Instagram strategy.
Get together with other members of your team and think carefully about:
Finding your target audience
Consider the demographic you are trying to reach. Over 60% of all Instagram users are aged between 18 and 34 years old. Think carefully about your product/brand and work out your ideal customer. What are their interests? What kind of content will most engage them? What will make them choose you over your competitors?
Tracking insights
It is important to make use of Instagram’s insight functionality. Regularly and routinely track the performance of your posts to understand what engages your followers. Analysing engagements, click-throughs, and calls to action will help you paint a picture of what content works for you and what doesn’t.
Setting objectives
Having goals to achieve will help keep you motivated and focused. When running a small business, it is often easy to lose sight of the marketing side of things. But setting targets will ensure you spend time on your Instagram strategy and post regularly.
Using a task/project management app
Scheduling Instagram posts is incredibly important to ensure you post consistently. Using task management apps like monday.com will make it easy to create a content schedule. Think about how frequently you want to post, and if there are any tentpole days you want to take advantage of such as Earth Day, International Women’s Day, etc.
Step 3: create captivating content
Instagram is a platform to sell your brand. If you owned a jewellery store and wanted to attract customers inside, you wouldn’t put your worst, most unattractive wares in the shop window. You would showcase your most fabulous diamond-strewn designs to entice customers.
Try to think of Instagram as the shop window for your business. You want it to look as aesthetically pleasing as possible in order to attract users. This means the content you create needs to look and feel professionally designed.
This is the most common and important method of posting content as it helps you build your brand profile aesthetic. It is important to make sure you add professional-looking photos that have been edited and sized correctly. You should post recurring themes so that your brand’s visuals are easily identifiable.
If you haven’t got the money to hire a graphic designer, Canva is an affordable, easy-to-use design tool that we would recommend you use to get started.
Instagram reels for business
Having a video marketing strategy is integral to your business’s success on Instagram. 91% of Instagram users watch videos weekly on the platform, so if you aren’t creating videos you are missing out on a great opportunity to gain new followers and turn them into paying customers.
Creating a reel is super easy and simple, but keep in mind that the videos can only be up to 60 seconds long.
You’ll have a great set of editing tools at your disposal when using Instagram reels. Use them to make engaging, fun video footage and showcase your brand.
Over 50% of Instagrammers have visited a website to buy a product or service as a result of seeing it on an Instagram story. And with more than 500 million people watching Instagram stories every day, that percentage is huge.
So in short, make sure you are posting stories regularly – this will even help you engage existing followers through the use of polls, Q&A sessions and sliding interaction bars.
It can also encourage users to visit your website, follow a brand you are collaborating with, or share a recent post you have uploaded.
Other ways to create content on Instagram include:
- Live feed – Live feeds are becoming increasingly popular on Instagram and are a great way to engage your followers because they can tune into your content in real time.
- IGTV – This is a long video format that is ideal for any recurring content series.
Step 4: optimise your profile for business
So you’ve got eye-catching content and a foolproof Instagram strategy – but is your profile ready/open for business?
Before you start growing your Instagram profile, be sure to make use of the following:
- A strong profile pic – even if it’s expensive, get yourself a professional to design you a logo for your social media accounts. The last thing you want is for users to think your pic is tacky. Remember, we make visual judgments in the first seven seconds, and this applies to Instagram too.
- A concise, intriguing bio – you only have 150 characters (just over two sentences) to show off your brand, so explain what you do succinctly and do it in your brand’s tone. Add a CTA if you have space.
- A link in your bio – unlike other social platforms, you can’t attach links to your Instagram posts, so it is incredibly important to include a link in your bio instead. Be very strategic about where this link sends people – will it be directly to your website? Or will it be to a landing page such as Linktree which allows you to share links to several pages?
- Contact information – keep email addresses and phone numbers up to date so your followers can contact you easily.
- Story highlights – organise your stories into saved collections on your profile so users can get a taste of your brand in just a few clicks.
Julaine Speight, director at award-winning digital marketing agency First Internet, offers us her advice:
“Ensure you have permanent stories on your profile, as they will provide clients and customers with key highlights and important business messaging that can be seen at a glance. This is a great way for you to promote different services or products.”
Step 5: grow your following
It’s all well and good having everything in place for your business on Instagram, but without an audience to engage with, it’s pointless.
You’ll find one of the hardest things to do on the platform is to get noticed and followed by users.
But don’t stress – there are lots of ways you can attract audiences and have followers jumping from the tens to the thousands in no time, including:
Hosting a giveaway
Lots of successful brands have gained followers by organising giveaways in the form of a competition. Typically a brand will ask Instagram users to follow an account, share a post, or comment on a post by tagging a friend. In return, users have the opportunity to win free products or services from the brand – and who doesn’t like free stuff?
Giveaways are a great way to create additional post engagement and reach a wider audience, and working in collaboration with other brands to offer extra prizes will help make the competition a huge success.
Running followers-only promotions
Another way to encourage more followers and retain existing ones is to offer exclusive sales to users that follow you. Offering flash sales and promotions gives your followers a reason to stick around in the hope of future deals.
Being proactive – respond to comments and follow target audience accounts
The more you engage with users, the more likely they are to keep following you and spreading positive feedback about your brand.
Commenting on another brand’s posts is a great way to get noticed, as is following and interacting with your competitor’s audience who will likely be interested in the same products/services that you offer.
Promoting your Instagram account on other channels
A sure-fire way to gain more followers is to let people know about your Instagram business account, particularly if you are already well established on other social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter.
Also, be sure to include visible and clear links to your Instagram on your website and any marketing materials like newsletters or emails.
On the dangers of cutting corners when growing your audience, Petra Smith, founder of marketing consultancy Squirrels&Bears, stresses:
“Quick solutions don’t lead to long-term success. For brands that are keen to appear bigger than they are, without doing the legwork, buying new followers and artificial engagement is a common approach. But many brands are then surprised to see how quickly those followers start to disappear again.
“The reason is that followers purchased in bulk packages are either bots or inactive accounts, and Instagram continuously works on removing any follows, likes, or comments from third-party apps that are designed to artificially grow audiences and engagement.”
Step 6: use hashtags
When it comes to Instagram, it doesn’t get more important than hashtags.
Because captions on Instagram are not searchable, one of the only ways non-followers will be able to see your content is if someone clicks on or searches for a hashtag used in your content.
This is why it is important to use the right hashtags.
Philip Bacon, Director of Bacon Marketing, on hashtags:
“Like a creme egg, one hashtag is never enough. There is a fine balance on how many to add to a post. A handful of super generic ones are going to do diddly for your reach, same as maxing out at 30 on the post, not only is it crowded, it looks untidy, and it smells of desperation.
“The magic number has a three in it. 13 – 15 hashtags, a mix of high volume and niche lower volume ones will serve you well. On top of that, make them accessible by capitalising the first character of each word.”
Step 7: collaborate with influencers
Instagram is the preferred social media channel for brands engaging in influencer marketing, so you can feel confident that it is worth the effort and (sometimes) expense to collaborate with an influencer when 93% of marketers are using this strategy to grow Insta accounts.What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is the collaboration between an online influencer and a brand. The relationship typically involves the influencer marketing a brand’s product or service to their followers.
Try to find an influencer who fits the ethos of your brand, someone who epitomises your target audience is likely to have lots of followers with similar interests and outlooks so they will be more likely to purchase your product or service.
Smaller but still well-established influencers are your best bet when starting out, as you typically won’t have to pay them to collaborate. Instead, offering them free products or services in exchange for the promotion of your brand will be enough.
On working with influencers, Anna Wilson, Head of Digital Development at Tangerine Communications, says:
“An influencer partnership is at its most valuable when it feels natural and is cohesive with your brand and the influencer’s feed.
“Step 1, make sure you find the right people, either search on Instagram or use an influencer profiling tool like Klear. Step 2, make sure you don’t ‘control’ the process too tightly or the content will be overlooked/ignored. Step 3, make sure you follow the ASA guidelines (it must be labelled as sponsored content). Step 4, review it to see if it did what you set out to do.”
Step 8: advertise your business on Instagram
Growing your account organically is amazing (and doesn’t cost you a dime), but sometimes it literally pays to boost your posts.
Instagram ads are a form of paid social media, which means you can pay for your content to appear in someone else’s feed who otherwise may not have seen it.
By advertising your brand on Instagram you will be able to:
- Reach the right audience with advanced targeting – changing options such as location, age, and even interests
- Maintain higher engagement rates
- Track your Instagram campaign performance
Isobel Burns, the founder of Digital Marketing Engine, offers her insight:
“Advertising on Instagram is incredibly effective for growth and sales. The Feed tends to generate more sales, whereas Stories and Reels bring in a wider audience.
“Structure your ad campaign to be as broad at the top as possible, capturing more of the right people, and then retarget your ads in their feed with strong calls to action.”
Step 9: measure and celebrate your success
Make sure to consistently monitor Instagram’s insights to determine how well your brand is performing on the platform month on month.
Organising retro meetings to discuss what is working well and what isn’t in terms of your Instagram strategy is an efficient way to analyse important stats like engagement rates and follower growth so that you can plan for future Insta campaigns.
Most importantly, reward all of your hard work by celebrating your successes. It isn’t easy mastering the art of Instagram for business, so when you do, be sure to shout about it!
Using Instagram analytics
In short, Instagram analytics enable you to understand the overall performance of your business account, and at a more granular level, help you determine how successful your posts are.
Also known as ‘insights’, Instagram analytics are fundamental to any successful Instagram strategy as they can help you reach new audiences, improve your content strategy and target the right people.
Insta analytics give you a more detailed breakdown of important data, including the location of accounts reached, the age ranges of your followers, and even their most active times on the app.
This helps you paint a picture of the type of users that are engaging with your account. In turn, this will make it easier to plan your content strategy based on what works currently and what doesn’t.
Via Startups UK
Business
China’s State-Backed Developers See Earnings Growth Amidst Home Delivery Safety Trend
China’s state-backed developers are seeing growth in earnings as buyers look for safety in-home delivery, shunning troubled builders. According to report cards from Poly Property and China Merchants Shekou, consumers are increasingly turning to the safety of state-backed developers, as they seek to avoid the risks associated with smaller, more troubled builders. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years, as buyers become increasingly cautious in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty.
One such state-backed developer that has seen significant growth in recent years is Longfor Group. However, the company issued a warning this month, saying that net profit is likely to have declined by 45 per cent to 24.4 billion yuan in 2023. Despite this setback, Longfor Group remains one of the largest and most successful state-backed developers in China and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.
Overall, the trend towards state-backed developers is likely to continue in the coming years, as buyers seek safety and security in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty. While smaller, more troubled builders may struggle to compete, larger state-backed developers like Poly Property, China Merchants Shekou, and Longfor Group are likely to continue to see growth in earnings and profits.
Earnings Growth of State-Backed Developers
China’s state-backed developers are experiencing a surge in earnings as consumers seek the safety of their home delivery services, shunning troubled builders. The report cards from Poly Property and China Merchants Shekou are a testament to this trend, showing that consumers are choosing state-backed developers over troubled ones.
Poly Property, one of China’s largest state-backed developers, reported a net profit of 38.7 billion yuan ($5.6 billion) in 2023, up 35% year-on-year. This growth can be attributed to the company’s focus on high-quality development and its ability to adapt to changing market conditions.
Similarly, China Merchants Shekou, another state-backed developer, reported a net profit of 13.3 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) in 2023, up 26% year-on-year. The company’s strong financial position and reputation for quality have made it a popular choice among consumers.
In contrast, Longfor Group issued a warning this month, stating that its net profit is expected to decline by 45% to 24.4 billion yuan in 2023. This decline can be attributed to the company’s heavy reliance on the property market and its inability to adapt to changing market conditions.
Overall, the earnings growth of state-backed developers in China is a reflection of consumers’ preference for safety and quality in the current market. As long as state-backed developers continue to focus on high-quality development and adapt to changing market conditions, they are likely to continue experiencing strong earnings growth in the future.
Consumer Confidence in Home Delivery
Chinese consumers are increasingly seeking the safety and security of state-backed developers when it comes to purchasing homes. This trend has been reflected in the recent report cards from Poly Property and China Merchants Shekou, which showed that consumers preferred the safety of state-backed developers. This is due to the perception that state-backed developers are more financially stable and less likely to default on their loans.
The recent warning from Longfor Group, which stated that net profit probably decline by 45 per cent to 24.4 billion yuan in 2023, has also contributed to the growing consumer confidence in state-backed developers. Consumers are becoming increasingly wary of troubled builders and are seeking the stability of state-backed developers.
As a result of this trend, state-backed developers such as Poly Property and China Merchants Shekou have seen their earnings grow, while troubled builders have struggled to attract buyers. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years as consumers prioritize safety and security in their home purchases.
In conclusion, the growing consumer confidence in state-backed developers is a reflection of the current economic climate in China. Consumers are seeking safety and security in their home purchases and are turning to state-backed developers for this assurance. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years and will have a significant impact on the Chinese real estate market.
Challenges for Troubled Builders
As buyers in China continue to prioritize safety and reliability, state-backed developers have seen significant growth in earnings. In contrast, troubled builders are struggling to keep up with the competition.
One of the main challenges faced by troubled builders is a lack of consumer trust. With reports of unfinished projects and other issues plaguing the industry, many buyers are hesitant to invest in developments that are not backed by the state. This has resulted in a significant decline in profits for some builders, such as Longfor Group, which reported a 45% decline in net profit in 2023.
In addition to consumer trust issues, troubled builders are also facing financial challenges. Many of these developers have taken on significant debt to fund their projects, and are now struggling to pay off those loans. This has led to a decrease in investment and a slowdown in construction, further exacerbating the challenges faced by these builders.
Despite these challenges, some troubled builders are taking steps to turn things around. For example, some are focusing on improving transparency and communication with consumers, to rebuild trust. Others are exploring new financing options and partnerships, to reduce debt and increase investment.
Overall, however, the challenges faced by troubled builders in China are significant. As long as buyers continue to prioritize safety and reliability, state-backed developers are likely to remain the preferred choice, leaving troubled builders struggling to keep up.
Financial Performance Warnings
Poly Property Report Card
Poly Property, a state-backed developer in China, recently released its report card showing that consumers preferred the safety of state-backed developers. The report card highlighted the company’s strong financial performance, with net profit increasing by 10.8% to 12.3 billion yuan in 2023. The company’s total revenue also increased by 17.6% to 98.9 billion yuan in the same period.
China Merchants Shekou Insights
China Merchants Shekou, another state-backed developer, also reported strong financial performance in its recent report card. The company’s net profit increased by 17.3% to 10.9 billion yuan in 2023, while its total revenue increased by 14.8% to 73.5 billion yuan in the same period. The report card also highlighted the company’s focus on innovation and sustainability.
Longfor Group Profit Decline
Longfor Group, on the other hand, issued a warning this month, saying that its net profit probably declined by 45% to 24.4 billion yuan in 2023. The company attributed the decline to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the tightening of government regulations on the property market. Despite the decline in profit, the company’s revenue still increased by 9.5% to 143.7 billion yuan in the same period.
Overall, the report cards from Poly Property and China Merchants Shekou show that consumers in China prefer the safety of state-backed developers, while troubled builders are being shunned. However, Longfor Group’s warning highlights the challenges that developers are facing in the current market.
Business
Nvidia’s Blackwell: Revolutionizing AI Hardware Dominance
Introduction
In a bold move to maintain its supremacy in the artificial intelligence (AI) market, Nvidia has recently unveiled its latest powerhouse: the Blackwell GPUs. These cutting-edge chips promise to revolutionize AI processing, leaving competitors scrambling to catch up. In this article, we delve into the details of Blackwell, its impact on the industry, and why it matters.
What Is Blackwell?
- Blackwell is not just another chip; it’s a seismic shift in AI hardware. Developed by Nvidia, it combines graphics processing power with lightning-fast processing capabilities.
- Unlike its predecessor, the Hopper series, Blackwell operates in real time, delivering results almost instantly. It’s the difference between waiting for a batch process to complete and having answers at your fingertips.
Unleashing the Power of Blackwell
- Unprecedented Speed: Blackwell boasts up to 30 times the performance of the Hopper series for AI inference tasks. Imagine the leap—from crawling to supersonic speeds.
- Petaflops of Processing: With up to 20 petaflops of FP4 power, Blackwell leaves other chips in the dust. It’s like strapping a rocket to your data center.
- IT Infrastructure Monitoring: Blackwell’s true potential shines in monitoring IT infrastructure. Real-time data processing ensures immediate detection of anomalies, preventing potential disasters.
Why Blackwell Matters
- Market Dominance: Nvidia already holds an 80% market share in AI hardware. Blackwell cements its position as the go-to provider.
- Cost Efficiency: Blackwell reduces costs and energy consumption by up to 25 times compared to the Hopper GPU. Efficiency meets excellence.
- Cybersecurity: Immediate detection of cyber threats is crucial. Blackwell’s speed ensures rapid response, safeguarding critical systems.
- Sales Insights: Real-time data empowers sales teams. Imagine predicting customer behavior as it happens.
Real-Time Data: The Fuel for Blackwell
- What Is Real-Time Data?
- Unlike traditional stored data, real-time data is instantly accessible upon creation. It fuels live decision-making.
- Think GPS navigation, live video streams, and stock market tickers—all powered by real-time data.
- Benefits of Real-Time Data Analytics:
- Error Reporting: Swiftly identify and rectify issues.
- Improved Services: Real-time insights enhance customer experiences.
- Cost Savings: Efficient resource allocation.
- Cybercrime Detection: Immediate threat response.
- Sales Optimization: Understand customer behavior in the moment.
Conclusion
Nvidia’s Blackwell isn’t just a chip; it’s a paradigm shift. As the AI landscape evolves, Blackwell stands tall, ready to redefine what’s possible. Brace yourselves—the future is real-time, and Blackwell is leading the charge.
Auto
Uber’s $272 Million Payout: A Game-Changer for Australian Taxi Drivers and Rideshare Industry
Introduction
Uber has agreed to pay out a whopping $272 million to 8,000 Australian taxi drivers in a landmark settlement that has shocked the rideshare industry. This move is a significant turning point in the ongoing battle between traditional taxi services and disruptive rideshare companies.
The payout comes after a long and contentious legal battle over whether Uber’s entry into the Australian market unfairly impacted traditional taxi drivers. This settlement not only represents a significant victory for the taxi industry but also highlights the need for rideshare services to operate within a fair and regulated framework that protects the rights of all stakeholders.
The Background Story
Uber’s aggressive tactics in entering the Australian market have long been a point of contention. The company’s disruptive business model posed a direct threat to established taxi services, leading to fierce competition and legal battles.
The Legal Battle Unfolds
The legal saga between Uber and Australian taxi drivers culminated in a landmark settlement, making it the fifth-largest payout in Australian history. The compensation aims to address the damages caused by Uber’s aggressive strategies that sought to drive traditional taxi drivers out of business.
Impact on the Rideshare Industry
Uber’s $272 million payout sets a precedent for how rideshare companies interact with existing transportation services. This move highlights the importance of fair competition and ethical business practices in an increasingly digital and disruptive landscape.
Lessons Learned
This payout serves as a valuable lesson for both traditional taxi services and rideshare companies. It underscores the need for regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with fair competition, ensuring a level playing field for all stakeholders.
Future Implications
The repercussions of this settlement are likely to reverberate across the rideshare industry globally. Companies will need to reassess their strategies and approach towards competition, taking into account the legal and ethical considerations highlighted by Uber’s payout in Australia.
Conclusion
Uber’s recent $272 million payout to Australian taxi drivers marks a significant moment in the evolution of the rideshare industry. This event highlights the importance of ethical business practices, fair competition, and regulatory oversight in shaping the future of transportation services.
It serves as a reminder that companies must prioritize responsible behaviour and adhere to established regulations to ensure that both drivers and passengers are treated fairly. This payout recognizes the contributions of taxi drivers and serves as a positive step towards building a more equitable transportation industry.
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