Social media is the perfect place to connect with your current and potential customers. Standing out on social media and reaching your audience is much harder. In this article I’ll be focusing on Instagram strategies for e-commerce businesses. Some of these tactics will apply on other social networks too.

Before you start

Whether you are already on the Instagram platform or just starting, my first tip is going to help you figure out your path.

1. Look to other brands for inspiration.

Take a look at what your competition is doing. Then take a look at brands you admire to see what they are doing. As you do this, ask yourself these questions and write down some notes.

  • What is their brand and do their posts relay that feel?
  • Do their brand colors appear in their photos?
  • What type of photos are they sharing?
  • How often do they post?
  • What types of posts get the most likes and comments?

This information acts as a guide can help you develop a strong brand connection for your posts, photos, reels and stories.

2. Plan out your upcoming posts.

Small one person operations may wing it, but as an e-commerce brand, you want to plan out your posts.

  • What events are happening that month?
  • Are you having a sale?
  • Introducing a new product?
  • Featuring an employee?
  • Making news?
  • Appearing at an event?

Need ideas for posts? Right click and download my PDF Instagram Monthly Planner to get some ideas. No email required!

Once you have your plan, then determine what type of media you need with each post. Do you need product photos? Reels? Story content? And what should each one contain?

Planning out your posts may take an hour or two, but it will keep your posting consistent. Plus – this tip can benefit you across all your social media platforms.

3. Consistency is key.

Customers trust businesses who show up regularly. That means when you post, you want your content to stand out in their feed. To do this, you will need a consistent style too.

Consistent images may mean a color scheme that constantly appears. Your images may all use natural lighting. That doesn’t mean you can’t mix things up, but keeping your photography and branding consistent is important. You want posts that are instantly recognizable as being a part of your brand.

4. Consistent branding.

Didn’t we just talk about this? Yes … and no. We talked about consistency on your social media feed. You want to make certain your branding is consistent everywhere.

If clients click through to your website from a social platform, are they greeted by similar imagery, colors and tone? By tone, if your social posts are funny and friendly, and your site is serious, that would be an inconsistency.

You want to keep your branding, imagery and voice similar across all platforms, including your website and e-commerce store.

reducing bounce rates using high quality product photography

5. Remain flexible.

You’ve planned out a month of posts, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible. Internet trends and world events pop up. You can address events or play along with trends to get more eyeballs on your content.

6. Too much of a good thing.

This will sound like a complete turn around from Tip 3. Actually it isn’t.

You don’t need to post everyday. When you got inspiration from your competition and brands you admired, did you look at how often they post new content? (You should have!)

You want to stand out in their feed when you post, but you don’t want to dominate their social feed. To keep your clients engaged and interested, post interesting things and helpful tips.

On days you don’t post, make sure you check your account. Respond quickly to comments, check tags, like the posts of people who interact with your page and comment on their posts.

Social media is after all – a social platform. So be social.

I hope you found these tips helpful. If you’d like to discuss visuals for your social platforms, reach out below. I can work with you to follow your current style or help you develop a new one.

Wishing you the best – and hope to connect with you on Instagram!

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