Nobody can deny the importance of a paid marketing campaign on Instagram. The platform enjoys astonishing levels of popularity around the world and boosts over 1 Billion monthly users worldwide. Moreover, the platform is uniquely popular amongst U.S. audiences as well, giving U.S. businesses the opportunity to connect to over 127 Million people who use the platform daily.
No modern business can hope to prosper without having strong Instagram marketing strategies. Efficiently utilizing Instagram can help businesses reach newer audiences, boost their sales, project a brand personality, and even carry out market research.
But although Instagram is a very easy-to-use platform, marketing on it is no walk in the park. In this article, we’ll learn how to run an effective paid marketing campaign on Instagram.
Table of Contents
Instagram Marketing Essentials
Much like any social media platform, marketing on Instagram can be a double-edged sword. A business can get a lot of negative press if it put out a post that negatively impacts the sensitivities of its targeted audiences.
For this reason, in addition to having a marketing strategy businesses that rely on Instagram marketing also need effective crisis management plans.
Another effective way of enhancing your marketing efforts on Instagram is leveraging the paid ads feature of the platform. Because despite its central importance, organic marketing can get you only so far.
This write-up is designed to give me a complete run-down of how to effectively deploy Instagram’s paid marketing feature. But before we start out with our main topic, there is an extremely important prerequisite that must be pointed out.
It is impossible to leverage Instagram or any other digital platform if you do not have access to a fast-paced and reliable internet connection. After all, digital marketing campaigns are not cheap to execute.
You might need to buy professional services or marketing tools to get the job done, not to mention the money you would be paying out to Instagram for the marketing campaigns.
A slow internet connection means that you risk wasting this entire investment because without good broadband you will not be able to monitor your progress or get back to prospective clients in a timely and proper fashion.
So, the smart thing to do would be to shift to an established Internet Service Provider (ISP) like Spectrum. The provider prides itself on providing high speeds at budget prices. And in addition to its lightning-fast speeds Spectrum’s Customer Service is one of the best in the market.
If, during your campaign, you have an issue with your connection you will be able to get help in a matter of minutes.
Paid Marketing Campaign on Instagram
Now that we have taken care of your connectivity issues, let’s move on to the paid marketing campaign on Instagram tips.
#1 Be As Legitimate As Possible
Before you start setting up campaigns using Instagram ads make sure that your account looks legitimate overall. Because no one likes clicking on ads by shady-looking enterprises.
So, if you have not already, upgrade to a business account. It is fairly easy to do, just switch your account type to professional and add the required information, and Instagram will upgrade your account instantly.
Another way to increase your brand’s legitimacy is by trying to get a verification. You just have to fill out a form and Instagram will get back to you within two weeks. There is no guarantee that you will get the coveted tick in front of your handle but it’s worth the shot.
#2 Choose Your Campaign Type Carefully
There are at least six distinct types of paid campaigns you can set up on Instagram. Choosing the right one will help you get the best value for your money.
If you are an influencer or are looking to increase the traffic on your Instagram account, you should always exclusively set up ‘boost my post’ campaigns. This campaign will not only help you garner more views on the chosen post but will also end up routing more traffic to your page overall.
You can also choose to get more messages or promote your page campaigns to increase the visibility of your Instagram account. But in our professional opinion, boosting good posts will help you get the most relevant and long-term followers.
Similarly, people looking to use their Instagram accounts for e-commerce can utilize the ‘get more leads; and ‘make more sales’ campaign types. Both these campaigns will help you get a healthy list of people who are interested in your products.
Lastly, people looking to market external platforms like their business websites should select the ‘promote your website’ tab. In these campaigns when a user clicks your ad on Instagram, instead of being routed to your account page they’ll be routed to your website. This is an excellent way of transferring traffic juice from your Instagram account to your website.
#3 Choosing The Right Audiences
Picking the right audience for your Instagram ads is more of an art than a science. At the very basic level, you should have an awareness of what type of people you want your ad to target. Do not make the audiences too specific but do not leave them entirely up to chance either.
Picking the right age brackets, geographical boundaries and income groups will help keep your ad targeted. And if you are unsure, you can always rely on Instagram to pick the best audiences for you.
#4 Pay Attention To The Results
Once your campaign has concluded, take out the time to go through the performance metrics. Check out the reach, the CTR, and most importantly the cost per result. Compare these metrics with your previous campaigns and notice areas where you have missed them.
Blindly dumping money without accurately analyzing the performance of your campaigns will cost you, both literally and figuratively.
#5 The Ad’s Copy Matters
Instagram is a fairly ‘woke’ platform and rewards those with creativity. So, make sure that you spend some time constructing an accurate ad copy. You must conduct an in-depth analysis of your competitors so that you can learn from their mistakes and be able to build upon their successes.
Make sure to include relevant hashtags in the post’s caption and try to keep your design as fresh, original, and simple as possible.
FAQs on Paid Marketing Campaigns on Instagram
Here are a few frequently asked questions regarding our topic:
Q1. How Can I Optimize My Account to Increase Legitimacy for Paid Marketing Campaign on Instagram?
To optimize your Instagram account for increased legitimacy in paid campaigns, consider the following strategies:
- a) Complete your profile: Ensure that your profile is fully filled out with accurate and relevant information about your business. Include a clear and concise bio, a recognizable profile picture (such as your company logo), and a link to your website or landing page.
- b) Consistent branding: Use consistent branding elements such as color schemes, fonts, and visual style throughout your Instagram account. This helps create a cohesive and professional image for your brand.
- c) Quality content: Regularly post high-quality, visually appealing content that aligns with your brand’s image and resonates with your target audience. Use a mix of photos, videos, and engaging captions to showcase your products or services.
- d) Engage with your audience: Respond to comments and direct messages promptly, showing that you value and appreciate your followers. Encourage interaction by asking questions and running contests or giveaways.
- e) Utilize Instagram Stories: Take advantage of Instagram Stories to share behind-the-scenes content, product demonstrations, or exclusive offers. This can help humanize your brand and foster a deeper connection with your audience.
Q2. What Are the Benefits of Upgrading to a Business Account for Paid Marketing Campaign on Instagram?
Upgrading to a business account on Instagram offers several benefits for paid marketing campaigns:
- a) Access to insights: With a business account, you gain access to Instagram Insights, which provides valuable data about your audience, engagement metrics, and post performance. These insights can help you make informed decisions when creating and optimizing your paid campaigns.
- b) Contact information: A business account allows you to include contact buttons on your profile, making it easier for potential customers to get in touch with you via email, phone, or location.
- c) Ad creation tools: Business accounts unlock additional ad creation tools and features, such as the ability to create Instagram ads directly within the platform and access to the Ads Manager for more advanced campaign management.
- d) Instagram Shopping: If you’re running an e-commerce business, upgrading to a business account enables you to tag products in your posts and stories, allowing users to shop directly from your Instagram feed.
- e) Credibility and trust: Having a business account adds a layer of credibility and professionalism to your brand. Users are more likely to trust and engage with businesses that have dedicated business accounts, enhancing the effectiveness of your paid marketing campaigns.
Remember, it’s important to regularly review Instagram’s guidelines and policies for business accounts to ensure compliance and make the most of the available features and benefits.
Summary
Setting up paid marketing campaigns on Instagram may be a simple enough process but getting the best value for your money is not. When setting up paid campaigns you must have a clear-cut strategy in mind. You should also follow some of the best practices mentioned in the article above. Otherwise, you’ll end up dumping a lot of capital into the pit without getting anything useful out of the process.