Instagram Is Every Entrepreneur’s Most Powerful Tool

In todays world, social media is the main tool for every business owner to grow. But among all of the platforms, heres why Instagram is the future of business. Entrepreneurs frequently evaluate different social media platforms in a variety of ways due to differences in how they approach business. Traditionalists may be risk-averse, and they question whether investing time and money into building an identity on a new platform such as Instagram is worthwhile.

However, I do believe Instagram is the future of business, and I am not alone. For instance, when I spoke to a friend who is an entrepreneur, she stressed how important Instagram is for her business due to its huge follower base and status it comes with. She is not alone–a good number of my clients make as much as 70% of sales on Instagram. So, how can you boost your businesss profile on Instagram. Here are three unique opportunities that Instagram offers entrepreneurs.

Instagram is a picture-based platform, which means that what you post to your profile is going to influence the way customers and partners perceive you. It is an incredible opportunity to showcase what matters most, in both your professional and personal lives. Research has consistently shown that customers are highly invested in not just the product or service that the company is selling, but also in the story that is being told about it.

Think of that: There are two top-grossing movies now based on the life and work of Steve Jobs, Apples co-founder. There is a film about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, a TV series about the birth of ride-sharing app Uber, another one about the birth of fast-food chain McDonalds, and countless others. Consumers like to know the inside stories about their favorite brands.

This type of advertising, however, can be a double-edged sword. Sensitivity to messages is essential on Instagram, and brands will sometimes cross the line to try and appear relevant. If you are looking to engage with your customers on Instagram, I recommend emphasizing transparency, your products, and your authentic personality.

Instagram is also a powerful tool for connecting with other entrepreneurs. In the past, entrepreneurs had to rely on serendipitous interactions with powerful people for networking – think business cards. . Now, Instagram and platforms like it provide you with virtually anyones business card, right in your pocket.

As long as the person you want to talk with has an account, you just need to go to their profile and message them quickly, inviting them out for lunch or coffee. Often, established businesspeople will leap at the opportunity to mentor a fellow business owner (and receive a free lunch). You never know where one simple message can take you.

Likewise, posts that are based on locations, showing followers when you are in the city, could turn out to be a big hit. For instance, a simple geotagged post of a major contact in your town can lead to the chance of connecting with the individual.

Perhaps the most critical thing to any entrepreneur is making sure that a company is getting the sales necessary for survival. Instagram offers unique potential in that respect, being used by millions of people to look for purchases and to see products being used “in the wild”. Our clients have seen lead volumes increase up to 1000 percent, and this is no fluke. If you are selling a product or a service — even in B2B space — consumers want to know there is a human being behind the product who is willing to put his or her seal of approval on it. It is for that reason that Amazon and other online retailers pride themselves on offering customers a human face: If you can see they believe in a product, chances are that you will, too.

When it comes to selling on Instagram, there is one crucial characteristic all entrepreneurs need to be aware of. Instagram Checkout, launched in 2019, allows users to purchase products right within the app. And with Instagrams higher-than-average engagement rates and user base, it is a feature that cannot be ignored.

Instagram checkout does not include links, which means you donat need to open a browser tab or go anywhere else but from the product youare looking to purchase. The purchase experience is quick and easy, and like almost everything else about Instagram, the UI is delightful to use.

When it comes to social media for your small-to-medium size business, particularly the B2C segments, one thing is obvious: Instagram is an important tool to build meaningful connections and scale your business in different ways. These two goals are inextricably linked. Customers want to have a personal connection to you, your brands primary ambassador: this helps them imagine their product or service in their lives, and lets them know the people behind the company believe in what they are doing. By using Instagram to bring customers into your world, you are opening yourself up to limitless opportunities for meaningful connections — and for the ongoing success of your business.

Do not forget to focus specifically on the content creation component, do not just focus on paid ads when it comes to your Instagram strategy.