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Top Tips for Instagram Marketing You Should Know

Thomas Rankin
December 2, 2015
Last Updated On
child wearing glasses screaming

Note! If you're too busy to read (you shouldn't be, reading makes you smart), skip to the end where we summarize the 9 Instagram marketing tips (plus a bonus, cause we like you).

The Dash Hudson team works with some of the best brands on Instagram, so we spend time with very smart people. Luckily, they rub off on us, and raise our own Instagram IQ. Hence, we're here to spread the wealth.

Using Instagram for marketing is nothing new, but using Instagram in a sophisticated way to touch your customer upon every stage of the brand journey (from discovery, to purchase) requires some more advanced tactics.

Dash Hudson is an Instagram marketing service that provides leading brands with a full-stack marketing solution for everyone's favorite photo-sharing social network. Everything you need, from insights to making more money. Over time, we've learned a lot, and so here present you with the 9 Instagram marketing tips that you just need to know.

1. Don't Hate on the Math. Measure Everything.


Yeah sure, I know. You understand how to take or curate a great photo, you have great taste, and that's what makes you awesome at your job. That's only a small part of it and what you think works can often be the opposite of what the data actually says. Measure everything that you do, from your content performance to your organic reach, and understand what really impacts the growth of your brand.

2. Hit a Strong Visual Tone and Lock it In


Yeah sure, I know. You're an analytics wiz who looks down upon the creative directors of the world, with all of their 'look and feel' talk. Well, having a strong, consistent visual tone is extremely important on Instagram. Find a visual style that works for your brand, and lock it in to ensure consistency.

3. Drive Organic Reach. It's the Holy Grail.


The Holy Grail in a non-biblical sense, of course. Organic (or earned) reach means your brand is hitting new audiences because people are talking about you by tagging you or participating in a hashtag. Super pro tip courtesy of our good pal Ross Simmonds: work with influencers to give your organic reach a boost, especially if you get them participating on a branded hashtag. Boom.

4. Measure the ROI of Your Influencers (Like, More Than Likes)


Every sophisticated brand on Instagram is doing some form of influencer marketing. If you are gifting, working with brand ambassadors, or doing sponsored Instagram posts, yet NOT measuring the ROI of those dollars and resources spent, you're missing a huge opportunity to get better results.

5. Trade Some Shoutouts With Your Brand Buddies


All of the kids are doing it. Feature another brand or person you love in exchange for a shoutout on their feed. This is a tried, tested and true way to grow your audience by trading followers. Make sure your partner is on brand and do it in a genuine way. Help one another out. It's guaranteed to crush.

6. Get Your Message Right


"Marketing 101. First, know your target audience. Second, understand what they love and how they feel about the world. Third, create content that is emotional and appeals to your fans." H/T to Dash Hudson friend Phil Jacobson (who has built one of the raddest fitness communities on Insta at @pumpupapp) for the clear advice on this one.

7. Don't Buy Followers or Use Auto-Like Platforms


There are a myriad of reasons for not doing this, cough, cheating, cough, but here is the main one: anyone who knows anything knows you are doing it, and will never work with you. Yup, followers for purchase are readily available to whomever desires them, and yes there are services (which are against Instagram's rules) that allow you to auto-like on certain content, driving new followers. You are too good for that. Don't fake it 'til you make it, just concentrate on making it.

8. Post More Content Than You Think You Should


Because of the particularly curated nature of Instagram and the high bar for content, the amount of it shared to the platform is quite low. Don't go spam-happy, but share just a little more than you think you should and watch it pay dividends.

9. Dogs and Babies = Match Made in 7th Heaven


This one is simple. There are just things that, universally, are fail-proof on Instagram. Dogs and babies happen to be two of them. If canines and toddlers don't work in your world, fret not: there are a ton of other themes that universally engage, such as the color blue and high contrast photos. Dash Hudson helps to surface these trends for you.

Bonus Tip! Make Your Instagram Shoppable

Dash Hudson helps brands turn their engaged audience on Instagram into meaningful site traffic by reducing barriers between social and e-commerce. On average, brands and publishers who use our LikeShop technology increase their organic traffic from Instagram by 800%. It takes 60 seconds to set up and is a total no-brainer.

Here's that list again, for the busy people:

1. Don't Hate on the Math. Measure Everything.

2. Hit a Strong Visual Tone and Lock it In

3. Drive Organic Reach. It's the Holy Grail.

4. Measure the ROI of Your Influencers (Like, More Than Likes)

5. Share Some Love With Your Brand / Publisher Friends

6. Get Your Message Right

7. Don't Buy Followers / Use Auto-Like Platforms

8. Post More Content Than You Think You Should

9. Dogs and Babies = Match Made in 7th Heaven

Bonus Tip: Make Your Instagram Shoppable

There is, of course, much more to Instagram than this. We artificially limited the list to 9, because apparently people like odd numbers. You can always trust us to be honest with you.

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