If marketing on Instagram is a part of your social media marketing arsenal, knowing how to reach your target audience effectively is crucial. Understandably, once you can successfully identify the people you are targeting, your next challenge would be to find a way to reach them effectively.
Below are some of the most effective ways to reach (and engage) with your target audience on the world’s most popular photo and video-sharing social networking service:
Use the right hashtags.
Here’s something not many people know: the right hashtags can effectively get you in front of the people you are targeting. Since the people you are targeting have an interest in your brand or industry, it’s a given they will look for and follow hashtags that are relevant to your industry.
It is your job then to ensure you use the right hashtags so the people you are targeting can easily find your content. In line with this, you can use social media monitoring tools to help you find the top hashtags people are using in your industry. This will make it a lot easier to find the most popular and relevant hashtags and use them on your posts for better visibility.
Take part in relevant and trending conversations.
If you want to get noticed by your target audience, taking part in relevant and trending conversations is recommended. To find trending conversations about your brand or industry, you can use social listening tools. Social listening tools can help you gain a better understanding of the active discussions you can participate in.
Social listening tools can also give you an idea of posts that have a massive chance of sparking engagement. You can also use the tool to track brand sentiment so you will have a better understanding of how people feel about your brand and competitors. The insights you will find can give you an idea of how you can set your business apart and engage with your target audience more effectively.
Connect with the right influencers.
Influencers are considered authorities in their specific niches thanks to their passion and expertise. They have also amassed an impressive number of followers whose interests align with their niches. That being said, partnering with the right influencers can be very useful if you want to get in front of your target audience.
Find the right Instagram influencers to work with by using the following techniques:
Do a hashtag search. When doing a hashtag search, use industry- or brand-specific hashtags. You can also search for influencer content among the “Top Posts” in your search results. This can help you narrow down your search and find influencers who create very relevant content related to your niche.
For instance, if you are a home décor brand, you want to reach out to people who are into DIY home décor. Start your search for the right influencer by searching for the hashtag #diyhomedecor and check the top posts you can find in your search results.
Use influencer discovery platforms. To make your search easier, you can also use influencer discovery platforms such as influence.co or BuzzSumo. All you have to do is key in industry-specific keywords, and the platforms will provide the most relevant influencers for those keywords.
Once you identify the right Instagram influencers to work with, you can partner with them in various ways, depending on your goals. For instance:
- You can have them review your product or service.
- You can get them to share your content with their followers.
- You can partner with them and run a giveaway contest.
- You can have them take over your Instagram account (and other social media accounts) for a set period.
- You can get them to position your product or brand ingeniously.
Conclusion
Now that you have access to techniques you can use to connect with your target audience successfully, it’s now easier for you to establish a relationship, engage with them, and turn them from ardent followers to buying customers!
Author: Gabby Klesser
Gabby Klesser is the Outreach Manager for LA Website Design, a digital marketing agency that has assembled a team of expert web designers and digital marketing strategists. She often writes about web design, UX, social media, technology, marketing, and starting a non-profit.
