11 Tips For Promoting Your Local Business On Instagram

Details

Published: Monday, 29 August 2022 06:10

So, you are running a local business and want to drive new customers to your door. Word of mouth is great but can only do so much. What do you need? New customers. How do you get them? Instagram! 

In today's time, having a presence on social media is essential. One of the most popular social media platforms is Instagram, due to its high usage and ability to capture a wide demographic with its mobile-friendly nature.

Instagram has proven to be a valuable marketing tool for my local business. The photo and video-centric platform allows businesses to show people a beautifully curated view of their products and build trust and loyalty with their customer base.

However, users don't always know where to find your Instagram handle. So, here are 11 different ways you can promote your local business on Instagram.

How to promote your local business on Instagram?

1. Focus on your bio

Your bio is great to include links to your website and social media profiles and a short description of what you do. If you have a new product or service that isn't yet listed on your website, it's also a good place to mention it briefly in your bio so that people can find out more later.

While writing your bio, you can incorporate keywords and use interesting headlines. Also, you can use powerful emojis to attract attention and express your brand's personality.

2. Be an active part of the Instagram community

The next thing you need to do when promoting your local business on Instagram is to be an active community member. This means following other people, liking their posts, commenting on them, and posting your content regularly.

The more active you are in the community, the better chance you'll have of building relationships with other businesses and people. They can also help promote your business through their channels as well.

3. Create authentic content

The best way to promote your local business on Instagram is with authentic, high-quality content that resonates with a local audience. Local businesses should focus on creating relevant photos and videos for their customers, whether about products or services.

Instagrammers love seeing pictures of their hometown, so be sure to post pictures of landmarks, businesses, and events happening in your neighborhood. Your customers are more likely to follow and engage with brands they know and love.

4. Use local hashtags to connect with customers and build awareness

You can use local hashtags to connect with other Instagram users in the same area. Hashtags are a way for users of the platform to search for specific content based on their interests or location. You can use them in photos as well as in captions. Also, you can use geotagged photos to get found by people searching for businesses near your location.

For example, if you're selling shoes and want to connect with people in New York City who might be interested in buying them, then include the #NYC tag in your photo description or caption. This will help people find your post when they search for #NYC-related posts on the platform.

5. Make sure your posts are visually appealing, especially if you're a product-based business

The average user spends just 29 minutes on Instagram each day. So, make sure your posts are interesting enough to keep them scrolling through their feed. If people can't 

see what your product looks like or how it works in their lives, they probably won't buy it from you.

Instagram is all about graphics. When promoting your local business on this platform, make sure that every post you publish looks great from a visual standpoint. This means using high-quality images,video via video tools and make infographics and videos that are well-composed, clear, and colorful—or at least, have an interesting subject matter or angle.

PNG format is preferred on Instagram as it helps individuals and businesses post high-quality graphics. You can easily use a PNG converter to convert any JPG image to PNG.

6. Show the local lifestyle

Show off your city's unique culture and lifestyle with photos of locals enjoying their favorite activities. You can also use Instagram stories to highlight certain aspects of life in your city or region—like a specific festival or event—while encouraging users to follow along with their posts simultaneously.

Using photos of your customers is a great way to show that you're part of the community, but don't just take pictures at your store. Take photos at events, from behind the scenes (like making pizza), or other places around town. The goal is to show people what they might not have seen otherwise while still promoting what you do.

7. Consistent brand identity

Your Instagram page should be an extension of your other marketing efforts. That means using the same colors and fonts as you do on other social media platforms and keeping the look and feel consistent with the rest of your website. This helps people recognize your brand across all channels, which can increase your sales.

Use the same filters and hashtags across all of your photos and videos. This will help people find you when they search for similar content—even if your account isn't connected to theirs.

8. Stick to a schedule for posting

If you post something random now and then, people will be confused about what your brand or product is all about. Consistency is key when it comes to social media engagement.

You should set up an editorial calendar to have a schedule for posting images and videos on Instagram. It helps your followers know when to expect new content from their favorite brands. It encourages them to follow along more closely. You can also use this opportunity as an excuse for promotions or sales streaks that'll help boost engagement on your posts.

Plan to know when you'll be posting images and videos regularly (ideally every day or every other day). Then stick with it.

9. Run Instagram contests

Instagram contests are a great way to get people to interact with your brand on social media and promote your business. The best part? They're incredibly easy to set up.

Here's how:

Choose a theme for your contest: This will help you narrow down what type of photos you want entrants to submit.

Choose a prize: You can choose from many different types of prizes, including gift cards or discounts on products or services offered by your company/organization (like free tickets). If possible, offer multiple prizes so that everyone has a chance to win something.

Create rules and guidelines for participating in the contest: Make sure you follow all of Instagram's policies when setting up your contest and fill out all the information required on their form page before submitting it. This includes providing a list of acceptable hashtags (which we discussed earlier), eligibility requirements (such as age limits)

10. Partner with local influencers for promotions

If you're looking for ways to save money and boost sales, one of the best things you can do is a partner with local influencers.

Nowadays, it's easier than ever to find influencers in your industry. Sites like Instagram make it simple to find people already posting content related to your product or service. And sites like Fiverr make it possible to hire someone to create engaging content on your behalf.

The key is finding someone with an audience that matches your product or service and is willing to promote it for a small fee.

You don't have to limit yourself to one influencer, either. If you have more than one product or service to promote, find multiple local influencers who will be interested in helping you spread the word about your brand.

11. Research successful local businesses on Instagram similar to yours

The best way to get started with Instagram is to research successful local businesses on Instagram similar to yours. Look for posts with a lot of engagement and use that as a guide for what type of content you should post. Get an idea of how many followers they have, how many times their posts were liked, and what types of comments they get from their audience.

The next step would be creating a persona that fits with the people likely following these accounts. Adopt a voice or tone of voice that fits this persona, and then start posting. This will help you understand what works and why it'll work for you.

Make your local business success with Instagram

If you have proper planning and execution, you can't go wrong in promoting your business on a social media platform.

In the case of Instagram, use relevant hashtags to increase visibility and make yourself a more recognizable name in your community. That way, you can be there when people post photos of your local area or talk about things related to your business.

Then the ball is already rolling. From there, it's merely a matter of keeping up with the conversation, posting interesting photos, and—above all else—being a good listener and engaging community member.

How to Have a More Productive Workplace

Details

Published: Friday, 26 August 2022 05:07

Being the owner of a business is a tall order. There is so much that can go wrong on a day-to-day basis, and one of your main responsibilities will be trying to keep your cool. Of course, as a business owner, there are many different areas of the company you will have to overlook. A lot of people can’t handle this pressure, which will result in their failure. However, with the right attitude and strategy, this doesn’t have to be the case for you. 

One thing that a lot of people will struggle with regarding their business is productivity. After all, employees will find it hard to come in daily and work as hard as they can. However, if you can produce a productive working environment for your workers, then you are going to reap the benefits. So, how do you do this? Here are some suggestions that could be of benefit to you and your business.  

Don’t Overwork Employees

Of course, you are going to want your employees to perform at their top level as much as possible. However, people can’t go 8 hours in a row, 5 days a week working their hardest. This just isn’t a viable option. If you try to encourage this behavior, then it is just going to backfire on you. Your members of staff are going to become overworked and burned out. This is going to give them less energy to work hard. As well as this, it could tarnish your relationship with them. Make sure you are giving them relaxing, lengthy breaks during the day. As well as this, allow plenty of holiday days for your staff. Taking blocks of days off is a good way for your workers to relax and recover. Having a good balance between rest and work is going to be your friend when it comes to a productive workplace. 

Good HR

Employees want to feel like they are appreciated and heard. When they get this, they are more encouraged to work for a company and put more effort in. A good way to do this is to have a good HR system. This means that any queries, concerns, or support that a person might have can be dealt with through HR. It will also allow you to look at analytics for your staff members. The benefits of HR analytics could help to promote more productivity around your workplace. 

Having Good Management Skills

People management is a skill that a lot of people desire but don’t have. It is a hard one to master, and even after years of experience, you are still going to be learning. However, when you know how to manage the people that work for you, then you are going to be able to promote much more productivity in the office. This will also help you get the most out of individuals and will like lead to increased employee retention rates over time, as employees feel valued and content with their job.

E-commerce Proxy Advantages for Businesses and Individuals

Details

Published: Wednesday, 17 August 2022 08:40

The internet has become a powerful tool for businesses and individuals, but it also presents new risks. With the rise of e-commerce and the growing number of cyber attacks, your business or personal information may get into the wrong hands if you don't take certain precautions, like using a proxy. 

How E-commerce Proxies Can Help Your Business

Let's look at some ‌ways in which proxies can enhance a business' online experience. We'll also discuss how you can use them to block fraudsters who try to steal identity information or money from your e-commerce websites. 

Research Anonymously  

Price monitoring is among the tactics you can use to stay ahead of your competitors. However, some websites will block your IP address if they realize you're secretly monitoring their products. Fortunately, you can use proxies for price comparison and other competitor research strategies while maintaining anonymity. 

Let's say you have a website for a business you want to learn more about, like its products, contact information, staffing, and so on. The best way to mine such information would be by using a proxy tool to hide your IP address. That way, no one will know your identity; you could be a regular client of the company! 

Reach International Markets

One of the most common uses of proxies is to get around country restrictions. For example, suppose you're selling clothes in the US but living in France. In that case, a proxy can allow you access to your US site from France without having to worry about getting blocked by geo-restrictions. A proxy also gives you an easier time reaching international markets from the comfort of your home or office. 

Secure Your Data  

Data security is as important when running an online store as it is when browsing the web directly. If your business has an online presence, you could risk losing customers and revenue through data theft or hacks. This can happen if someone steals your customer information or hacks your server. 

The best way to secure your site and protect yourself against such risks is by using proxies with strong encryption features. With a proxy, cyber attackers will find it difficult to swipe sensitive information like credit card numbers and financial records. 

Proxy Benefits for Individuals

Individuals can also use proxies to keep their browsing habits anonymous. Some opt for premium while others use the free versions, but it's always smarter to go for reputable vendors for heightened security. 

Save Money When Shopping Online

Have you ever wondered why a cookie policy pops up when you visit a site for the first time? Retailers use cookies in different ways. Some use them to determine prices for different people, while others utilize them to target ads based on browsing activity and location. 

Almost all e-commerce websites use the same strategy when pricing products. You're likely to pay more for an item if you're from a strong economy or if a retailer thinks you can cough up such an amount. The same concept applies when you search for an item several times. Fortunately, you can use a proxy to hide your actual IP address and appear like you're from a nation with a weaker economy.

Access Geo-restricted E-commerce Stores

Some e-commerce sites don't allow sign-ups from certain countries. For example, eBay blocks sellers from Cuba, Syria, and several other countries. If you're from a geo-restricted area and want to access eBay, you'll need a proxy.

However, be careful about legal issues that may arise. Whether bypassing geo-blocks is legal depends on the policies of your country and the target website. 

Enhance Website Performance  

Most proxies offer caching technology, which results in super-fast website loading speed when dealing with similar requests. Even if your hosting provider has slow servers, a proxy will optimize your site's loading speed. Remember, proxy providers have proxies in many countries, so they will direct your data request to a nearby server for quick results. However, each proxy type has something that sets it apart from the rest. If you need excellent performance, a residential proxy might be the best option.

Proxies Are the Future of the Internet  

With their many benefits, proxies are a great asset for any business or individual. They offer the anonymity and security you need when scraping data, shopping online, or even browsing casually. 

If you run an e-commerce website, proxies will enhance competitor research, safeguard your privacy, and boost your site's performance.

Ecommerce Link Building: Tactics That Work

Details

Published: Monday, 15 August 2022 12:25

It is a well-known fact that Google considers the number of backlinks a website has. It works like a ranking signal. The more backlinks a page has, the better it will be ranked on Google. 

That's why one of the main priorities for SEOs is link building. 

However, when it comes to eCommerce - link building causes difficulties. 

Why does it happen? 

The thing is that there are not so many opportunities to acquire links to product or category pages. 

In this post, you will get familiar with link-building tactics for eCommerce sites. 

Let's get the ball rolling. 

1. Product feedback technique

This technique is pretty straightforward. 

How does it work?

Go to Google and search for "best [product type]" pages. Google will suggest a list of all blog posts that list products related to your eCommerce business. Afterwards, you reach out to the authors of these posts and ask if they would like to test your product.

The idea is to ask the authors to feature your product if they liked it. 

As a result, when you get your product mentioned, you will acquire a link back as well. 

How to use this tactic successfully? 

First and foremost, your eCommerce product must stand out from the crowd. And if bloggers don't think that your product is worth being featured in their content, they won't feature it and provide the link. 

The next step is to move forward with brainstorming product categories you want to boost with the links. Then explore the best product listicles related to your product category on Google. 

Find the most promising opportunities and reach out to the authors of the posts. Don't offer a direct link exchange. Google can penalize for this. Instead, offer to test your product. If the product is a bit hard to send for review (like a guitar), you can provide the author with testimonials of the existing users of the product. 

2. Unlinked mentions

Unlinked mentions are mentions of brands, products, and services that don't link back to the source website. For example, a mention of Lee Cooper watch but there is no link to leecoopertime.com.

It won't be hard to find unlinked mentions due to these reasons:

• The author of the post is already aware of your product (brand) and will more likely insert a link

• The author likes your product and will link back for sure

Everything seems so easy, right? 

The only trouble here is to find these unlinked mentions. 

How to do it? 

It will be time-consuming to find unlinked mentions on Google manually. Thus, you can speed up the process with the help of one of the SEO tools like Content Explorer from Ahrefs. 

Type your product/brand name in the search bar and click the "Highlight unlinked domains" tab. Afterwards, copy/paste your domain and rip the benefits. 

As you can see, this product request has lots of unlinked mention opportunities. Thus, it makes sense to filter them down to get the most promising ones. Choose the sites that have DR60+ and drive a good portion of the traffic. 

The next step is to get in touch with the author of the post. Don't ask about link placement directly. And the chances that such a request will be satisfied are dim. Instead, ask for a link for the page that makes contextual sense. Plus, you should explain why it would be useful for the audience as well.

This link building tactic doesn’t require using any additional services or techniques. You can, even, avoid using any creative automation processes doing this type of link building. 

3. Guest post updates

Guest posting is one of the most legitimate ways to promote your business and acquire links. However, it requires lots of things to do. 

When you have an eCommerce business, there are not so many topics that you can cover across third-party blogs. What's more important, it makes sense to promote your products on niche-related eCommerce platforms. 

Nevertheless, dozens of posts go live every day that might feature products similar to your ones. Hence, your goal is to explore newly published (and outdated) guest posts and try to build links from there. 

How to find these guest post opportunities?

You can use a tool from Ahrefs called Content Explorer. Just use the following search commander

"topic" -title:"topic" title:(2022 OR 2021 OR 2020)”

For example, you sell smartphones and want to build more links for your blog post on new models of iPhone. Type it in Content Explorer. The tool will list pages that mention "iPhone" in the text. 

Since the report suggests a huge number of pages, you should filter them down. In the screenshot above, a few filters have been applied:

• Referring domains filter to a minimum of 50

• DR from 60 to 85

• One page per domain

• Sort results by "Domain Rating"

Now, skim through the pages and pay attention to how much traffic the pages drive. 

Finally, reach out to the webmaster (or the author), and ask to link back to the product. What email pitch should you use?

You can use the following pitch:

"Hey [first name],

It's Sergey here. 

I noticed you haven't updated your list of top cool tech gadgets in 2022. I believe that your list lacks [brand name of the product]. 

Besides, this list update will help drive traffic to the page. Therefore, both of us will benefit from this cooperation.

How do you like the idea?

Please, let me know your thoughts.

Thanks. "

Keep in mind that if you want to make your outreach more effective, you should automate it with the help of email marketing service. 

4. Publications of curated statistics pages

Bloggers and journalists are fond of statistics. They refer to it in their content pretty often. Thus, statistics pages that list different facts and figures about certain things tend to attract backlinks.

Therefore, you should publish lists of curated statistics related to your products. 

How to do it?

First and foremost, you need to figure out what statistics people are trying to find. Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer is the tool that will help with this. 

Enter a search request related to your eCommerce business. Then, click the "Matching terms" report. Use the filters by adding such words as "statistics", "facts", "stats", etc. to the "Include" tab.

Review the list and find opportunities that would work. For example, "whey protein powder nutrition facts" seems like a nice choice for a statistics page. 

To see if people are interested in this topic, you should review how many referring domains top-ranking pages have in the SERP.

This topic is quite popular. It is worth your time to create a statistics page for this. Eventually, this way of link building helps promote your product. And you will be able to increase conversion rate for your eCommerce site. 

To Sum Up

Ecommerce link-building is a difficult task. It is much easier to build links to content pages and homepage. People link back to the source of trusted information to help their audience dive deeper into the topic in question. 

Product pages of an eCommerce site is a whole different kettle of fish. It is always a challenge. Anyway, these four link-building tactics can help you out. 

If you think this post lacks more eCommerce link-building tactics, feel free to share your suggestions in the comments.