Every brand wants to go viral. But what does that mean, and how can you achieve it? If you’ve ever wondered what is viral marketing and how it works, you’re not alone. Viral marketing is about much more than just luck. It’s about creating content that resonates with your audience and prompts them to share it with their networks. This creates a ripple effect that expands your reach and visibility. Understanding what viral marketing is and how to leverage it can help you achieve your business goals.
Table of Contents
- Benefits of Promoting on Instagram
- How to Promote Instagram Page in 25+ Simple Steps
- 6 Instagram Promotion Strategies
- Cost of Instagram Promotion
- Create Viral Shorts In Seconds With Crayo
Benefits of Promoting on Instagram
A Huge Audience Awaits
Instagram connects brands to vast audiences. The platform has over a billion users worldwide. That means your marketing team can connect with people in every corner of the globe. This extensive reach also includes people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. As a result, Instagram is an ideal place to promote your brand, products, or services.
You can raise awareness among general audiences and reach specific niche groups, such as people interested in sustainable fashion or outdoor adventures. This targeted outreach can help your marketing team grow your brand’s online and offline visibility.
Build Your Brand’s Recognition
One of the most significant benefits of advertising on Instagram is the potential to boost your brand’s awareness. The platform is visual-first, meaning users scroll through their feeds looking for eye-catching images or videos. This unique format allows brands to make lasting impressions on potential customers.
For example, a recent study found that nearly half of Instagram users surveyed said they discovered new brands on the platform. Additionally, 83% of users reported that Instagram helps them discover new products. Instagram is a wise choice for increasing your brand’s recognition. Over time, enhanced brand awareness leads to greater consumer trust and loyalty.
Target Ads to Specific Audiences
Each social media platform has unique user demographics, and Instagram is no different. The platform is especially popular with younger users, with nearly 60% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 using it. However, its appeal also extends to older audiences, with roughly 40% of adults ages 30 to 49 and 20% of those ages 50 to 64 using it. This extensive reach means brands can use Instagram to connect with various consumers.
Additionally, Instagram offers advanced targeting options for advertising. These tools allow brands to reach specific audiences based on location, interests, behaviors, and demographics. This means a niche outdoor apparel brand can target eco-conscious millennial consumers, while a luxury car manufacturer can reach affluent adults.
Generate High Engagement Rates
Instagram is one of the most engaging social media platforms, with users spending an average of 30 minutes daily on the app. This presents a prime opportunity for brands to connect with potential customers and create engaging content that encourages likes, shares, and comments. One of Instagram's most significant engagement drivers is user-generated content (UGC).
UGC on Instagram generates 4 times the likes and 3 times the comments of brand posts. Additionally, 79% of people say UGC boosts their trust in brands. Your marketing team should prioritize creating and sharing UGC on Instagram to enhance your brand’s engagement, reach, and trust.
Connect Mobile Users with Your Brand
More than 60% of Instagram users say they discover new products on the platform, making it a valuable tool for driving awareness and consideration for your brand. However, more than half of Instagram users also use the platform to research products.
Your marketing team should create engaging ads and posts encouraging users to click through to your website or landing pages. Then, optimize these pages for a smooth mobile experience. This will help convert Instagram users into customers for your brand.
Boost Your Brand’s Online Presence
Instagram is an effective tool for connecting with potential customers and driving engagement. It can also boost your brand’s online visibility. Nearly 60% of Instagram users say they discover new products on the platform, making it a valuable tool for driving awareness and consideration for your brand.
However, more than half of Instagram users also use the platform to research products. Your marketing team should create engaging ads and posts encouraging users to click through to your website or landing pages. Then, optimize these pages for a smooth mobile experience. This will help convert Instagram users into customers for your brand.
Related Reading
- What Is Considered Viral on Twitter
- How Many Likes Is Viral
- How Many Views Is Viral on Twitter
- Importance of Viral Marketing
- What Does Going Viral Mean
- Content Marketing Storytelling
- Core Components of Modern Marketing
- Storytelling Marketing Examples
How to Promote Instagram Page in 25+ Simple Steps
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2. Enhance Your Profile for Optimal First Impressions
Your Instagram profile is your brand’s online face. Stand out with more than a clever bio and logo (though they help!). For instance, Aveda’s account showcases cohesive colors, messaging, and content. Verify your account for a blue check mark, and ensure logo clarity with proper sizing guidelines. Create an engaging bio within 150 characters, using creative formatting for readability. Below, feature Instagram highlight circles for organized, accessible story content.
3. Produce High-Quality, Engaging Visuals
Diverse, captivating content is crucial for your Instagram presence. Use photos, videos, and carousels to promote your brand’s aesthetic. For example, Ralph Lauren and Betsey Johnson showcase distinct styles while maintaining brand identity. Consistency in filters, lighting, and framing enhances visual appeal. Regular posting is essential, but prioritize quality over quantity. Focus on content that resonates with your target audience to foster engagement and interactions.
4. Utilize Relevant Hashtags for Increased Reach
Hashtags may be less potent than before, but don’t overlook their value. Instead of generic tags, choose precise, relevant keywords to enhance your strategy. For example, Aveda uses targeted hashtags like #VeganHairCare instead of general categories. Focus on unique, brand-specific tags to improve discoverability and engagement. Avoid over-tagging or using too many unrelated hashtags that dilute your reach.
5. Engage Your Personal Network to Jumpstart Growth
When launching or promoting an Instagram account, start with family and friends. Their support can create initial engagement and visibility. Encourage them to share your content with their networks to expand your reach. Even without direct promotion, their interactions will appear in followers’ feeds, potentially introducing new audiences to your account.
6. Cultivate Meaningful Engagement with Your Audience
Authentic engagement is key to promoting your Instagram presence. Responding to comments makes followers feel valued, encouraging further interactions. Proactively engage with supporters by liking and commenting on their posts. These actions help strengthen relationships and organically boost your visibility. Prioritize genuine, two-way communication to build trust and community around your brand.
7. Use Instagram Stories to Connect with Followers
Instagram Stories are ephemeral, 24-hour posts that can enhance your reach. Their temporary nature creates urgency and encourages engagement. Explore interactive features like polls, questions, and stickers to foster participation. After 24 hours, save standout Stories as highlights on your profile for ongoing visibility. Use Stories to showcase behind-the-scenes content, promotions, and real-time updates for more authentic connections.
8. Encourage and Share User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) can enhance your brand’s credibility and reach. Sharing authentic customer posts fosters community and encourages further UGC. Create campaigns or contests that prompt followers to share content featuring your products or services. When they do, share their contributions to your audience, boosting their visibility and potentially introducing new users to your account.
9. Engage and Collaborate with Instagram Influencers
Partnering with influencers can significantly expand your reach and audience on Instagram. Collaborate with individuals who align with your brand values for authentic promotion. Their followers will likely trust their recommendations, creating new opportunities for your business. Even without formal partnerships, regularly engage with influencers by liking, commenting, or sharing their content to foster relationships.
10. Invest in Instagram Ads to Expand Your Audience
Instagram ads can effectively boost your visibility and engagement. Set up your Meta Ads Manager account to promote posts, Reels, or Stories as ads. Choose specific targeting options to reach your desired audience. Your promoted content will appear in various locations beyond organic postings, including feeds and Explore pages. Ads also provide valuable real-time analytics to track performance and optimize future efforts.
11. Create and Share Valuable Content for Your Audience
Offering valuable, engaging content is a proven way to grow your Instagram following. Posts that educate or entertain give users a reason to connect with your account. Ideas for valuable content include: Blog post summaries linking to full articles. Visuals highlighting key points from popular blogs. Industry statistics shared with engaging graphics. Remember to diversify your valuable content to maintain audience interest.
12. Engage Your Audience in the Comments Section
Your Instagram strategy should include time dedicated to commenting and connecting with followers. This area is a free resource for gathering feedback and insights from loyal fans. Use comments to spark conversations, ask questions, and show appreciation for new followers. These interactions signal to the algorithm that your posts generate engagement, potentially increasing your reach.
13. Post Content at Optimal Times for Your Audience
Timing is critical for Instagram success. Regularly posting content is essential, but sharing at effective times maximizes reach and engagement. Analyze your audience and business type to identify optimal posting windows. For example, aim for early morning or late afternoon posts targeting working professionals. Use Instagram analytics to determine optimal times for your specific audience.
14. Host Contests and Giveaways to Drive Engagement
Creative contests and giveaways can generate excitement and interactions on your Instagram account. Use these opportunities to reward current followers and attract new ones. For example, ask participants to tag friends and follow your account for a chance to win. This strategy can create a ripple effect, introducing new users to your content and boosting your following. Always comply with legal requirements and guidelines for running contests.
15. Incorporate Questions into Your Posts
Asking engaging questions in captions or polls can spark conversations and interactions with your audience. Focus on fun, thought-provoking queries that relate to your brand or industry. Avoid personal or controversial topics that could lead to negative engagement. These interactions enhance your relationships with followers and signal to the algorithm that your posts generate engagement.
16. Explore Instagram Reels for Enhanced Visibility
Reels are short videos that can boost your exposure and engagement on Instagram. These clips appear in dedicated tabs, but can also surface on the Explore page and Reels feed. Create engaging, entertaining content to encourage shares and interactions. Track your performance analytics to measure success and refine your approach over time. Also, look for new trends or features to capitalize on for added visibility.
17. Get Creative with Your Captions
Use your Instagram captions to engage, entertain, and inform your audience. Creative, thoughtful text can encourage likes, shares, comments, and saves. Explore different styles, tones, and formats to keep your captions fresh and interesting. Avoid generic phrases or tired jokes that may appear lazy or insincere. Instead, aim for originality and cleverness to enhance your brand voice and personality.
18. Utilize Instagram’s Shopping Features to Drive Sales
Instagram offers various shopping tools to turn your account into a virtual storefront. Create a product catalog through Meta Commerce Manager to enable tagging features in posts and Stories. These tools allow users to browse and purchase items smoothly without leaving your page. Shopping options enhance the user experience and provide your brand with new sales opportunities.
19. Regularly Post to Your Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are ephemeral, 24-hour posts that can enhance your reach. Their temporary nature creates urgency and encourages engagement. Explore interactive features like polls, questions, and stickers to foster participation. After 24 hours, save standout Stories as highlights on your profile for ongoing visibility. Use Stories to showcase behind-the-scenes content, promotions, and real-time updates for more authentic connections.
20. Connect with Followers Through Instagram Live
Instagram Live allows real-time interactions and connections with your audience. Use this feature to host Q&A sessions, product reveals, or behind-the-scenes glimpses. Promote your upcoming Live in advance to generate interest and engagement. Afterward, share the session on your Stories or create clips for Reels to maximize visibility. Regularly using Live can help strengthen your community and boost your account’s reach.
21. Organize Your Profile with Instagram Highlights
Story Highlights are curated collections of past Instagram Stories that live permanently on your profile. These albums provide a way to organize and showcase important content for new visitors. Potential categories include product features, customer testimonials, events, or FAQs. Using Highlights strategically can enhance your brand presentation and user experience on your account.
22. Monitor Your Performance with Instagram Analytics
Regularly reviewing Instagram Insights can help you refine your content strategy. Track your reach, engagement, and follower growth to assess performance over time. Analyzing your top posts and interactions can reveal what resonates with your audience. Conversely, low-performing content can offer guidance on areas for improvement. Use these evaluations to adapt your approach and optimize your Instagram efforts.
23. Leverage IGTV for Longer Video Content
IGTV allows users to upload longer-form videos for their audience. This feature can help establish your brand as an industry authority. Share educational content, interviews, or entertaining segments that provide value to viewers. These videos can also be repurposed into shorter clips for Reels or Stories to maximize exposure and engagement. Use IGTV strategically to enhance your content diversity and reach.
24. Cross-Promote Your Instagram on Other Platforms
Expand your Instagram reach by promoting your account on other social channels. Share your handle and links on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to connect with followers. Use these opportunities to encourage audience engagement on Instagram. Consistent cross-promotion can help introduce new users to your content and enhance overall visibility.
25. Announce Updates and Sales Promotions
If you’re running a sale or deal, launching a new product or service, or want to announce that a popular item is back in stock, post these to your Instagram feed or Story. When customers and fans come to know that you use this channel consistently for can’t-miss information, they will more frequently check your feed and will likely share your account with others they know would want to be in the know.
26. Take Advantage of a Trend
These trends can be powerful tools for promoting your Instagram account. A trend could be as simple as using a new Instagram feature, as fun as doing the latest viral challenge, or as philanthropic as supporting societal changes. Putting out tasteful and quality posts about trending topics will likely result in your followers reposting on their networks, expanding your reach even further, and helping to solidify your brand’s core values. Don’t forget to use the associated hashtags!
6 Instagram Promotion Strategies
1. Pinpoint Your Brand and Audience for Instagram Success
Before creating content for Instagram, define your brand identity and target audience. What makes your brand unique? Who are your target customers? Once you clearly understand your brand identity and target audience, you can create relevant, engaging content that resonates with them.
Unique Selling Proposition
To define your brand, identify your unique selling proposition (USP)—what sets it apart from the competition. This can be your values, mission statement, the quality of your products or services, or your customer service.
To define your target audience, create buyer personas—detailed descriptions of your ideal customers. Consider demographics, interests, behaviors, pain points, and challenges.
Conduct market research to understand which social media platforms your target audience uses and tailor your content accordingly. By understanding your brand and target audience, you can craft a social media strategy that resonates with your audience, builds brand loyalty, and drives engagement and conversions.
Brand Voice and Tone
After identifying your USP and target audience, you can establish your brand voice and tone to ensure consistency across all platforms and build brand recognition and trust. Your brand’s voice is the personality, language, and tone you use to communicate with your audience across social media channels. Understanding your target audience lets you determine the best way to engage with them.
Brand Identity
Creating a recognizable and cohesive brand presence on Instagram is crucial to building brand loyalty and achieving a strong visual presence. You should communicate your brand identity using consistent colors, fonts, and visual elements. Your visual branding should reflect your company’s values and resonate with your target audience. This consistent branding will make your content more recognizable, and your Instagram followers will begin to associate your brand with the visual themes you use.
Brand Style Guide
When constructing your brand identity, we recommend creating a brand style guide. This guide outlines a brand's visual and aesthetic elements, including typography, color palette, imagery, and tone of voice. It guides brand consistency, ensuring all marketing materials, advertisements, and communications align with its core message and values. Creating eye-catching posts is easier when you have a brand style guide to reference.
Keep in mind that defining your brand and target audience is an ongoing process. It’s important to continually reassess and refine your strategy as your business grows and evolves. The correct brand voice and tone can also help build a strong brand identity and develop a loyal following on social media.
2. Refine Your Instagram Profile for Maximum Impact
Your Instagram profile is the face of your brand on the platform, so it must be optimized to represent your brand. Optimizing your Instagram profile for social media marketing can significantly attract and retain Instagram followers. So, how do you do this?
High-Quality Graphics
First, ensure your profile picture is high-quality and eye-catching, as it is often the first thing people see when visiting your Instagram profile. For this reason, we recommend using your brand logo as your profile picture. Additionally, your Instagram posts should always include high-quality images so your brand can stand out from the competition and make a lasting impression on potential customers.
Compelling and Clear Copy
Second, ensure your bio clearly explains who you are or what your brand represents. Your Instagram bio should tell visitors what your business does and what content they can expect. You should also include a call to action, such as “Visit our website” or “Follow for daily inspiration.” Beyond your bio, it is essential to implement relevant hashtags and keywords in your Instagram posts to increase your visibility to potential Instagram followers.
Consistent Posting
Consistency is key to driving conversions, so consistently posting valuable content that resonates with your target audience can build a strong and engaged community.
Active Engagement
Lastly, actively engaging with your followers by responding to comments and direct messages can solidify their loyalty and reinforce your brand’s online reputation. Even a simple “like” on a comment or message can strengthen your relationship with your customers by letting them know you see their reply. Applying these optimization techniques can maximize your social media presence and ultimately drive more success in your marketing efforts.
3. Strategize and Organize Your Instagram Content
To succeed on Instagram and break through the noise, you must be consistent in your content creation. We recommend posting at least three times a week, whether photos or Instagram reels. For this reason, planning your Instagram posts and creating a content calendar is helpful to ensure you regularly post fresh and relevant content.
Social Media Management Tools
Remembering to post every week can sometimes be overwhelming, not to mention time-consuming. Thankfully, social media management tools are designed to help you schedule your Instagram posts in advance, saving you time and streamlining your content creation process. Hootsuite or Later are two programs that we recommend.
With these tools, you can smoothly post to multiple social media accounts at once, view an overview of your content calendar, and access performance analytics at a glance. These tools have free plans to start, with different paid plans depending on your desired features.
4. Connect and Communicate with Your Followers
Gaining followers is only the first step to social media marketing. The next, and most important, step is engaging with your followers. Engaging with your followers is the best way to create compelling social media marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience. You can use a few tactics to engage with your followers on Instagram.
Social Listening
The number one key to engagement is using social listening to truly understand what your followers want to see from your brand. By posting tailored content that your followers want to know, they will like, comment on, and share your posts more.
Active Communication
Communication with your followers is also necessary. Respond to comments and messages promptly, and engage with them by liking and commenting on their posts. This will help build deeper relationships with your audience and increase visibility and reach.
Instagram Stories
Instagram stories are one of the easiest ways to engage with your followers. Stories can create polls, surveys, prompts, quizzes, reactions, questions, countdowns, and clickable links. By adding these options, you can get direct feedback from your followers on what they like and dislike about your brand.
For example, let’s say you own a clothing business. You might post a photo of two colored shirts from an upcoming collection to your story, adding a poll asking what color your followers like best. This poll will give you an idea of what will be the most popular and inform your followers of what you will have available if they didn’t know.
In your next story, you could post a quick video of how you’re preparing for the upcoming collection, adding a countdown to the official launch date. You could encourage your followers to share the countdown on their stories and include a video explaining which piece they most look forward to purchasing in the collection. By having your followers share this countdown, they successfully engage with your story and spread the collection to a broader audience.
User-Generated Content
You could also use Instagram stories to encourage user-generated content (UGC). UGC is content created by customers featuring your products or services, and it is an excellent way to create authentic connections with your followers and increase engagement with your brand.
Using the clothing business example, on your Instagram story, consider asking your followers to show their favorite piece of clothing from your brand and include branded hashtags. UGC is cost-effective, as it allows your brand to use relevant, organic content created by your customers to showcase your brand and increase social proof.
If used effectively, Instagram stories are one of the key ways to engage with your followers on the platform. Instagram stories also allow you to receive UGC for your business. Ultimately, engaging with your followers will allow you to create a community around your brand and ensure your social media marketing campaigns succeed.
5. Use Hashtags Effectively for Instagram Marketing
Hashtags are an essential part of Instagram’s search function, and they categorize and organize content. Use relevant hashtags in your posts to increase visibility and reach more potential customers.
What Are Hashtags?
A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the symbol #, which is used to identify and categorize a post or message on social media platforms like Instagram. Users can click on a hashtag to view other posts related to that topic or subject. When used correctly, hashtags can significantly impact visibility and engagement.
How to Use Hashtags for Successful Instagram Marketing
To use hashtags effectively, it’s crucial to choose relevant and popular hashtags within your industry. Ensure that keywords are included that accurately describe the content you’re posting, but don’t overdo it.
Aim for about five to ten hashtags per post, and consider creating a branded hashtag unique to your business for customers to use when sharing content about your brand. Additionally, it’s essential to stay up-to-date on trending hashtags and incorporate them when relevant. Proper hashtag usage can significantly increase your reach and engagement on Instagram.
6. Instagram Features That Boost Your Marketing Efforts
Since Instagram’s rollout, the platform has revealed many valuable features for social media marketers. Two of these features are Instagram shopping and Instagram stories ads.
Instagram Shopping
Instagram shopping has made it easier for businesses to sell products directly to consumers through the platform. As a business, you can tag your products in your photos, taking customers to your website’s corresponding product page. Ensure your product feeds are always up-to-date and that your descriptions and images are enticing enough to encourage your followers to purchase.
Instagram Stories Ads
As previously mentioned, Instagram stories are a quick and easy way to engage with your followers and potential customers. They’re also a prime advertising opportunity. Consider running Instagram stories ads to promote new products, services, and sales.
To maximize the impact of your story ads, ensure they have high-resolution images, are appropriately timed, and include a clear call to action to entice your audience to engage with your brand. You can get started creating and running Instagram ads through Facebook Ads Manager.
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Cost of Instagram Promotion
Understanding the Costs of Instagram Promotion
Instagram is a leading platform for social media marketing. Understanding Instagram advertising costs can help you create an adequate campaign budget.
Instagram ads cost
- $0.01 – $0.25 per click,
- $0.01 – $4.00 per 1,000 impressions, and
- $0.03 – $0.08 per engagement.
However, various factors influence these costs, including your ad objective, audience targeting, and quality.
Related Reading
- Viral Marketing Examples
- Viral Marketing in Digital Marketing
- Viral Social Media Posts
- Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content
- Types of Viral Marketing
- How to Go Viral on X
- How to Get More Reach on Twitter
- How to Viral Post on Instagram
- Benefits of Twitter for Business
- Pros of Using Twitter for Marketing
- How to Trend on Twitter Quickly
- Instagram Marketing Strategies
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