How to Kickstart an Instagram Account from Zero Followers?

With over 1 billion people using Instagram every month, business owners are turning to the platform to promote their products and services. Furthermore, the fact that 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile daily makes Instagram appear profitable to use as a platform to sell their offerings.

However, when you start with a blank slate, in this case a newly created Instagram account, it's easy to become disoriented if you don't know where to begin. Furthermore, starting an account from scratch may be intimidating, especially if your competitor already has a more established Instagram account. But don't worry, we've prepared some tips to help you get started on your newly created Instagram account.

But, before we begin, we'd like to provide a quick overview of the advantages of using an Instagram business account. As a result, it may assist you in being motivated throughout the entire process of creating your Instagram account. 

• First, because Instagram business allows you to promote your posts for as much or as little as your budget allows, you can be more flexible with the advertising cost. 
• Second, once you've reached a certain number of followers (minimum 10,000), you could direct them to your website. This can be done by including a 'Swipe Up' feature in your stories that attaches a link that followers can swipe up to visit. 
• Finally, Instagram analytics can show you how well you're performing on the platform. You could evaluate and act based on the provided analytics, such as the best time to post, the top locations of your engaged followers, the number of people who viewed your post, and other factors.

1. Optimise Bio to Make Your Account Memorable

Your username should be simple to remember and understand. Avoid using dots and underscores as they may struggle to remember your username the next time they want to search your account. Meanwhile, try to include some keywords that describe what you do; these will be searchable parts of your account. For example, if you sell baked goods, you may want to include bakery in your username.

The following section will assist you in perfecting your bio and raising your overall profile. 

• Profile picture - where you must select a picture that represents and is consistent with the overall branding scheme.
• Hyperlink space - use the hyperlink space to direct people to your website.
• Description - Provide a simple, short, concise bio description. 
• Finally, include a call to action and relevant contact information, such as a phone number.

2. Publish a Few First Posts to Establish Your Account & Create a Good First Impression.

These first few posts will serve as a first impression for people who come across your account. It should include the first 6 or 9 posts. This is done to establish your visual identity and make a statement about who you are, what your brand stands for, and how you can help people. The content should be of high quality and well-crafted. Use a high resolution image for your post because Instagram is a visual platform.

For example, Madformakeup, an Indonesian makeup brand, posted "who they are" as one of the first posts to let the audience know what they do.

3. Start Engaging with Your Ideal Customers

Consider what types of accounts your ideal customers follow. Then, follow those accounts and begin engaging with them on a daily basis so that your comments are seen by your ideal customers.

For instance, you could try to find hashtags that your ideal customer would use and begin commenting on those posts. Alternatively, you could follow big brand accounts in your industry and start with leaving comments, liking their comments, or even replying to their comments.

If you are a marketing software provider, you might want to consider to follow and interact with people that use #marketingdigital or #marketingtips.

4. Continue Posting 3-5 times a Week For The First Few Weeks

BE CONSISTENT! If you can't post 3-5 times per week, try posting less frequently. Examine your content plan or calendar to see if the frequency is consistent with your expectations and goals. It's critical that you stay consistent in the beginning because your audience needs to be convinced that following your account will be beneficial to them.

5. Use Tools to Automate & Make Your Work More Efficient 

Tools can help you complete tasks more quickly and efficiently. You can easily systematise your Instagram so you can post, engage, and go about your business. One of the tools could be a scheduler or a content idea generator. For example, HubSpot social media scheduler is available to HubSpot users.

Read More: 7 Must-Have Social Media Tools to Quadruple Your Marketing Metrics

6. Experiment, experiment, experiment

To reach a larger audience, you can try out different content formats. Of course, your goal is to pique your audience's interest. Instead of simply posting about and promoting your products, you could create stories around them.

Product storytelling could look something like this: why your company created it, perhaps some of the unique challenges you faced in doing so, and how you hope it will change your customers' lives. This is far more appealing to potential customers than a simple list of features and facts because it tells them directly how this purchase will improve their lives in the long run and provides an inspiring outlook. 

7. Start Approaching Instagram Micro-Influencers to Promote Your Business

When we talk about influencers, we don't mean the typical lifestyle influencers; in this case, the influencers could be anyone who has a following and shares your company's values. Professionals, bloggers, and activists are all represented. Find influencers who are aligned with your brand's values and don't impose anything on them.

Conclusion 

Instagram has proven to be a valuable platform for many new business owners. However, the starting point may be difficult to navigate on your own. With these simple steps, you are now prepared to launch your own Instagram business account.