I’m never going to say you absolutely must use Instagram for your business.
For starters, I have no idea what your current marketing strategy looks like, and it would be irresponsible for me to say either way.
But there’s no denying that this particular social network has many advantages.
It’s proven its worth as a brilliant marketing channel for smaller pet businesses.
And there are plenty of stats that, on paper, make it a no brainer.
Like these:
- Over 1 billion people use Instagram every month
- 81% of people use Instagram to help research products or services
- 50% of people have visited a website to make a purchase after seeing a product or service
- Engagement with brands is 10 times higher than Facebook
I want to help you make the best decision for your pet business when considering which social media channels to focus on.
And with the promotion opportunities Instagram offers, it might be worth giving it a fair shot.
Here are 9 reasons to consider making Instagram a part of your marketing strategy.
1. Be where your customers expect
These days, most customers expect you to have a presence on Instagram.
Many people use the platform to learn more about the businesses they want to work with.
And if you’re not there, that’s not a great first impression.
It might even lead that person to your competitor’s profile instead.
Even if you don’t want to be super active on the platform. It’s a good idea to at least set yourself up with a profile, and share posts occasionally so people can check out what you’re all about.
2. Build trust with your audience
Besides meeting your audience’s expectations, having an Instagram account is also a trust signifier.
It shows potential customers you’re real and active in the right places online.
They’ll be able to see all the great content you’re putting out there, that you’re verified and have followers.
All of which helps them feel more confident about doing business with you.
3. Get more engagement
Instagram is made for engagement.
The platform has made it effortless for users to scroll and like people’s posts.
It’s why you can easily find yourself in an Instagram blackhole 2 hours after plucking your phone from the coffee table!
But it’s great news for businesses. It means people on Instagram are far more likely to engage with your content and brand.
4. Adds an element of fun to your brand
Instagram is the party platform.
It allows you to get creative with the content you share and lets you reveal the more relaxed, personal side of your business.
Instagram is the place to be your true, authentic self.
The more fun you inject into your content, the more engagement, followers and sales you’ll get.
5. Tag and sell products
Instagram shopping gives you an incredible opportunity to sell your products directly from the platform.
You can share a post about a product on your store, then tag that product where people can learn more and buy in a couple of clicks.
There are multiple places you can tag your products too. In feed posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos.
If you want to be approved for Instagram shopping, you need to sell physical products. Services or digital products won’t be approved.
But if your business offers pet products on your store, Instagram shopping is ideal for you.
To get started, you first need to create a shop on your Facebook page and then create your product catalogue. Instagram then pulls the product info from here.
6. Drive traffic to your website
Instagram is yet another place where you can bring people back to your website online.
One of the frustrating things about Instagram, is you can’t include clickable links within your feed posts.
However, your bio has a prominent area for you to include a link, which you can direct people to within your posts.
Here I’d recommend linking to a page on your website that has a list of important links they can check out. Like this one I’ve created for my own site.
That way your fans can more easily find what you’re referring to in your posts.
You can also include clickable links in the description of your IGTV videos.
And if you have more than 10,000 followers, you’ll get the swipe up feature in stories which takes people to a specific page on your website.
7. Strengthen relationships with existing customers
Many of your existing customers are likely on Instagram.
And if they’re active on the platform and you’re not, you’re missing an opportunity to form a stronger bond with them.
Because in order to retain customers, it’s not just about delivering the service they’ve paid for and be done with it.
If you take the time to interact with them when you’re not serving them, it shows you really care.
And if your customers feel like you genuinely care about them, they’re more likely to stick around.
8. Visuals stick in the mind
Visual content often results in more engagement.
As human beings, when information is paired with enticing images, we retain 65% of that information three days later.
So on Instagram, people are more likely to remember you and your content.
And as a pet business owner, you have the perfect opportunity to post eye-catching visuals. People love pictures of pets!
9. Leverage virtual word of mouth
If you offer a great product or service, it’s highly possible some of your customers will share their story with their followers on Instagram.
And if you have an account, they can tag you in that post.
We want that! Because that puts you in front of more potential customers and gives you great social proof.
But if you don’t have an account, they won’t be able to tag you. And you won’t be able to join in the conversation. That’s a massive missed opportunity.
I hope this post has helped you better understand the potential for your business on Instagram.
And if you’d like to get the inside scoop on how to use Instagram to promote your pet business, consider becoming a member of the Pet Biz Thrive Online Club.
This is my monthly membership where you’ll learn the ins and outs of using Instagram to grow your business. Plus trainings on a heap load of other online marketing strategies and access to ongoing support.