Do you have a handle on using Instagram for your business? If you’re not a photographer or graphic designer, managing an account on this highly visual platform can feel overwhelming. But we’ve found plenty of examples of financial pros who are excelling on Instagram! Read on for three best practices that will help you stand out among the millions of posts being shared everyday.
Tip 1: Feature relevant and educational content
There’s a lot of noise on Instagram these days, so how do you stand out amongst one billion users? To start, it’s important to know your audience: What are they interested in? What’s important to your company, as well as your followers? Finding ways to be a helpful resource to your audience—without asking for anything in return—will help you build trust and a personal connection with your followers.
Who does it well: @charlottesville_allstate
Daniel Harper Allstate Insurance Agency in Charlottesville, Virginia has a feed that’s chock-full of fun facts (who knew there was such a thing as alien abduction insurance?) and helpful #LivePrepared advice that touches on the variety of coverage options this agency offers to their customers.
Tip 2: Maximize engagement with a timely mix of posts, stories, and IGTV
Instagram isn’t just a place to post photos to your feed and hope for the best. It’s now evolved into a sensory overload experience. Getting engagement on your posts is key! When followers engage with your content, it’s more likely others will find your posts on the Explore page. While Instagram's algorithm weighs each engagement action differently, the best way to get a boost on your posts is to add content that is so compelling that your followers will want to click "save," which adds it to their saved folder within the app itself.
Finding the right time to post can give you a big leg up on engagement, so learn when your followers are most active. While there are general guidelines of when the best time to post is, a good starting point is noon on weekdays.
Additionally, look at where your followers are turning to the most. With a business account, it’s easy to see where they’re engaging. Creating a myriad of content—a quick photo, a short how-to video, or going live for a small group of followers—are all great ways to make the most out of your Instagram account. Bonus points if you stick to a theme and stay consistent with your feed’s look and feel. Followers will immediately recognize your brand and stop to engage.
Pro Tip: To kickstart your content creation, Canva makes it easy to create a diverse array of engaging posts with ready-to-use templates for stories, posts, and reels.
Who does it well: @lendpro
LendUS Loan Advisor, Ben Johnston, expertly uses a mix of stories, reels, posts—and has even used IGTV to host video series on different topics related to the mortgage and loan business!
Tip 3: Be inclusive and authentic
Just as you would be in person, it’s important to be genuine and service-oriented with your audience. Be mindful that as a public platform, anyone can interact with and view your posts, so remember to treat your account as an extension of your business. This can be reflected in the tone of your posts and the way you introduce your business in your bio.
Who does it well: @thecicconefamilyagency
When you visit The Ciccone Family Agency profile, you immediately see the languages they speak listed in their bio. When you scroll through their feed, you see images of holiday reminders and questions to get the conversation started. They recognize their diverse group of followers and strive to ensure each follower feels included and connected to their agency.
Looking to boost your social selling initiatives even more? Visit our resources page for more financial-services-specific advice and strategies on social media success!
