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According to SaleSource, Instagram marketing is the holy grail of influencer marketing. Eight hundred million users are active every month, and 500 million of them are active every single day. Moreover, 75% of Instagram users take action after visiting a post, which makes them strong sales leads.
If you own a dropshipping store, leverage the power of Instagram by hacking it to increase sales. Dropshipping business model itself allows you to focus on marketing instead of sourcing, fulfilling, and shipping orders. And when you’ve hacked Instagram marketing, you can expect to receive more orders and generate more revenue.
Now, what benefits does Instagram provide to a dropshipping store?
First, you already have product images provided by the suppliers, which can be used as is or edited to fit the theme of the promotion. If you use Shopify e-commerce platform, the native Oberlo dropshipping app would have taken care of the immediate sourcing of products directly from the dashboard.
Second, Instagram marketing is huge as the users already follow brands and 75% of them are eager to purchase. The latest Instagram statistics also reveals that in 2018, 82% of U.S. brands would be using it to promote their products.
Third, there are at least 5 top proven ways to hack Instagram marketing that generate strong results, which you can immediately apply. Start by using the right hashtags, posting at the right time when people have time to kill, collaborate with influencers including “micro” ones, create paid Instagram ads, and use Instagram shopping app where you can expand the bio link.
1. Use the Right Hashtags
Using the right hashtags is a must. You should include your brand’s hashtag like this #yourbrand in every post and include up to 29 more hashtags related to the post so that Instagram users can find it.
For instance, if you sell women’s fashion, you might want to include #fashion, #womensfashion, #dresses, and #shopping on a relevant post. You can also use these data-driven tools to locate the most appropriate hashtags for your post: Hashtagify.me and Top-Hashtags.com.
2. Post at the Right Time
The right time will bring more visitors and sales, for sure. Use scheduling apps like Later, Schedugr.am and Buffer to schedule your posts to appear on the best hours, like 7 to 9 pm at night and 12noon to 1 pm during lunchtime. Each scheduling app has its own pros and cons, however.
Later.com, for instance, comes with the so-called “visual Instagram planner,” which allows you to alternate and arrange images for aesthetic purposes. Schedugr.am is a simple and effective Instagram schedulers for heavy users who don’t have time to confirm posts via mobile. Buffer is a straightforward scheduler with “confirmation” via mobile required.
3. Collaborate with Instagram Influencers
Locate Instagram influencers for your products with finder apps like Heepsy, NeoReach, and Dovetale. You can locate rising-star influencers, find competing for brand campaigns, and select the best one for your products. Most influencer finder apps are data-driven, so you can conveniently review how the campaign has been going and create reports.
If you’re reluctant to use Instagram influencers because you think it’s expensive, have a peace of mind that the cost is not that high. Select “micro influencers” with 1,000+ followers to start with. Most likely, their rate is affordable, ranging from $50 to several hundred dollars. If you have products that they love, perhaps you can barter with them.
4. Create Paid Instagram Ads
Another proven Instagram hack is using paid ads. You can create photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, and stories ads, so the choice is yours. You can use Facebook Ads Manager and Facebook Page Manager for this purpose.
Connect the Facebook Business Manager to Instagram Accounts and claim New Instagram Account. In addition to various formats, Instagram ads also come with CTA button options: Apply Now, Book Now, Call Now, Contact Us, Get Directions, Learn More, Get Showtimes, and Download. You can leverage Facebook’s massive audience and affordable budgeting. Alternatively you can hire a marketing agency or simply go and purchase some instant instagram likes, it works best as a one-time boost.
5. Use Instagram Shopping Apps
Every Instagram account only allows one link, which is in the bio. Thus, if you’re selling products, the post images can’t be linked directly to your site. You’d need additional apps designed specifically for this purpose.
For bio-link expander, you can use Linktr.ee, Lnk.bio, and LinkinProfile. With one of these apps, your bio will go to a page that links to various pages on your site. This way, people can purchase products as the design will be seamless to Instagram, so people would shop without feeling that they’ve left the page.
On each image post, include a comment that invites users to click the bio on the link. This way, you can be sure that each product post has relevant information, such as prices, sizes, and the CTA to buy.
In conclusion, as a dropshipping business owner, you can leverage the power of Instagram marketing with these top 5 tips. When all the tools and the power of influencers come together, you can expect to see increased sales.
You’d be surprised to know how much money top shopify dropshipping stores are making, and without a doubt you can replicate their success by following sourcing similar products via the use of dropshipping tools, such as Alidropship or SaleSource are a must-have if you want to take your online business to the next level.