Advertising on social media is extremely different from any other type of advertising medium. With that in mind, it’s easy to understand why so many businesses struggle to make successful ads on Instagram.
While your ads might not be successful yet, it doesn’t mean you should give up on your efforts.
Try reading our article below to discover the reasons why your ads are salesy and how to fix them.
1. Don’t worry about conversion, worry about your customers
When I was working retail, all my managers cared about were conversions—how many people came into the store versus those that purchased something.
It was never really about how the customer was feeling while within our store. Although to be fair, conversions are essential to the success of a business.
But that shouldn’t be your entire focus.
In fact, “focusing on conversions when you build your Instagram ads can hurt your conversions. You’ll actually get more conversions if you focus on delivering value—amusement, inspiration, entertainment—when you build your ads,” says James Miller of Strike Social.
Instead of focusing on conversions, create content that appeals to your audience. If they find your posts entertaining or interesting, they are likely to interact with your ad.
2. Avoid banner ads
Blaise Lucey of Marketing Land said it best when describing what your audience is looking for: “Just like with other social channels, Instagram users are coming to the app looking to be entertained, connect with friends and learn.”
So if a banner ad pops up to interrupt your followers’ scrolling, they will not only ignore your ad but also attach negative feelings to your brand.
The goal of advertising on Instagram should be to create positive brand awareness that will lead them to your website organically.
“When you genuinely engage a user with the right content, their eye will naturally drift to the ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Learn More’ button at the bottom of the ad,” says Lucey.
Instead of making a sales banner you would see in a store, be sure to take a high-quality photo that highlights your brand aesthetic. This way you can communicate what your brand is about while being subtle.
3. Tell a story with your ads
Lastly, a simple picture of your product and a link attached in the caption with the word SALE is not effective.
According to Miller, “Ads that tell a story deliver the content that users come to Instagram for. If your ads tell a story, they’ll feel natural in the Instagram environment and people will thank you with engagement (and sales).”
An easy way to add a narrative to your brand is by making tutorial videos that educate your audience and show them how your business solves their problems.
Educational videos are always a good idea to introduce your brand to new and potential clients. Just make sure to always keep your customer in mind!
If you take a good, hard look at your promotional efforts on Instagram, you can identify what’s going wrong and correct it with these tips.
Soon enough your promotions will pay off!
Additional articles you might be interested in:
- 22 Social Media Marketing Tips For Beginners
- How To Make Money Fast With Facebook Ads: Create The Right Ads
- 3 Things That Every Brand Needs To Be Successful
- 5 Reasons Why Your Website Conversion Rates Are So Low
- How To Get People To Notice Your Digital Content
- 5 Apps For Social Media Content Creation
- 7 Social Media Branding Tips
- 4 Ways To Boost Your Brand Awareness Online
- 5 Proven Steps That Will Increase Your Organic Search Traffic in 2020
- How To Post Consistent Quality Pictures On Instagram
- 5 Ways To Create A Brand That Captivates
- 5 Ways To Use Social Media To Build Your Personal Brand
- How To Make Your Promotions Impress
Claire Erickson is currently a blogging intern at LadyBossBlogger.com. Claire has just returned from studying abroad at the London College of Fashion and will finish her senior year studying retail merchandising back at her home university – University of Minnesota (Twin Cities). She is looking forward to having a future in buying, trend research, or planning.
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