In the competitive realm of online coaching, consulting, and training, standing out and reaching your target audience is paramount to success. As such a visually captivating platform with an expansive and highly diverse user base, Instagram certainly offers a golden opportunity for coaches, consultants, and trainers to showcase their personal brand, digital products and high-ticket programmes to a highly engaged audience, who are ready and waiting to learn and buy from them.
Platform Overview
Instagram's journey from its inception to its acquisition by Facebook is a fascinating story of rapid growth and innovation in the realm of social media.
Inception and Early Years
Founding: Instagram was founded in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Originally launched as "Burbn," a check-in app with location-based features, the founders pivoted towards a photo-sharing platform after observing the success of similar apps like Hipstamatic.
Launch: Instagram officially launched on October 6, 2010, initially as an iOS-exclusive app. Its simple interface and focus on photo filters quickly garnered attention, attracting users who appreciated its ease of use and aesthetic appeal.
Early Growth: Despite facing competition from established players like Facebook and Twitter, Instagram experienced rapid growth in its early years. By December 2010, just two months after its launch, the platform had already amassed over one million registered users.
Expansion and Acquisition by Facebook
Android Release: Instagram's expansion accelerated with the release of its Android app in April 2012, opening up the platform to a much larger user base. Within 24 hours of its Android launch, the app garnered over a million downloads, underscoring its widespread appeal.
Acquisition by Facebook: In April 2012, just days after launching its Android app, Instagram made headlines with its acquisition by Facebook for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock. The acquisition was a strategic move by Facebook to bolster its presence in the mobile space and capitalise on Instagram's growing popularity.
Post-Acquisition Growth and Evolution
User Growth: Under Facebook's ownership, Instagram continued to experience exponential growth, surpassing milestones such as 100 million active users in February 2013 and 1 billion monthly active users in June 2018. Its user base spans diverse demographics and geographies, making it one of the most widely used social media platforms globally.
Feature Expansion: Over the years, Instagram has introduced a multitude of features and enhancements to enrich the user experience. From the introduction of video sharing in 2013 to the launch of Instagram Stories in 2016 and IGTV in 2018, the platform has evolved beyond photo-sharing to encompass a wide range of content formats.
Monetization Efforts: Instagram's growing user base and engagement have made it an attractive platform for advertisers and brands seeking to reach their target audience. With features like Instagram Ads, Shopping, and Branded Content, the platform has developed robust monetization strategies while striving to maintain a seamless and authentic user experience.
From its humble beginnings as a photo-sharing app to its status as a cultural phenomenon and marketing powerhouse, Instagram has undergone remarkable growth and transformation since its inception.
Its acquisition by Facebook marked a pivotal moment in its history, enabling it to leverage Facebook's resources and expertise while retaining its distinct identity and appeal. As Instagram continues to evolve and innovate, its influence in the realm of social media and digital marketing remains unparalleled.
Now you understand the power behind the brand, let's delve into how you can leverage that power to elevate your online business and get in front of your ideal audience.
Mobile-Centric Accessibility: Tapping into Your Audience Anytime, Anywhere
In today's digital age, the smartphone has become an indispensable companion, seamlessly integrating into every aspect of our lives. As we navigate through our daily routines, from dawn till dusk and beyond, this platform reigns supreme in capturing our attention.
With the majority of users accessing the platform via their mobile devices, Instagram offers unparalleled accessibility to your target audience. Whether they're scrolling through their feeds during the morning commute, taking a break at work, or unwinding in the evening, your potential clients and customers are just a tap away.
Tailoring Your Ad Formats - What Performs Best?
When it comes to promoting digital products and high-ticket programmes, certain ad formats perform exceptionally well:
Video Ads: Utilise engaging video content to introduce your digital products or provide a sneak peek into your high-ticket programmes. Showcase testimonials, success stories, or behind-the-scenes footage to entice your audience.
Carousel Ads: Take advantage of carousel ads to highlight different aspects of your digital products or programme benefits. Use multiple images or videos to create a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.
Stories Ads: Views of Instagram Stories are continually on the rise, so you should definitely consider leveraging stories ads to deliver short, impactful messages that capture the attention of your audience. Use interactive elements like polls or swipe-up links to encourage engagement and drive traffic to your offerings.
Crafting Compelling Ads to Maximise Engagement
When using any kind of paid advert, it's essential to maximise the impact of your ad content and ensure it easily attracts your ideal audience, so with that in mind, consider the following strategies:
Targeted Messaging: Tailor your ad headline and messaging to address the pain points and aspirations of your target audience. Highlight the unique value proposition of your digital products or high-ticket programmes and emphasise how they can benefit your audience and transform their pain points into the solutions they've been searching for.
Visual Storytelling: Use captivating visuals and storytelling techniques to create an emotional connection with your audience. Showcase the real-life transformations of your clients and their success stories, or user-generated content to inspire trust and credibility.
Clear Call to Action: Drive action by including a clear and compelling call to action in your ads. Whether it's signing up for a webinar, downloading a free resource, or booking a discovery call, guide your audience towards the logical next step in their journey with your brand.
Audience Targeting Strategies
Instagram offers robust targeting options to help you reach your ideal clients and customers, so having your client avatar profile ready will help to ensure you :
Interest-Based Targeting: Identify interests and behaviours relevant to your niche audience, such as personal development, entrepreneurship, or wellness.
Lookalike Audiences: Reach new prospects who share similar characteristics with your existing customers or website visitors, expanding your reach and potential client base.
Retargeting: Re-engage with users who have previously interacted with your brand or visited your website, nudging them towards conversion with targeted ads.
Budgeting and Performance Metrics
When it comes to budgeting for Instagram Ads, start with a modest budget and gradually scale up based on performance.
A modest budget for Instagram Ads can vary depending on factors such as your industry, target audience, and campaign objectives. However, as a starting point, let's consider a weekly budget of £50 to £100.
With this budget, you can run multiple ad sets targeting different audience segments or testing various ad creatives. Allocating around £10 to £20 per ad set allows you to gather enough data to assess performance and make informed optimisations.
As you gain insights into what works best for your business, you can adjust your budget accordingly, scaling up successful campaigns and reallocating resources to maximise ROI.
Remember, the key is to start small, monitor performance closely, and iterate based on results to gradually increase your ad spend while maintaining efficiency.
Keep a close eye on key performance metrics such as:
Cost Per Lead (CPL): Measures the cost of acquiring a new lead through your ads.
Conversion Rate: Tracks the percentage of users who take a desired action, such as signing up for a webinar or purchasing a digital product.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Calculates the revenue generated for every pound spent on advertising, helping you assess the effectiveness of your ad campaigns.
Conclusion
As a coach, consultant or trainer looking at tactical marketing strategies to boost engagement with your grand and ultimately leads and sales, implementing a varied plan is your best bet for conversions. Including paid ads will be one of the most effective ways of maximising your business revenue growth.
As one of the biggest social platforms with a varied audience profile of people scrolling through their phones at all times of the day, your next client could be just one click away!
Ready to elevate your online coaching, consulting, or training business with Instagram Ads? Contact DPS Brand Consultancy today to access your free business growth plan and strategy call. We're ready to help you to amplify your digital presence and unlock the full potential of Instagram for your brand!
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