More than two billion people have the Instagram app, and that number continues to grow globally. And with so many users, brands and businesses have more potential than ever before to grow and reach a worldwide audience. However, the downside is that it’s more challenging than ever to stand out and find your audience.
Many new brands wonder if they need an Instagram marketing team. More prominent brands certainly have a team of people to handle the marketing campaigns, monitoring trends, and customer service aspects of their Instagram business. But smaller brands may not have the budget for a team or might not be sure where to start.
So do you need an Instagram marketing team? And can you get by without one if it’s simply not in the budget yet? Let’s take a look at what a marketing team does.
What Is a Marketing Team?
Marketing teams look different for every brand but usually share some common features. These teams are responsible for developing marketing techniques and campaigns to grow brand awareness and sales. In addition, marketing teams focus on the data to create innovative ideas for outreach and driving audience loyalty.
Many teams also include a person or smaller team that focuses on the look and design of the marketing. Others may be responsible for generating and maintaining a buzz. Teams should collect data and then analyze it for insights into what customers want and where new followers may be.
Marketing teams may be:
- An agency
- In-house
- A hybrid of in-house and outsourced talent
What kind of team do you need? And do you need a team at all? The best way to answer these questions is first to ask yourself why your business is on Instagram and what you hope to achieve.
Identifying Your Instagram Business Goals
Whether your business exists outside of Instagram and you’re using the app as an outreach tool, or you exist solely on Instagram, you’re there for a reason. Ask yourself what Instagram offers you. It’s not enough to be there just because your competitors are. You must identify your goals and what you want to achieve with the tools Instagram offers.
Some brands use Instagram as a way to increase brand awareness and loyalty, with links to a brand website outside of Instagram. Others rely on Instagram as their main storefront. Some other things to clearly identify are:
- Who your target audience is
- What are the trends in your niche
- Will you focus on more than one goal
What an Instagram Marketing Team Can Offer
With so many users on Instagram, it can be a challenge to get your product or service in front of the right audience because other businesses are hoping to do the same. A marketing team can provide you with expert guidance and focus on outreach while you delegate and run your business.
Some other tasks your marketing team can offer include:
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Help you pinpoint your target audience and refine your targets as your products and services evolve.
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Analyze your competitors to determine their strengths and weaknesses. If you are just starting out and don’t have a lot of your own analytical data, a marketing team can look at your competitors’ data for insights into types of content and timing.
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Create brand and post consistency with a signature look and regularly-occurring posts. From your profile to your posts, your brand needs a consistent vibe and voice.
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An Instagram marketing team can also offer you a better work/life balance. If you are a one-person show, it can be difficult to turn things “off.” Your life creeps into your business, and vice versa. A team can take over vital marketing tasks and help you free up time to be more productive in other areas or to step away from the business to spend time with family or recharge.
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A team can also help you run promotions, contests, challenges, and charitable partnerships.
What Kind of Instagram Marketing Team Should You Choose?
If you are looking for marketing help, then your budget is the first place to begin. In the beginning, your budget may be smaller. You may only be able to hire a few people, or you might need to rely on an app to help you craft a marketing strategy. Be honest about your budget, and look for agencies or individuals that can make their pricing readily available. Whether you’re new to marketing or established, time is valuable and reputable agencies will have transparent pricing available.
Look for a team that focuses and emphasizes clear communication between each other and with you. You have created the brand and the vision, and your marketing team should be helping you to make that vision a reality. And you should always be able to get in touch with your team.
If you’re looking at several marketing agencies, ask to see other companies’ portfolios. You want to know whether they have experience marketing a company or product like yours. In addition, you also want an agency that can handle all of your marketing needs in one place. The goal of working with an agency is to grow your business while keeping things as simple as you can. Having to bring in multiple agencies can end up making more work for you.
Can You Be Successful on Instagram Without a Marketing Team?
Many brands find success on Instagram without a marketing team. New brands, especially, may begin with just one or two people managing everything. There are a few things you can do to hit the ground running if a marketing team isn’t in the budget right now:
- Develop a brand voice and vibe
- Take advantage of Instagram Business Analytics tools, or integrate a third-party app
- Use a post scheduler to help maintain consistency
- Don’t wait to get started
- Don’t be afraid to overhaul your look if it’s not working for you
- Practice using Instagram’s features and keep track of what gets a response from your audience
For many businesses, Instagram is a valuable tool. You can accomplish a lot of marketing on your own, but a team can help you get even more value and growth. Consider creating room in your marketing budget for a team that can leverage connections and creativity to elevate your brand.
