There are over 2 billion active Instagram users today, and the harsh truth is that most of them won't care about the things you post. That's why identifying your target audience is crucial. These are like-minded people who share the same passions and will be interested in your content. When you've found your audience on Instagram, it'll be much easier to deliver relevant posts and drive engagement.
Here are six Instagram marketing strategies you can try out to help you search for your target audience.
1. Use Instagram Insights As a Jumping-off Point
Before you can identify your target audience, find out the demographics of your current followers first. When you have enough information about those already engaging with your brand or business, you can create a data-driven strategy instead of taking a shot in the dark. Instagram Insights is a great place to gather the facts you need.
Here's what you can find out about your followers:
- The percentage of male versus female followers
- The number of followers that fall under various age ranges
- The top locations of your followers
- When your followers are the most active on the app
2. Use Hashtags That Are Relevant to Your Niche
Hashtags are a simple but effective way to boost the discoverability of your Instagram content. When you use hashtags relevant to your niche, you increase your chances of being found by the right people. The best part is you don't have to spend a single dollar to take advantage of this marketing strategy.
Here are some tips on how to find the best hashtags for your target audience:
- Discover new hashtags by thinking of keywords related to your brand or business and typing them into Instagram's search bar.
- See what kind of hashtags are working for your competitors. Because you're navigating the same industry, their hashtags will most likely be helpful to you too.
- Instead of generic hashtags with millions of posts, find niche hashtags with a high search volume that will connect you to interested users.
- Add your business's location to your hashtags to target potential customers in your community.
3. Use Location Tagging to Tap the Audience in Your Area
If your business serves a specific area, use Instagram's location tagging feature to tap your local market. People look for products and services near them, so you're making yourself more discoverable by tagging your location. You can be as specific as you want by including your suburb, city, state, or country, all of which are searchable on Instagram. You must tag your location in each post to maximize exposure.
Here's how to add a location tag on your Instagram posts:
- Tap an existing post on your feed.
- Tap the menu on the top right corner and select 'Edit.'
- Select "Add location" and enter your location in the search bar.
- Select 'Done' when you've chosen the correct address.
4. Take a Look at Your Competitors' Audiences
If you're a new brand or business on Instagram, it's worth checking out experienced competitors and their target audiences. People who engage with your competitors' posts might also be interested in your products and services. Look at your competitors' followers and who's liking and commenting on their posts.
You can then try to generate insights about these people by asking the following questions:
- Are the majority of them male or female?
- How engaged are they? You can calculate the engagement rate by taking the total number of interactions, dividing it by the total number of followers, and multiplying by 100.
- What type of Instagram users are they? Are they high-profile users with huge followings or small and private accounts?
- Are these users from a specific area? You can check their bios to see if they've shared their location.
You can use these insights to your advantage by creating content that caters to their needs. That way, you can turn them into your followers.
5. Leverage Influencer Partnerships
An established influencer can help you find your target audience because they've already built a solid following within their niche. But that doesn't mean you should pay a massive amount to work with the first mega influencer you see on your feed. It pays to be discerning with your partnerships. It's possible to drive more engagement by collaborating with a handful of smaller influencers with niche followings.
Here are some ways you can work with an influencer to reach new audiences:
- Ask them for sponsored content in exchange for a fee.
- Gift them with your products and ask them for a review.
- Run a giveaway with them.
- Ask them to take over your Instagram Stories for a day.
- Make them your brand ambassadors.
6. Take Advantage of Instagram Polls
If you want to get to know your audience, Instagram makes it easy to do so through the Poll sticker. It's an effective way to find out about their needs, gather feedback, and boost engagement.
Now is a great time to take advantage of the feature because Instagram recently upgraded it to be more versatile. It has looked the same since 2017 and limited users to two responses. But now, you can customize the text and add up to four options.
Here's how to include a Poll in your Instagram story:
- Swipe to the Story page to take a photo or select one from your camera roll.
- Tap the sticker icon from the top menu to access the sticker selection.
- Look for the Poll sticker and tap on it.
- Enter the question you want to ask your audience and tap on the color wheel and 'A' icon to customize the text.
- Select 'Done' and drag the sticker to where you want it to be on your Story. You can also pinch to resize.
The Bottom Line
Finding your people on Instagram is the most crucial step in building success on the platform. When you know who your target audience is, everything else will follow. If you don't know where to start, the tools you need are already within the app. Use them in your Instagram marketing strategy to discover and connect with your people.
