Instagram has over one billion monthly users, making it a powerful platform for businesses to reach their target audience. However, with such a large user base, businesses need to know how to target their audience on Instagram so that their ads are seen by the right people.
There are a few different ways to target your audience on Instagram. You can use demographics like age, gender, and location; interests; or behaviors. You can also create lookalike audiences of your current customers or fans.
Once you’ve created your targeted audience, you need to choose what kind of ad you want to run. There are several types of Instagram ads, including photo ads, video ads, Stories ads, carousel ads, and collection ads. Each type of ad has its own strengths and can be used to achieve different marketing goals.
Finally, you need to create your ad creative. This is the actual content of your ad that will be seen by users. Make sure that your ad creative is high-quality and relevant to your target audience so that they are more likely to engage with it.
Collect competitive insight
As the social media landscape continues to evolve, businesses need to be proactive in understanding the different platforms available and how best to use them to reach their target audiences. One of the most popular social media platforms used today is Instagram. According to Statista, as of July 2019, there were over one billion monthly active users on Instagram worldwide.
With such a large user base, it’s no surprise that businesses are using Instagram as a way to promote their products or services. However, simply creating an account and posting random photos is not going to result in success. In order to effectively reach your target audience on Instagram, you need to put together a well-thought-out strategy.
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Here are four tips for targeting your audience on Instagram:
1. Define Your Target Audience
The first step in any marketing campaign is defining your target audience. This is especially important when targeting your audience on social media because there are so many different users with diverse interests using these platforms. When defining your target audience for an Instagram campaign, consider factors such as age, location, gender, interests and even income level. Once you have a good understanding of who you’re trying to reach, you can begin creating content that appeals directly to them.
Use existing demographics data
If you have a pre-existing customer base, you can use that data to target your Instagram ads. This is especially useful if you have a niche product or service. For example, if you sell women’s clothing, you can target your ads to women aged 18-34 who live in urban areas.
You can also use demographic data to create lookalike audiences. Lookalike audiences are groups of people who share similar characteristics to your existing customers. Facebook, which owns Instagram, has access to a lot of demographic data that it uses to create lookalike audiences.
To create a lookalike audience on Instagram:
1. Go to your Facebook page and click on the “Ads Manager” tab.
2. Click on the “Audiences” tab in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
3. Click on the “Create Audience” drop-down menu and select “Lookalike Audience” from the list of options.
4. Select your source audience – this is usually your website visitors or people who have engaged with your content (liked, commented, shared, etc.). You can also upload a list of contact information (emails, phone numbers, etc.).
5. Select the country or countries that you want to target and choose how large you want your lookalike audience to be (1% is usually a good starting point).
6. Facebook will then create an audience for you based on those criteria and show you an estimate of how many people are in it. If you’re happy with the audience size, click ‘Confirm’.
Conduct social listening to understand relevant conversations
As a business, you can use social listening to understand relevant conversations happening across the internet, and specifically on Instagram. This will help you to better target your ads and ensure that your messaging is on point.
To start with social listening, you’ll need to identify relevant keywords and hashtags. Once you’ve done this, set up searches on Instagram and other social media platforms for these terms. This will help you to see what people are saying about your brand, product, or service, as well as general conversations in your industry.
When conducting social listening, it’s important to take note of both positive and negative sentiment. This will give you a fuller picture of how people feel about your brand and what areas you need to improve upon. Additionally, be sure to pay attention to the influencers in your industry – they can be a valuable asset when it comes time to promote your product or service.
Make the most of Instagram polls
Instagram polls are a great way to engage with your followers and learn more about what they want. When used correctly, they can be an extremely valuable tool for businesses and brands. Here are some tips on how to make the most out of Instagram polls:
1. Use them to gauge interest in new products or ideas
If you’re considering launching a new product or service, using an Instagram poll is a great way to gauge interest from your target audience. Simply create a poll asking people if they would be interested in the new offering, and watch the responses come in. This can give you valuable insights into whether or not there is a demand for what you’re planning to launch.
2. Use them to get feedback on existing products or services
Instagram polls can also be used as a way to get feedback on existing products or services. If you’re looking for ways to improve something that you already offer, ask your followers for their thoughts via an Instagram poll. You may be surprised at the helpful feedback you receive that can help you make necessary changes and improvements.
Leverage the right hashtags
If you want to reach a specific audience on Instagram, one of the most effective ways to do so is by leveraging the power of hashtags. By using relevant and popular hashtags, you can not only reach a larger audience but also ensure that your content is seen by people who are interested in what you have to say.
Popular hashtags related to your industry or niche are a great place to start when looking for ways to target your audience on Instagram. For example, if you’re a fashion brand, some relevant hashtags you may want to use include #fashionista, #ootd (outfit of the day), or #style. Similarly, if you’re a travel brand, popular hashtags might include #travelgram or #wanderlust.
In addition to using popular hashtags, it’s also important to mix things up and use less popular – but still relevant – hashtags as well. This will help you reach new users who might not be following the most popular accounts in your industry. For example, if you sell products for home cooks, some lesser-known but still relevant hashtags could be #foodie or #cookingaddict.
Finally, don’t forget to use branded hashtags in addition to general ones related to your industry. Branded hashtags are an excellent way not only improve visibility for your content but also track how customers are interacting with your brand on Instagram. For example, Lululemon uses the branded hashtag #thesweatlife on many of their posts which allows them not only track mentions of their brand name but also see how customers are using their products in their everyday lives.
Use location tagging
If you want to target your audience specifically on Instagram, one of the best ways to do so is by using location tagging. When you tag your photos with a specific location, anyone who views that photo will see that location automatically added to the caption. This is a great way to get more exposure for your business if you’re targeting a specific city or region.
To use location tagging, simply add the name of the city or region you’re targeting in the caption of your photo. For example, if you’re trying to reach people in Los Angeles, you would add “#LA” in your photo caption. Anyone who views that photo will see that it was taken in Los Angeles and may be more likely to visit your business if they’re in the area.
This method isn’t foolproof, but it’s definitely worth trying if you want to reach a specific audience on Instagram.
“Instagram ads are a great way to reach your target audience.”
Connect with the right influencers
As a business owner, you know that one of the best ways to reach your target audience is through influencers. But with there being so many influencers out there, it can be hard to figure out which ones will be the best for your business.
Here are a few tips on how to find and connect with the right influencers for your Instagram ads:
1. Do Your Research
Before reaching out to any influencers, it’s important that you do your research and figure out which ones would be the best fit for your business. This includes taking a look at their follower count, engagement rate, content style, and overall tone.
2. Look for Micro-Influencers
While it might be tempting to go after the biggest names in the influencer world, keep in mind that they might not be the best option for your ad campaign. Instead, look for micro-influencers who have fewer followers but boast a higher engagement rate. These types of influencers are often more authentic and relatable, making them better equipped to promote your products or services.