Social media marketing has taken the business world by storm. Globally, internet use is steadily rising, and companies are following their customers online.
In Kenya, the majority of the population has bumped social media consumption to an all-time high. An amazing 89.8% of Kenyans are online every day, engaging with news content, sharing information, and entertaining themselves.
Buying and selling are not left out either. The heightened use of social media is prevalent, and preferred platforms depend on demographics like age, gender, educational level, location, etc.
From urban to rural areas, and from Nairobi West and Karen to areas like Mathare and Mwiki, people are just a click away from accessing the internet.
In Kenya, Instagram ranks high among the most used social media platforms. A significant 39% of the population can be found on Instagram, mostly made up of urban residents.
The social network has become a valuable resource for promoting a brand or company, and it is now part of many social media marketing campaigns.
For a brand or company, effectively using Instagram requires more than just posting nice pictures and asking people to follow you.
The visual social platform has about a billion active users, and it is easy to remain unnoticed by the right people. As a brand, you must be able to find and connect with your target audience on Instagram. Let’s look at several tips on how to reach the target audience that’s best for what you offer;
Know who you’re looking for
Being aware of who your target audience is will help you produce the right content to keep them engaged. It is vital to know who your products or services are designed for, so you can know your typical customers e.g., a fashion brand would target consumers who are interested in being stylish and looking good.
An example of a Kenyan fashion brand success story is Franklin Saiyel. A leading Instagram blogger in men’s fashion, @saiyalel__’s posts are uniquely targeted at stylish men. With a following of over 24,000, he now produces custom-made suits and shirts and is a well-recognized brand.
Research and follow best practices
Optimally targeting your audience requires you to know things like;
- Posting your content during your audience’s most active times.
- Leveraging Instagram Stories to interact with your audience on a deeper level.
- Learning how to use hashtags to increase following and target niche communities.
Learning these things will help you target your audience as a whole, rather than try to reach each person individually.
Use location tagging
You can effectively use Instagram’s location tagging feature to boost your brand visibility. Location-tagged Stories and content show up easily in relevant searches by users in your target audience. Showing up as being somewhere people are interested in, will make them more likely to view your posts and go on to engage with them.
Velma Rossa and Papa Petit are two of Kenya’s leading entrepreneurs who are using this method effectively.
Their content on @2manysiblings is always tagged to Nairobi and environs, showcasing artistic shots of the area while marketing their stylish collections made using recycled fabrics. This has endeared them to their target audience in the city, and with a following of over 30,000, they are definitely doing something right.
Find and connect with Influencers
Finding and connecting with people who have already amassed a following from the niche you are interested in will get your brand noticed. Being endorsed by someone your target audience already follows and looks up to is a smart move.
For a fee, such influencers can review your products or services, share your content with their followers, help you do giveaway contests, and promote your brand’s upcoming events.
You can find such influencers through a hashtag search, or by using influencer discovery platforms like BuzzSumo.
Use the right hashtags
You can leverage the right hashtags to help the right people notice you. Your target audience would have interests linked to your brand and will follow hashtags related to these interests.
Using these hashtags on your posts and in your Instagram Stories will lead interested people straight to you and what you have to offer. With tools like Ritetag, you can discover the top hashtags relevant to your industry or brand.
Learn from your competitors
Collecting insight from your competition will help you figure out what your target audience should look like. Observing the kind of content they share and the type of people it attracts will help you create your strategy. You can improve on what they already do, and add a unique flair to help you stand out. Using tools like the Phlanx influencer Auditor can also help you discover some of their audience insights like their follower locations and brand mentions.
Use highlights effectively
The attention of an Instagram user who comes across your profile can only be grabbed in a few seconds. Using the platform’s highlight feature can do several things. You can;
- Instantly communicate what your brand is about.
- Organise your stories into themes.
- Use swipe-up links to promote your products and services.
- Quickly explain how to use your products and services through videos and pictures.
Used properly, your highlights can quickly showcase what you are about while using visual imagery to hold the user’s attention. And if they like what they see, they’ll stick around and maybe hit that follow button. The famous Kenyan photographer, Sarah Waiswa, showcases her professional shots on her Instagram profile @lafrohemien, which has a following of over 40 thousand. Users can instantly flit through a series of striking portraits and travel photography when they navigate to her profile.
Make use of analytics data
Using Instagram analytics can help you find demographic insights about your existing followers. These vital statistics can be combined with your buyer personas and competitor audience insights to paint a clearer picture of your ideal audience.
Use social listening to join the right conversations
Good audience research will help your brand execute better Instagram targeting. An excellent way to understand your target audience on Instagram is by social listening. Finding out what your audience is talking about and is interested in listening to will make it easier to engage with them. Social media listening tools can pinpoint conversations that are relevant to your brand or industry. With this info, you can join trending conversations and find the right people to help you spread your brand message.
Reach Your Customers Now!
Using the right content and applying a solid social media strategy on Instagram will help you reach the right audience. It is time to become one of the successful brands that a large number of Kenyans are following on Instagram daily. Dependable social media management that can boost both your sales and brand visibility is part of the service we offer at the KoaMedia . Let us assist you in managing a corporate Instagram account that will make your brand another Kenyan success story. Contact today!
