Instagram Cheat Sheet: How to Use Hashtags for Your Instagram Posts Properly

I used to not mind all the likes I could get on my Instagram posts and how many people were engaged with my content. However, after having a side business, I realized that using social media is much more than what meets the eye. From social media engagement itself, you can have a chance of getting people to consider buying what you sell. For that reason alone, many business owners start hiring social media services to engage with their potential and returning buyers. Social media is an essential piece of your business marketing strategy because social platforms help you connect with your customers, increase awareness about your brand, and boost your leads and sales. With more than three billion people around the world using social media every month, it’s no passing trend. Now with the rise of Instagram use for social media, it has become clearer that Instagram has better potentials for you to increase your brand awareness. Instagram enables a business to sell something more than just products. It can help to build up a better word of mouth. Reaching out to the audience through a platform like Instagram makes the relations with the target audience friendlier. However, reaching more audience and improving engagement with users is not an easy matter especially if you don’t set up social media ads. That being said, there is one of the ways you can ‘cheat’ Instagram marketing strategy without actually cheating if you haven’t got the time to hire a social media specialist; hashtags. Hashtags on Instagram are useful as they help other Instagram users discover your profile, which can ultimately increase the likelihood of obtaining more followers. Contrary to Twitter, using more specific hashtags on Instagram can help build a bigger audience for your business…only if you use it properly. So, how do you use hashtags for your business Instagram account posts and stories? Keep reading to find out!

When using hashtags, here are a few rules you need to know in order to use it properly:

  • Before posting your content, do some hashtag research
  • Find words that are related to your content and your business
  • Look at the number of engagements using the specific hashtags
  • Remember this; hashtags with most posts (like hashtags with million posts) may give you a boost in likes because many people will likely search those specific hashtags; however, there is also a higher chance that your posts that use those hashtags would be ‘cloistered’ and it could be possible that your posts would disappear from those specific hashtags because there would be other new posts coming from other users in just a few seconds since well, many people use those hashtags. Hashtags with thousands up to hundred thousand posts (below a million) may not give you a boost in likes and findings, but you can help people who are looking for what you sell narrow down search results and directly find you. Yes, hashtags like that can improve the possibility of your Instagram posts to be found by people in an easier way. For that reason,
  • It is important to combine both hashtags with most and least engagement in one post
  • You can use up to 30 hashtags and anything beyond that won’t show up in search, but I recommend using at least 15–20. In general, more is better! Go for all 30 if you use them well. Include as many as you can use strategically while staying relevant to your business.
  • Yes, you can use hashtags in your Instagram stories and even your bio! Make use of the right hashtags that are relevant to your business
  • Avoid using irrelevant topics and hashtags no matter how popular and trending those hashtags at the moment

Those are the rules to Instagram hashtag cheat sheet! That way, you don’t really cheat but if you follow those rules, you are on the right path of your business world.

The Answer to Everything: Does A Home-Based Business Really Need A Website?

Have you ever thought about starting a home-based business where you can be flexible with time and schedules? Yes, unless you are meeting with clients, I think you don’t even need to take a bath to start your day with your work. Unlike me who provides Melbourne SEO services where I have to meet clients and go to office, you are very flexible working at home. With the simplicity of having a home-based business, you might think you don’t need a website, right? But that’s where you are wrong. Why? Keep reading this article to find out!

You may be building a home-based business, but the fact still remains; a home-based business is also a business. While basic business principles remain relatively constant, a lot has changed over the last few years. It’s no longer enough just to hang a shingle outside your storefront and expect new customers to start rolling in. In this day and age where almost everything is digital, doing business from the comfort of your own living room is not a problem anymore. Why? That’s because nowadays, people can do almost everything online. Whatever your business is about, home-based or not, a website is crucial to your success because it reaches more people online.

The internet has changed the way we shop, the way we sell, and the way that potential customers may find (or never find) your business. It is estimated that a staggering 201.7 million Americans shopped online in 2019. That number will continue to grow as technology improves and consumers become more comfortable with online shopping. Also, a website often holds crucial points in building the first impression. In fact, a home-based business really needs a website to create that first impression. Why? Since your business is a home-based business, people don’t see your offline store or office. Where do they see your first impression if not from your website, then?

Aside from making a first impression, having a website can help you build credibility, widen your potential customer base, and create a forum over which you have complete control to present and showcase your best work. Furthermore, using a website, it is a great way to build relationships with your customers and keep them informed of current promotional information or company changes. Aside from that, a website is always “open” so they can check out your business anytime, even at a time that is convenient for them. Simply put, you can’t afford not to have a website especially if you are a home-based business without an offline office or store!

If the thought of computers makes your stomach churn, don’t worry. You don’t need to be a programmer or spend thousands of dollars to create a website. You can get help from professional companies who can build a website for you. However, if you hire a web developer to build your website, make sure you are involved in every project so you can watch the progress and get a website that sells. Need a web developer to build your business but don’t know how to find them? Feel free to contact us now and let our team help you.

The Ups and Downs: Business Ideas You Can Start If You Are Living in a Small Town

I may be a person working in the digital, modern world but trust me, I’ve been living in a small town where everything is far from modern. However, living in a small town makes me realize one thing; you don’t get to buy anything you want but you are still grateful somehow. That being said, I do need things that are only available in a big city. As a consumer, I always feel that I should go to big cities to buy the things I need because I can’t seem to find them in the area that I’m residing in. Are you a business owner looking to build a business in a small town like mine? If yes, please, I would give you business ideas you can start in a small town through this article. After discussing about business potential and website building with Melbourne web development team, I have summed up some business ideas you can start in a small town and how to keep up with the trends from digital perspective. Keep reading to learn more!

Grocery store

Seriously, nothing is more important than your daily food needs. Some small towns don’t have grocery stores near their area so most of them have to go to big cities to buy at least one-month supply of groceries. Therefore, building a grocery store business there should give you opportunities to succeed because everyone needs it, right? That being said, be careful when it comes to pricing. Be wise and do some research first.

Bakery

From your morning coffee to your kid’s birthday cake, neighborhood bakeries can fill a vast number of potential small-town needs. Trust me, everyone in small towns needs easy-to-reach bakery where they can celebrate their special days easily without hindrance and distance. Although it takes hard work to build bakery business, not to mention how risky it can be, if you bake for passion to help the people who live in small towns, then you are on the right path.

Food trucks

Opening up a taco or food truck may not be your first idea for a successful small-town business, but depending on the location of your town, the seasonality of its residents, and the weather, starting a food truck business can be a great investment. Many small towns have vibrant communities, and often these include outdoor activities such as sporting events, festivals, and markets.

Pet grooming and vet clinic

When your four-legged friends are sick and you need a place to take them, it is important to find the nearest vet clinic to treat them immediately. In case of emergency, your vet clinic will be the most reliable place for them to come to. Also, if people need to groom their pets, they don’t have to go far away just to find a place to take care of their pets. That being said, make sure you hire a well-experienced veterinarian and people who love animals to work at your vet clinic.

Now that you have some insights on what business you would like to start, you can begin planning for your business and determine what type of business that you think would work best in your small town. Make sure you conduct a research first before choosing and planning for your business.