Get with the gram

A workshop series starting today for women will show participants how to leverage Instagram for business

Instagram (IG) has evolved from being just a photo-sharing app to a platform that lets you do business. And the past year saw its Indian user base grow by over 66 per cent — from 77.4 million to 129 million. As businesses were compelled to think digital, the platform also launched special tools to help them garner and connect with an audience. But navigating it can be challenging and to help women-led businesses gain a better understanding of what IG has to offer, a series of workshops by Work in Progress, a learning platform for working women, and creative and technology transformation company Schbang, will be held starting today.

Akshay Gurnani

The Zoom sessions led by Schbang CEO Akshay Gurnani and its group solutions manager Arnold Pereira will address how people are spending time on IG, features one can tap into, posting time and hashtag strategy, among other things. “IG has become an integral part of every brand’s marketing mix. It’s a great showcase for products, services and individual marketing as well. It helps create an aura about the brand. There’s a stat which says that 50 per cent people log on to IG to search for a product before they make a purchase,” Gurnani says.

On Today and April 20, 4 pm to 5.30 pm 
Log on to insider.in 
Cost Rs 850 (for on session); Rs 1,500 (for both sessions)

Pro tips to nail the IG game

. Ensure your profile is a Business Profile because that gives you access to additional Instagram features and analytics, which will help you grow your business.

. Innovate with the different content formats such as reels, guides, IGTV and stories to make the Instagram algorithm work in your favour.

. Reply to every customer/ potential customer who leaves a message or comment on your profile. Even a simple acknowledgement can go a long way in building loyalty.

. Focus on quality of content instead of quantity — there’s no need to post daily. Treat your Instagram profile like a visual catalogue or an extension of your website, so tell your audience only what’s important.

. Your hashtag strategy will largely determine how your content gets discovered organically, so try out different combinations of keywords in order to find your sweet spot.

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