Image shows an illustration of a mobile screen with a representation of a sponsored post on the mobile screen- How to run instagram ads as a small business?
GROWING A BUSINESS

How to use instagram ads to increases sales for your online business?

5 min. read
1st April, 2024
Instagram, one of the biggest social networking platforms, is an important growth tool for small businesses all over the world. A small business requires visibility and attention from its target audience to grow and prosper, and the Instagram platform gives a chance to all small businesses to reach out to their target audience and the lead targets they require.

Most small business owners see Instagram as a social media advertising platform for growing their client base and profit. Over 200 million businesses utilize the platform for building audience and marketing purposes. This means that around 15% of the total Instagram population considers Instagram to be one of the most popular apps for reaching out to different target audiences.

Indeed, it is! With strategic Instagram marketing campaign strategies, you can drive engagement, increase organic traffic to your brand website, and boost your followers. The strategies include utilizing hashtags, posting the content at a suitable time, jumping on the trends, and posting high-quality pictures and eye-catching visuals. However, there is another feature that you leverage to increase your visibility, and that is Instagram ads.

This blog delves into understanding Instagram ads and how small businesses can make the best use of this feature.
What are Instagram ads?
Image shows an instagram ads starter screen- What are instagram ads?
Instagram ads have become a vital tool for small and large businesses. It gives them a platform for marketing their products or services. Such precise promotions include image-to-video ads and are focused on the different customer groups based on the demographic, interest, and behavioral aspects of the audience.

Nowadays, the number of Instagram business accounts includes those of small companies, and the competition is so fierce that it shows how important it is to invest in paid ads to help your business's sales and visibility. Moreover, 79% of Instagram users click on the ad to find more information about the brand or product, which demonstrates the potential for engagement and conversion.
How do they work?
Image shows a woman advertising out of a Smartphone screen- How do instagram ads work?
Through Instagram's targeting algorithm, which utilizes an inbuilt engagement rate and allows direct messaging, Instagram ads are an effective tool for businesses that want to reach a bigger audience and produce tangible results from their ad spends.

Instagram ad targeting is based on highly sophisticated algorithms that ensure the ads are delivered only to those who fit the demographics, interests, and behavior criteria. Precisely targeting a specific audience is another reason why Instagram ads have higher engagement than any social media advertising platform. It is also the reason behind more people clicking through and converting.

Instagram ads have provided small businesses with a cheap way to market to a wider audience, increasing brand awareness and boosting sales. This is because users can directly send WhatsApp messages to a business by clicking on the ad. This uninterrupted Instagram ad to WhatsApp business integration allows businesses to connect with customers easily, have a conversation with them and easily convert.

Users can clear any instant query and access purchase details. Besides, you can connect with the customer on a more personal level and convert them into a potential client. Through direct communication, it becomes even more advantageous for online businesses to convert a potential lead into a satisfied client.
Types of Instagram ads
Image shows the logo of instagram on a keyboard- Types of instagram ads.
You might think that there are two types of ig ads: image ads and video ads. However, that's not true. There are many types of ig ads and they are classified into two basic categories, which are: format-based and section-based Instagram ads.

Let's look at the different types of Instagram ads so you can build an impactful Instagram campaign:
Format-based Instagram ads:
Format-based Instagram ads contain all the different types of ads and are categorized based on their format. Let's look at the types of format-based ads:
  • Image ads:
    Image Ads are used in advertisements to have a powerful appeal to the eye, which makes them the perfect choice for demonstrating brands or services. They are cost-effective and can engage with a large audience who get hooked with impressive visuals.
  • Carousel ads:
    The ads have two photo slots that businesses may leverage to showcase their collections or create a visual narrative. This makes it perfect for showing off product lines or telling a visual story.
  • Collection ads:
    Akin to carousel ads, these Instagram-sponsored ads are displayed in a uniform layout, which allows for a more visually appealing browsing experience. This format is perfect for presenting multiple items or services at the same time.
  • Video ads:
    Through the possibility of posting videos up to 60 seconds long, video ads allow businesses to connect with their target market by using interactive content that keeps viewers watching.
  • Shopping ads:
    These paid ads for Instagram display products accompanied by product stickers that directly link to the product page. This makes it easier for users to get the products without leaving the Instagram app. It is a perfect fit for Instagram eCommerce businesses running a store that would like to boost sales by integrating it with the platform.
Section-based Instagram ads:
Section-based Instagram ads contain different types of ads, which are categorized based on where they are shown on Instagram, like in the stories section or normal feed. Let's look at the types of section-based IG ads:
  • Stories ads:
    Within Stories, such ads harnessing the fleeting character of Stories create a need for haste or uniqueness by engaging users with attractive visuals.
  • Explore ads:
    Tailored based on the user's interests and demographics, the ads explore more targeted content, thus allowing a reach beyond the user's network.
  • Collection ads:
    Akin to carousel ads, these Instagram-sponsored ads are displayed in a uniform layout, which allows for a more visually appealing browsing experience. This format is perfect for presenting multiple items or services at the same time.
  • Feed ads:
    Native Ads are blended perfectly with the rest of the organic feed, so they are not only visible but also reach out to many users who browse through their feed. The service supports a certain type of Instagram ad formats, including images, videos, carousels, collections, and shopping ads.
  • Reel ads:
    By employing the well-known feature of short-form video content, the reel ads answer the question of how to reach your target audience through interesting and amusing clips that help to create brand recognition and engagement.
Selecting the right Instagram ad objective
Answering the question of which Instagram campaign goal is important in the process of making the marketing campaign can be difficult. However, with the following strategy, you can select the right Instagram ad objective:
  • Define your goals:
    First, set specific marketing goals. Whether they involve building the brand, driving traffic to your brand website, generating leads, or selling, knowing your goals will help you align your ad strategy with them.
  • Consider your target audience:
    Analyze the likes, desires, and social characteristics of your target audience. Adjust and focus your ad objective on the specific interests and needs of your audience.
  • Collection ads:
    Akin to carousel ads, these Instagram-sponsored ads are displayed in a uniform layout, which allows for a more visually appealing browsing experience. This format is perfect for presenting multiple items or services at the same time.
  • Evaluate ad formats:
    Discuss the different types of paid ads on Instagram, which allow you to share photos, videos, carousels, and story ads. Select a media that matches your campaign goals and is associated with your audience.
  • Review performance metrics:
    Track KPIs like social engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Accordingly, you can improvise your marketing campaign strategy and reach the desired results.
Creating your first Instagram ad
Making the first Instagram ad for your business is an important milestone that will broaden your marketing efforts and gain the targeted audience's attention. Let's look at the different steps involved in building a compelling Instagram campaign:
  • Set your ad objective:
    Start by setting the campaign aim. Whether you want to build brand awareness, generate quality leads, or drive sales, the right objective will guide your strategy for your Instagram ads.
  • Choose your target audience:
    Identify your target audience according to the demographics, interests, and activities of the customers. The ad will be targeted to the most important people in the community where your ad will be placed because of your approach.
  • Select the ad format:
    You need to select the best types of paid ads on Instagram. If you want to use a format of your own, see if it can effectively present your content in a way that makes the audience like your product or service.
  • Craft compelling content:
    Develop appealing visuals and content that leaves a magical spell-binding effect on the viewers. Lead implicitly with a very simple CTA (call-to-action) to have them as your buyer.
  • Set budget and schedule:
    Set aside a certain amount of money for ads and define a schedule to do so while you lower costs and make the delivery of the ads optimal. Make different budget placements and routine altering and select the model that works the most for your campaign.
  • Redirect to the mobile-optimized website:
    Moreover, making mobile-friendly responsive websites should be a priority since it will ensure that customers open the relevant links for them to be directed there. Your website should be a highly responsive design so it can be easily used on mobile phones. This will foster good relationships between the users and the product.
Creating a mobile-optimized website with SmartBiz by Amazon
SmartBiz by Amazon delivers smooth, mobile-friendly website creation services, guaranteeing that your website will load well across different devices from the very first day. With SmartBiz by Amazon, you can build a sophisticated, visually attractive, and mobile-friendly eCommerce store that effectively demonstrates products or services. This will help you engage your visitors and drive them to purchase your products or services.

SmartBiz by Amazon makes the process of building an eCommerce website super easy, with no coding knowledge required. Here's how you can build your eCommerce website and take your business from local to global:
  • Download the Smartbiz by Amazon Web Builder app from the Google Playstore.
  • Sign in with your existing Amazon account credentials on the app or create a new account by entering your name, email address, mobile number, and password. Then, enter the OTP you received on your mobile to confirm your mobile number.
  • Type in your store name and all the different categories of products your store offers. Be careful when entering the store name, as it cannot be changed.
  • Fill in the complete address of your store and then select the location on the map. After entering the location, you will be directed to a page where you can set your store policies. You change the policies by clicking on the tick box, and that's it! Your eCommerce store is set up.
After setting up your store, you can add unlimited products by clicking on the Catalog tab. You can add details about your product, such as its name, images, MRP, selling price, business category, product category, and product description.

You can also customize your eCommerce store by clicking on the Profile tab on the Homepage and selecting the Appearance option. You can change your logo and header and select from more than 10 theme colors to change the look and feel of your storefront.
What is a pixel? Why is it important?
A pixel, or meta pixel, is a snippet of JavaScript code that gives in-depth insights and monitors your customer's journey between Instagram, Facebook, and your website when it is created and installed on your Facebook Ads Manager account and website.

The meta pixel automatically tracks three things: URLs and domains visited, devices used, and predefined conversions. Creating a pixel is super easy, and you can do it for your website by following the given steps:
  • Open your Facebook Business Suite or Ads Manager, and then click on the All Tools hamburger option.
  • Click on the Event Manager option and select the Green Plus option, or click on the Collect Your Data option and select the Web option.
  • Click on the Facebook Pixel option, and then create and enter your Pixel name. we suggest writing a business-specific name rather than a campaign-focused one.
  • Type in your website URL to check the easy setup options, and then click on Continue.
You have successfully created a Facebook pixel for your website, and all that is left is the integration of the pixel into your eCommerce website. There are two different ways: manually enter it in your website code or use Facebook's partner integration, like Shopify, Wix, and WordPress.

To make it easier for small business owners to gain insights about their customers through pixels, SmartBiz By Amazon has introduced a feature that allows store managers to integrate pixels into their websites. With pixels, you can get an entire picture of your customer's journey and identify potential gaps. This will help you understand where targeting or retargeting ads will be required. To integrate your online store with a Facebook Pixel, you need have created a pixel with your Facebook business manager account.
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