Your Instagram Product Launch Formula
Let me in, let me in!
Remember back when Google+ first launched? They did an incredible job at building buzz for their social networking site. Only a few people were able to join at first, and then those people could invite others who would get an invitation to a waiting list. It created desire, interest, and frankly the belief that Google+ was going to blow us all away.
Of course, we now know it was kind of lame-mc-lamerson, but at the time we didn’t—and that’s the point. It doesn’t really matter how good your product is—at least at first. Great marketing can make your launch successful no matter what.
The same goes for each and every iPhone launch. There is secrecy around the features, a release date announced ahead of time, and a limited supply available. As an admitted Apple junkie, I secretly/not-so-secretly want to get a camping chair and be first in line for the newest offering each and every time. Admittedly though, my love for sleeping in a bed and bathing win out, so I never do this. But I want to.
I did join the Apple program that lets me upgrade each year so I can always have the latest and greatest model. Because my current one is broken? Nah. It’s because Apple’s marketing is amazing.
And I’m not alone. Apple has sold more than 1 billion phones since its first release in June 2007. They’ve released more than 14 models and they sell more than 400 iPhones every minute. This is in spite of a continual increase in price by about 11 percent—even more proof that with great marketing, price isn’t an issue.
This is incredible, if you think about it, because Apple used to be a hot mess. More than two decades ago they fired Steve Jobs for the abysmal failure of the personal computing systems he helped develop. Apple wasn’t always the force to be reckoned with that it is today.
You could be the next Apple.
Leverage your launch well and you can increase your followers, subscribers, customers, and market share. You can create a tribe of loyal followers who maybe someday will get your logo tattooed on themselves, like the great brands of Nike, Harley Davidson, or even the aforementioned Apple.
But you must be strategic instead of sporadic, as most businesses are.
Businesses like Simple Green Smoothies are the exception. They have more than 400,000 Instagram followers and engage their massive community of loyal followers with 30-day challenges. They focus on one simple habit—drinking a green smoothie each day. At the end of each challenge, they offer a program for sale for a 21-day eating program. They have kept it incredibly simple, and it has paid off in spades. Jadah Sellner, cofounder of Simple Green Smoothies says, “I always encourage people to think about what was the gateway drug for you in your transformation. Because you’re usually several steps ahead and several years ahead of the people you want to teach, you think, ‘I want to teach you everything that I know,’ but it’s too much information in the very beginning. You’re trying to basically just like open them up to want to learn more and so just really thinking about that is super helpful. Then think about what are the simple action steps that the reader can do to move them closer to that transformation. The transformation that we’re promising with the 30-day green smoothie challenge is you’re going to have more energy, you’re going to crave healthier foods. That’s the promise. It’s like, how can we get them to that promise in the simple easiest most convenient way possible (SPI Podcast Session 205 on www.smartpassiveincome.com)?
This simple marketing and sales funnel, promoted primarily on Instagram with images of smoothies and recipes, produced more than $86,000 in sales the first time they launched it. It has generated more than $1,000,000 in sales since then. The Simple Green Smoothies Instagram page has produced a multimillion-dollar revenue stream for the two stay-at-home moms who founded the company. Plus, they are achieving their overall goal of better health for their followers. Jadah adds, “We just believe that every dollar we make means that someone said yes to their health. That’s what really inspires us to keep going and grow this business. It’s not just about us having freedom to spend more time with our families, but actually to be changing and transforming other peoples’ lives is what really matters to us.”
When it comes to launching your product via Instagram, there are four phases to any successful campaign. First, you have to identify your target market and their needs. Second, build desire through a buzz campaign. Third, get them to opt-in so you can move them off of Instagram. And fourth, get them to hand over the cash happily. (And better yet, invite their friends to come along!)
Recently I attended a conference that was one of my favorite types—filled with data-driven strategies and marketing geeks like me. Oh, the late-night conversations about conversions are almost too much. Almost.
While there, I had the pleasure of hearing my friend Jason Swenk speak. Jason owned a marketing agency that he sold several years back for multiple millions. After he sold, he didn’t just skip off into the sunset as many might. (Jason is like 8,000 feet tall, so the idea of him skipping into the sunset is quite funny, actually.)
Instead of retiring at 35, Jason launched a coaching and educational organization. And he showed just how smart he is. He didn’t try to teach everything he knew to everyone. He was strategic and focused right away on other advertising agencies and their greatest pain points—how to get more clients and close more proposals (see Figure 9–1).
FIGURE 9–1. His Posts Focus on His Direct Target Market Niche.
His narrow focus allowed him to grow very quickly with members and garner the attention of some major industry players such as Leadpages (he was one of the first they contracted with to create a new template), Infusionsoft (he was a speaker at PartnerCon), and DigitalMarketer. If he had tried to be for everyone, this likely never would have happened.
Before you begin to market and grow your platform to launch your product, program, or service via Instagram, develop your perfect prospect “avatar.” This is everything about your key, perfect customers who you want to flood your business and the group of people you actually want to work with.
Not sure where to start? Look at your sales numbers and choose from your top 10 percent of profitable customers. Or if you don’t have customers yet, focus your business on the niche you are most passionate about. Targeting your audience to as small a group as possible allows you to offer content that is valuable to that group so you can build a strong relationship with them and increase your chances of brand conversion.
This can be scary because it means saying no to some people, but it is much better to have 500 raving fans than 10,000 tepid followers. You want to attract and engage exactly the type of person who will eventually want to give you money. Remember, someone already has the money that will be your next sale. Your job is to figure out who they are, and why they will give it to you.
Things to focus on when creating your avatar include: sex, age, profession, marital status, sexual orientation, location, native language, education, income, technological expertise, and family composition. Equally important to discover is what are their media-buying habits, interests, frustrations, and favorite brands. All of this research goes into the strategy behind our current clients’ work. Most companies skip this step. Successful companies don’t.
If you are unsure, check out some of your competitors’ Facebook fan pages, Instagram accounts, and other social media networks. Explore those who are commenting. You can learn a lot from what they have listed on their public profiles.
Don’t guess as to the demographics, habits, and pains of your prospects. You might think you know what your prospects want to hear and how they want to hear it, but assumption is a dangerous, foolish thing. Build out your profile so when you create all of your content in the future, you know exactly who you are talking to. Use the worksheet in Figure 9–2 on page 165 to work this out.
Your content needs to speak to your target market so clearly that to them it seems like you are a friend, not a business. The only way to do this is to get to know your target market inside and out.
I know research is the un-fun part for most. So let’s do what we have to do in this step quickly, yes? Quick in and out and back to the steps that make most of our hearts swoon, like creating content and building promotions and putting together that beautifully gorgeous gift for the world—your platform message—and turning it all into fabulous sales.
FIGURE 9–2. List the Characteristics of Your Perfect Customer to Create an Audience Avatar.
Tactics to Research Quickly
When you are getting started, make a list of five of your top competitors or five other companies your target audience might do business with (for example, Social Media Examiner, Infusionsoft, and MailChimp are a few of mine).
Look up the link of each of their blogs, and paste that link into the search bar of www.BuzzSumo.com, like in Figure 9–3 on page 166.
Visit the articles that are most popular and check out the types of content written and the readers’ comments so you can get a sense of what content is popular and what questions these individuals have.
FIGURE 9–3. Use a Site Like Buzzsumo to Research Your Competitors’ Content.
Then hop over to one of my favorite research ninja tools—Facebook’s Audience Insights. Visit Audience Insights inside www.Facebook.com/AdsManager. See Figure 9–4.
FIGURE 9–4. Audience Insights Offer Valuable Information on Demographics, Even If You’ve Never Run an Ad on Facebook.
FIGURE 9–5. Inside of Facebook Audience Insights.
Choose “Everyone on Facebook,” and then under the Interest box, type the names of the fan pages you have been researching, one at a time. See Figure 9–5.
Click on the Demographics tab and receive a full analysis of their entire audience. No, I’m not kidding. This information is 100 percent available to you for free inside Facebook right now. I’ll wait while you go and check it out.
Good, you’re back! Amazing, isn’t it?
Use your findings on Audience Insights to list the topics your audience is interested in. Then, map out the following: the topics your audience is interested in, the questions they have, and their demographic information.
Following this feat of strategic greatness, take time to pour yourself a cup of tea or sip a glass of wine because you deserve a little break. You have effectively researched your target market and are ready to dive into the next step of creating content to reach your audience.
Once you understand who they are, it is time to build your messaging to resonate with them completely.
Creating Irresistible Content
In this phase, you will begin to post more on Instagram and create more content on your blog.
As you are reaching out to your target market more, it is sometimes (or, okay, always) helpful to know that your messaging is resonating with them. Our “do they love me?” meter needs to have the needle move occasionally because we are human and that’s just reality. We need to know that we are on the right track to connecting with our audiences so all of this work we are putting in is not a waste of time. And that’s something to be proud of because we are on a mission to share our message with everyone meant to hear it. We need to know they are listening.
It’s kind of like when at four months of age your child finally starts smiling back at you—you think, “OK then—I can do this.” It makes another long night of parenting go just a little bit easier.
To get some feedback from our tribe, we want to see them resonate with our content in the form of one of those successful posts that produces lots of likes, comments, shares, and private messages. While it might not be ROI direct, it does create more audience engagement, message reach, and tribe referrals, which—on the path to fulfill your purpose and monetize it—are all very good things.
There are some tricks I use to get higher engagement on posts. Try one or two this week and see what happens with your numbers.
Instagram Videos
Currently, Instagram video posts get more free distribution by Instagram than any other type of post you can do. I also get more interaction from my audience on these than any other type of content. Try this type of post for an immediate lift in engagement.
Word Swag
This iPhone app is the bee’s knees. It creates gorgeous posts that always get more interaction than any other design software I use. Simply pull nuggets from your blogs or a sound byte from a speaker at a conference or a random idea that pops in your head at 3 A.M. (maybe that’s just me?) and design it out in Word Swag (see Figure 9–6 on page 169). The app is $3, but it’s the best $3 you’ll ever spend.
Post Directly to Your Instagram Timeline
I love scheduling posts ahead of time so content is guaranteed to show up daily no matter how chaotic my life may get. But nothing gets as much reach on your timeline as posting to the page directly.
FIGURE 9–6. One of My Word Swag Creations.
Share Photos from Real Life That Resonate
Connect with your audience occasionally like you would with a friend. Let them know what is going on in your life to strengthen your relationship, just like you would do for someone you are close to. As you allow them to get to know you more, they will start to trust you more and grant emotional buy-in, which is required for a long-term relationship. My tribe has blessed me time and time again with encouragement and confirmation that we are a community with mutual understanding, and it is the exact boost I needed to keep going. See Figure 9–7 on page 170 for a post of me with some of my tribe members.
And don’t worry about getting all of this on day one. Content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Put on your running shoes and take a nice brisk walk to get started. In the next section, we will dive into creating a whisper campaign to create buzz before you launch your next product, program, or service.
FIGURE 9–7. If You Share Personal Photos, Make Sure They Are Photos that Will Resonate with Your Audience.
DEVELOPING A WHISPER CAMPAIGN TO CREATE BUZZ
Want to creep out guests at a dinner party? Start the conversation with a sales pitch. I kid you not, I was at an event like this recently. I was invited to a luncheon only to discover it was a loosely veiled sales pitch. Not a great trust builder and definitely did not encourage me to attend something this “guru” put on in the future. It also might not surprise you that this “guru” ended up being a total fraud and was put under investigation by the FTC the following week. I don’t wish ill upon anyone, but I can’t say I was surprised. Going right in for the sale and trying to trick others into buying just doesn’t work. Even worse, it can ruin your chances of ever selling to that prospect in the future. Gasp!
The thing is, the same dynamics are in play on your Instagram page. Lead off with sales, and you will not be invited to the party again. On the other hand, allowing followers just to “freeload” on content while never asking them to do anything will not pay the bills.
So, what’s a savvy and successful marketer like you supposed to do?
The minority—those actually making money from their Instagram traffic—condition their audience to buy and stoke the fire of desire before they launch a product, program, or service. They are training their audience to be ready to pounce when there is an opportunity to buy.
Here’s how to stoke the fire of your fan page and get your audience amped up to buy.
Condition Them to Click
Offer relevant and valuable content that is not promotional. Encourage your fans to click through to your bio link for more valuable information. They will learn that clicking is good and valuable. When it comes to you, following directions means getting rewarded. Similar to when I was potty training my girls—good behaviors receive rewards. (Their reward of choice, diamonds on a paper princess tiara. Is there any question that they are taking after yours truly?!) Conditioning your audience to click when you ask them to is, of course, a very helpful behavior to have in place when you later want them to opt in to a webinar or other landing page.
Build Trust
Feature the “who says so” besides you by turning your clients, customers, or patients into content on your page. From Q&As to member spotlights, bring their faces into the conversation. No one wants to feel like they are the first to choose you to spend money with. Show them they aren’t alone. We feature our clients and customers in our social media through client spotlights and links to their promotions.
It’s one thing to like a post, it’s a whole other jar of marbles to like a business enough to want to hand over your money. When it comes to marketing effectively on social media, the focus should be beyond individual “viral” posts and more to long-term relationship building—from follower to customer for life.
If they don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you.
One strategy that is quite effective but very few businesses use, is to use content from your clients or customers strategically in your posting action plan. This allows your prospect to discover who is the type of person that chooses to do business with you, it builds social capital, and moves your prospect farther along in their decision ladder, closer to the top to saying “yes!”
Instead of making all of your posts come from you, use editorial style Q&As with your clients, customers, or patients. Or feature them in your content (see Figure 9–8, page 172).
FIGURE 9–8. An Example of Using a Client in a Post.
Show Results
Use case studies and past customer experiences as the foundation for engaging your fans. Make sure not to be too promotional, but still share stories as social proof (see Figure 9–9, page 173).
Want even more social proof? Hold a contest with your audience where you ask members to share the positive results that they have had from your product, program, or service.
Share Some Behind-the-Scenes
Let your followers get to know you and your team better by building trust that then moves them closer to a yes to buy. It helps to show you are an actual person, not just words on a page. In Figure 9–10, page 173, we see an Instagram post of the Hüify team enjoying time together.
FIGURE 9–9. Share the Proof that Your Audience Shares with You, Making Them Part of Your Ongoing Marketing.
FIGURE 9–10. Hüify’s Entire Instagram Page Is Dedicated to Showing Their Authentic Selves.
These strategies will help warm up your audience and create strong desire. (Get your mind out of the gutter, we are talking buying desire.) And then when it’s time to have a launch, you can strategically build buzz right up ’til launch day.
Two weeks before your webinar or workshop registration, begin a content series on your page. This is pure, straight content that your audience will find valuable. More than just the image, post content in the image example. Then in each post, direct them to check out the link in your bio that will send them to a lead magnet link where there will be even more value.
For example, two weeks prior to my last launch, I wrote content about Facebook Live and had a free giveaway of a Facebook Live Script Template. This type of giveaway made sense and was congruent, because it was relevant to the content and upcoming training. Make sure whatever you post during this two-week period is connected to what will come next. Your goal is to create buzz, so as soon as you open up registrations or sales, your audience cannot wait to buy.
After these two weeks, open up registration to your webinar with one post and change your bio link to the registration link. A video post is the perfect type to insert into the mix when registration opens. However, when you start going after registrations, try not to be too salesy. If you are, your audience may turn away from your posts and start ignoring you. That would stink, especially after two full weeks of giving them value.
It would kind of be like flirting just the right amount with a love interest—not too much, not too little—and when he/she finally asks you out, you say, “Yes! Let’s Get Married!” (As I shared in Chapter 1, in case you didn’t already know, this is not good.)
Once the registration period opens up, alternate one day with a “Register now” notice and the next with a piece of content. Content days will still have some kind of banner in a call to action to make sure people continue to opt in through the bio link.
Then, on the day of the event, run another video on your page. Encourage your followers again to opt in, and if they have already, encourage them to show up. Make sure to tell them how attending will not only benefit them but will change their lives.
The first thing in the morning, and right before they get on to the webinar, post on Instagram and email them as well.
A SEVEN-DAY SCHEDULE FOR PROMOTING YOUR LEAD MAGNET
To make things a little less overwhelming and make sure you take action, follow the instructions for each day, and complete all activities listed for maximum results.
Sunday
Sunday night, as the weekend is winding down, take some time to do a little research. This will set you up for success for the rest of the week. Make a list of the following:
1. Ten of the most popular blogs in your niche (use www.BuzzSumo.com as mentioned earlier to help you find that).
2. Ten of the most popular podcasts in your niche that are ranked 75 to 100 in popularity. You don’t want to focus on the top ten as they are hit up for requests all day long. Start with the super strong but less popular shows to get your feet wet. (Visit iTunes, then Podcast, to get these.)
3. Make a list of all the people in your industry who you personally know who have a blog, podcast, or other platform.
4. Create an easy-to-give domain name for your lead magnet with www.GoDaddy.com (buy a domain), or use www.TinyURL.com to create one for free. I do this with all my lead magnets that I want to promote, the one I give out most often being www.nobschapter.com.
5. Now get to sleep: You have a busy week ahead!
Note: If you have a teeny-tiny list right now some of these strategies might seem pointless, but don’t use that as an excuse not to do them. Even if you only have 12 people on your email list and eight Twitter followers (and some of them are family members and yourself), start with those 12 and run through these strategies. The more you do this step, the more your audience will grow, and you will grow more comfortable with self-promotion.
Monday for Video-Palooza
It’s time to do your own self-promotion of your funnel to drive traffic and comments before you reach out to others to promote it.
1. Use Facebook’s Live Video and Instagram Stories to share with your audience three bullet points or one main tip from your blog. At the end of the video, send them to the lead magnet web page to get more information. Also include a link to that video in the video settings and post description.
2. Download the MP4 from the Facebook Live Video and upload it to YouTube. In the description, first place a link to your lead magnet.
3. Share the YouTube link on LinkedIn. Include a link to your lead magnet as well.
4. In preparation for tasks later in the week, read the blogs of your top bloggers and make any notes about their blogging style that you can use later in the week.
Tuesday Was Made for Email
If you are a newbie, this step can be S-C-A-R-Y when you are just starting out, but rip off the Band-Aid® and email them. I remember how painful it was in the beginning, but I promise it gets easier and eventually even fun.
Yes, I am serious.
1. Send an email to your list with a link to your blog post. In the P.S. of the email and at the end of your blog post, include a link to your lead magnet.
2. Share a link to your blog post on all of your social media channels.
3. Listen to three of the podcasters you plan to reach out to later in the week and make notes about their podcasting style (so you can remember them when you reach out later).
Wednesday for Book-Me-Danno
In the early days, a lot of my list building started with me simply being willing to contribute content to other people’s newsletters and blogs. At one point, I was contributing to 15 newsletters and blogs a month. Now that my audience has grown, and I am a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine, DigitalMarketer, and GKIC Insider’s Circle, I have stopped writing for most others, but this still is a major component of my success in list growth.
Use this day to contact the people you know who have networks you can tap into by doing one (or both) of the following:
1. Send them a personal email to ask if they would be willing to share a link to your blog post to their social media followers.
2. Share a link to your blog post and ask if there might be an opportunity to guest post on their site or write for their newsletter about a similar topic.
3. Listen to four of the podcasters you plan to reach out to later in the week and make notes about their podcasting style (so you can remember them when you reach out later).
Thursday Is Perfect for Podcasting
Now it’s time to venture out into the podcasting world to people you don’t know and try to get booked on their shows.
1. Listen to the remaining podcasters you haven’t heard yet and make notes about their shows.
2. Send an email request to be a guest on one of the podcaster’s shows. Follow this formula for getting heard:
a. Use a unique subject line to grab their attention.
– I’ll promote our episode like my life depended on it.
– You’ll wonder what just happened but then smile.
– No, seriously . . . let me tell you why.
b. Write a short but sweet email telling them how having you as a guest will benefit them. Do NOT make it all about you.
Here’s an email I sent to Pat Flynn back in 2013 that landed me Episode #89 on his show that you can use as an example:
Subject: Because you rock (with beat boxing)
Message Body:
Greetings Pat . . .
I love the show . . . and not just because you beat box . . . something I can never seem to do without spitting . . . but I digress.
You bring so much value to us working our tails off today to live the lives we want forever.
You help me keep up the pace . . . you see, I have owned my company for 13 years and have had the ups and downs and roundabouts like the rest of them, but I really became an entrepreneur three years ago when my daughter was born and my back was against the wall. I discovered direct-response marketing and everything changed so much for the better. I still have the crazy scaling company schedule and lack of sleep from balancing a growing business and two kids, but it is now with joy and excitement that I face each day. In my long drives, I listen to your podcast for inspiration, education, and motivation. Through this year, my company has killed it, having taken on clients like Sandler Training, GKIC Inner Circle, Chem-Dry, and Ron LeGrand. My focus is bringing direct response tactics to social media . . . I monetize the fluffy stuff.
I don’t suppose you would consider having me as a guest on your show? I am sure there is no room for me, but if I am wrong, I would come prepared to offer value with high energy and an occasional joke or two . . .
I am sure that you already have too many like me beating down your door, so even if you don’t have the time to respond, know that you have a fan here at www.facebook.com/KWalshPhillips, and I am ready to cheer when you soon hit episode #100. (BTW . . . your recent one with Clay Collins nailed it. I have been a Leadpages customer for a while now, and it is off the chain.)
Focusing on the ROI,
Kim
c. Set a task reminder to follow up by “replying all” to your message, but change the subject line, trying something unique again, perhaps offering five reasons why they should book you as a guest. Make this again about them and not about you.
Friday for Blogging Fun!
Repeat the podcast step but this time ask bloggers if you can guest blog on their platform.
Saturday
A quick cleanup in the morning and you are done.
1. Thank anyone who shared your link or promoted your work in any way. (I like to send gifts as a thank you. It helps to show how much you appreciate their help.)
2. Post a link to your blog post again on all of your social media channels.
And you are done! Take a deep breath and get some rest because next week we are on to getting paid traffic.
In the next section, we will dive into Instagram ads and how they can support your overall marketing goals on the way to launch.
THE INSTAGRAM AD CAMPAIGN BLUEPRINT
If you want to amp up your game when it comes to Instagram marketing, then you may want to look into Instagram advertising. Later in this chapter, Lindsay Marder of DigitalMarketer will show us how they have successfully driven hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales from Instagram ads. The payout can be incredible. Of course, anytime you advertise, you are risking your money, so it’s best to arm yourself with all the facts before diving in.
All Instagram ads are set up through your Facebook Ads portal so first, you will need to set up either Facebook Ads Manager or Facebook Business Manager.
Facebook Ads Manager is used only if you run ads for one Facebook Business Page and one Instagram Account. Facebook Business Manager is used if you run ads for more than one business page or account. To set up your Facebook Ads Manager, go to www.facebook.com/adsmanager. To set up Business Manager, go to www.business.facebook.com.
To add your Instagram account to your Facebook Ads Manager:
1. Go to your Facebook page.
2. Click Settings in the top-right corner of your page.
3. Click Instagram Ads.
4. To add an existing Instagram account to your page, click Add an Account.
5. Enter your Instagram account’s Username and Password, and click Confirm.
To create a new Instagram account and add it to your Facebook page:
1. Go to your Facebook page.
2. Click Settings in the top-right corner of your page.
3. Click Instagram Ads.
4. If you need to create a new Instagram account, click Add an Account.
5. Select Create a new account.
6. Fill in the details of your new account and click Confirm.
7. An email will be sent to the email address specified. Follow the directions in the email to set the password for your new Instagram account.
To add your Instagram account to your Business Manager:
1. In Facebook, go to your Business Manager.
2. Click on Business Settings, then Instagram Accounts.
3. Click Claim New Instagram Account.
4. Fill in the username and the password of the Instagram account you would like to sync and click Next.
5. Select the ad accounts that will have access to this Instagram account and then click Save Changes.
Mission accomplished. Now it’s time to create some Instagram ad magic.
Fail to Plan and You Can Plan to Fail
Before jumping right into the ad creator, it is important to decide how you’re going to adapt your message to the crowd that follows you on Instagram. Every social media platform is used by fans for different reasons, so identifying what it is that appeals to your target audience is a key component in building out your Instagram ad plan.
Cold, Hard Truth Alert: There will be some strategic guessing in the beginning stages as you see what imagery resonates with your audience, so don’t get discouraged if the icon ads that performed so well on Facebook don’t give as spectacular results on Instagram.
Review your Instagram posts and consider what your audience engages with the most. Are you racking up page upon page of comments on photos of people using your product? Or does the perfectly positioned hero shot of your product standing tall in all of its glory steal the show? Or maybe your video posts are the favorite child? Make a list of what you see doing well in your Facebook ads and what your fans on Instagram love to see and start testing.
Test the Water
Now that you have your accounts linked and an idea of the direction you want to take, it’s time to start creating the actual ads. Facebook has updated the system so that you can use your ad builder of choice (Ads Manager or Power Editor) to create your Instagram ads.
To use, Ads Manager, go to www.Facebook.com/AdsManager.
Click Create Ad as shown in Figure 9–11.
FIGURE 9–11. Click on the Create Ad Button.
Next choose your marketing objective from the categories shown in Figure 9–12. We’ll look at each category in more detail.
FIGURE 9–12. Selecting Your Marketing Objective from a Range of Choices.
Awareness
Boost Your Posts: Expose your posts to as many people as possible, expanding your reach and increasing your page engagement.
Increase Brand Awareness: Expose posts to audiences specifically targeted based on the likelihood that they will pay attention to your ads. The posts (see an example in Figure 9–13) can be used to expose more people to your brand and ultimately grow a larger following.
FIGURE 9–13. This Is a Post to Increase Brand Awareness.
Consideration
Send People to Your Website: This option is to increase the flow of traffic on your site or landing page. In the ad-builder process, you have the options to make consideration and conversion ads clickable so that someone can be redirected to the site where you want them to go simply by touching the photo. This option is recommended when sending traffic to a piece of value-driven content that doesn’t require an opt in, such as a blog.
Get Installs of Your App: Send viewers to the app store to encourage them to download and install your app.
For example, the goal of McDonalds’ is to get people to take part in their app so they’ve included a sweet deal. In order for the viewer to get the free coffee with five purchases, they need to click the McDonald’s bio link to download the app where they will be rewarded with the program. “I’m loving it!” (Not really, I am a loyal fan of the Green Bean Roasting Company in York, Pennsylvania, [Hi, Jen and Vanessa!] for the substance that makes up 75 percent of my body mass, but I can’t resist a jingle.)
Get Video Views: These videos can be testimonial based, product how-tos, behind-the-scenes clips, product launches, or just promotional videos designed to drive traffic.
Ruby Tuesday used this method by circulating a video of different clips of people enjoying the food and atmosphere at a Ruby Tuesday location. They also incorporated a variety of hashtags that made sense for their message. For many users, food porn is one of the best parts about Instagram, so this ad type does very well. Because if there is anything we like better than pictures of mouth-watering, juicy, and huge hamburgers dripping with cheese, it’s a video of mouth-watering, juicy, and huge hamburgers dripping with cheese.
Conversion
Increase Conversions on Your Website: Use this when you want your customer to take an action such as entering their contact information or purchasing a product. Website conversions let you track the number of actions that are taken via Facebook through this option.
Here’s an example from Facebook: An online dating service, Match, wanted a way to drive registrations among a new generation of people who are actively dating. Since Match acquires clients primarily on mobile, they decided to run a website conversion campaign on Instagram. During the website conversion campaign, Match increased registration volume by 20 percent.
“Our goal is to help singles of all generations find meaningful connections,” says James Peng, head of Mobile App Acquisition at Match. “Through Instagram conversion ads, we were able to deliver a visually crafted message to a new age of dating-minded individuals at scale.”
Promote a Product Catalog: If your business has a store or a catalog, this ad will automatically pull from that catalog to promote your products to your target audience. Add a new pair of kicks to your online selection? If you’ve set this up ahead of time, ads for that product will automatically start showing in the Instagram feed to those you are targeting.
Setting Up Your Ad
Once you have selected your objective and named your campaign, you are ready. Put on your big boy/big girl pants and create an ad. Start by setting the audience, placement, budget, and delivery schedule of your ad.
Select Your Target Audience
1. Custom Audience. If you have a custom audience, such as an email contact list, website traffic, conversion pixel, or lookalike of one of these, you are able to upload it here. The three categories are:
a. Custom Audiences. Target your current customers by securely uploading a contact list of people you’d like to reach.
b. Lookalike Audiences. Find people who are similar to your customers or prospects by building a lookalike audience from your Facebook page fans, customer lists, or website visitors.
c. Custom Audiences from Your Website. Remarket to people on Facebook who’ve already visited your website.
2. Set your location by entering an address or town and selecting how many miles away you will allow this ad to expand. The options are:
a. Everyone in this location
b. Lives in this location (meaning they have a home there)
c. Recently in this location (meaning this is their last tracked location)
d. Traveling to this location (meaning they were recently in this location but their home is somewhere else)
3. Set age range.
4. Select your target gender.
5. Enter any specific languages.
Note: You do not have to set all of these up. They are optional and based on who you want to target specifically. See Figure 9–14, page 184. Notice the “Estimated Daily Reach” in the bottom-right-hand corner of Figure 9–14. As you manipulate the settings, this number will adjust to reflect the average number of people who will come into contact with your ad.
Set Your Detailed Targeting
Set your Detailed Targeting (see Figure 9–15, page 184) by including any interests, demographics, and behaviors you’d like to identify. To narrow a broad audience, try stacking interests. For example, if you are selling a gym membership that specializes in classes, you could target people who have an interest in yoga and Pilates plus the purchasing behavior of buying fitness equipment. Then you would know that these people have an interest in your product and are willing to spend money on it.
Set a Connection to Your Page
Setting a connection to your page (see Figure 9–16, page 185) will further narrow your audience to show your ad to the people who already have a connection to your page or other related categories.
FIGURE 9–14. Selecting Your Target Audience.
FIGURE 9–15. Setting Detailed Targeting.
Set the Placement for Your Ad.
This is where you select that you want your ad to circulate on the Instagram feed (see Figure 9–17 on page 185). Note: You can select more than one option and edit the images to fit both categories later.
FIGURE 9–16. Further Defining Your Audience Based on Your Facebook Fans and Their Friends.
FIGURE 9–17. Selecting Your Ad Placement.
Set the Budget
Select either the daily or lifetime budget and how much you want to dedicate to the distribution of this ad (see Figure 9–18, page 186). The more money you opt to spend, the higher number of impressions you will receive, increasing the likelihood of reaching your objective.
Note: When optimizing the ad for delivery, check the manual budget to make sure that your daily ad spend is at least double the high bid. Return to the automatic option to allow Facebook to find you the best price.
FIGURE 9–18. Set the Budget for Your Ad.
Delivery
Once the logistics are set up, name your ad set and click Continue to set up the ad creative.
There are four options (see Figure 9–19) for Instagram images, depending on which objective you select.
FIGURE 9–19. Selecting Your Ad Format.
Next, select the associated Facebook page and the Instagram account option. If you’ve synced your Instagram account with your Facebook in Business Manager or your Facebook page, your account name will appear in the drop-down menu. If you haven’t, you can do so here (see Figure 9–20, page 187).
To add your Instagram account, click “Add an Account” and enter your Instagram login information (see Figure 9–21 on page 187).
FIGURE 9–20. Linking Your Account(s) to Your Ad.
FIGURE 9–21. Adding Your Instagram Account.
Build the Ad Creative
Upload the ad images that you have selected, and using the Edit Crop button, Facebook will allow you to alter the image so it fits appropriately in the Instagram feed. If you elect to use the ad for Instagram and Facebook in the same campaign, it will give you options to edit the size for both individually (see Figure 9–22 on page 188).
FIGURE 9–22. Cropping Your Ad Image.
Next, add in the text that describes the action you want the viewer to take. For this example, the Samantha’s Donut Shoppe is encouraging people to stop in for a free donut with a large coffee (see Figure 9–23).
FIGURE 9–23. Adding Text to Your Ad.
This is an opportunity to utilize popular hashtags that you have found success with on your Instagram page (see Figure 9–24 on page 189). That way your ad will be shown not only to the people who fall into your target audience but also to people who search that hashtag.
FIGURE 9–24. Use Hashtags to Broaden Your Ad Reach to Relevant Audiences.
And that’s it. Review and click Place Order. Within 24 hours, Facebook will review your ad to make sure it meets all of the guidelines, and then begin circulating through the feeds of your target audience.
(One of my staff members put together the ad images. I had Samantha pick whatever industry she wanted, and she went with coffee and donuts. It seems I either hire people who have the same delicious obsessions as me, or I rub off on them over time. Either way, I’ll take it. The coffee and donuts, that is. Especially if you are willing to throw in Pumpkin Spice, aka Soccer Mom Catnip.)
The most important thing when it comes to Instagram advertising is to track, measure, and scale once your data supports it. With that, you can achieve incredible results.
Business powerhouse DigitalMarketer uses Instagram every day to start prospects on their path to purchase. Check out my interview with editorial manager Lindsay Marder in the next section.
DRIVING SALES WITH INSTAGRAM ADS, WITH LINDSAY MARDER OF DIGITALMARKETER
Lindsay Marder is the managing editor at DigitalMarketer and was previously the publishing editor at Southern Yellow Pine Publishing.
Tell us about what you do at DigitalMarketer.
Marder: Our goal is to double the size of 10,000 small businesses within five years. We are now in the second year of this goal.
We teach people how to market their own businesses, sharing how to do things the correct way—because so many do it wrong in the internet marketing world. Those who advertise online have a reputation of spamming. They have a terrible track record, and it doesn’t have to be that way.
We want to change the context of internet marketing—how you can follow the rules and still get results, and how you can provide value first and be very profitable second. We teach our audience to create dynamic, engaging, and valuable content and turn that into lifelong and profitable customers.
Our entrepreneurs learn how to drive traffic, and how to look at what they’re selling to optimize their offers. We teach how to boost sales conversions and how to engage an audience and develop a community. Mostly we really want people to understand the difference between selling a product versus selling a brand.
Our market of college graduates have degrees but no tangible marketing skills. We teach them how to do content marketing and paid traffic and customer acquisition. Now they’re going out and changing the way businesses do advertising and [get] customers.
You no longer need to re-invent the wheel every time you try to sell something. We want to teach people the process to do it—a repeatable process that works with everything, not a one-hit-wonder kind of campaign. We teach a process that is evergreen, and we’re trying to change the economy while we are doing it. We put more money back into peoples’ pockets, sell more, and give people better products. Really, we just do what we can to make things better for everyone.
I love that all your social media channels focus on that messaging, and that the messaging is on-point and focused on that overall goal. For your Instagram account how are you leveraging this?
Marder: A lot of people have been using Instagram for direct selling, advertising a product, and measuring success by purchases. When you’re selling information or instructions, however, people need to get to know you first. So we follow a cold-warm-hot kind of process. We use Instagram for sharing content and introducing ourselves, so we can get them to listen to one of our podcast episodes or read one of our blog posts, giving value first and establishing the relationship over time.
We use Instagram to provide as much ungated (no opt-in required) value as we can up front, before we ask anyone to make a transaction with us. When folks give us their time on Instagram, that’s a really valuable thing to ask from anyone who doesn’t know you yet.
So what types of things do you share?
Marder: We share our podcast episodes. A lot of what our Instagram ads are right now are long-form descriptions, telling folks, “Here’s what you’ll learn in the content”; “Here’s what you’ll learn by listening to this”; or “Here’s what you’ll learn by reading this.” We tell people everything to expect upfront and let them know what they will get out of it.
And what have you found that is working well on this channel in comparison to others?
Marder: We’re definitely seeing that it’s great for brand awareness. We use Instagram as a way to generate awareness for our company, its brand, and our customer-facing employees. For the longest time, DigitalMarketer was synonymous with Ryan Deiss since he was the front man. Ryan is obviously still very well known, but we’re now in a place where we are establishing authority through other team members, too.
There’s nothing wrong with having a team and establishing that your team has expertise on lots of topics. You’ll see customer-acquisition info with Molly Pittman in front and content in videos with Ross or Suzzie or myself. We use Instagram to generate name recognition for those customer-facing employees as well as our products and services.
We are seeing that people are listening to the podcast episodes we promote, and subscribing to the show. We’re seeing our downloads increase from Instagram source traffic, and our blogposts are gaining traction.
In our private community on Facebook we share informal pictures: “Here’s what Deanne is doing around the office,” or a video of Bryan skateboarding around our building. Nothing has indicated to us that marketers and small-business owners are shopping on Instagram, but they are looking for solutions on Instagram. We use the platform to add value to their research, and we are seeing a lot of people visiting our site after they’ve seen us on Instagram. It’s growing our listener and reader base on our podcast and blog and leading to a growth in memberships and continuity products.
So instead of trying to send viewers directly into a funnel, you’re doing value-only at first. Where do you go for inspiration?
Marder: Nordstrom does a terrific job at Instagram advertising, making me pause when I’m scrolling to look at everything in their screen. Their copy is really great, too. They paint a picture for you—“It’s getting cooler out, fall is coming, are you prepared?” “You’ll need the perfect dress when it’s nice outside,” “. . . the perfect sweater . . .” They’re dressing their audience.
So what have been some of your most popular posts?
Marder: We promoted a podcast episode called “Everything I Learned About Paid Traffic, I Learned at a Kid’s Party.” We had a lot of people click and like the heck out of that episode. Now we’re turning that into a regular piece of blog content that will work to retarget people through Facebook and Instagram. We pixel them and retarget to see if we can get them to opt in to an offer.
We also have success with lighter pieces. Ross wrote a post called “23 Weirdest Things Sold Around the Internet.” People reacted really well to it because they saw us speaking to our audience in an unusual way without asking them to immediately buy anything. It was just quick content with a fun feature image, and they were more inclined to do what we wanted them to do.
Have you used tagging or hashtags or other Instagram strategies for page growth or getting engagements? What works for you?
Marder: Our social media manager is big on hashtags. We also have started including Google Trends in our strategy to keep our posts on-topic and current. It’s like jacking the news to see how it can connect to digital marketing. So for example, maybe a trending company was considering selling something. We’ll ask, “Are you a buyer?” and then hashtag it #honest #techcrunch #selling.
If you can join the conversation, search for the pain point you’re trying to solve for your market and then continue digging to figure out which hashtags are working there and which will get you to the front page. And tag people when relevant. We’re a big fan of tagging. Even if that person is not on Instagram, we can tag their Twitter handle and shoutout on Facebook and Twitter, “Hey, we featured you here.”
All of these social networks are connected. The words you say on Instagram can easily reach people on Facebook or Twitter. Use hashtags that are relevant to your post and people who are searching for similar things, and tag the people you’re speaking about or who would be interested. And don’t just say, “Listen to this episode, Read this blog post.” Tell them what they’re going to get out of it. Make it benefit-heavy.
How can folks find out more about DigitalMarketer?
Marder: Go to www.DigitalMarketer.com or follow us @digitalmarketer.
FROM ONLINE TO OFFLINE WITH SHAUN BUCK
Did you see what you left there?!
If you aren’t following up with Instagram followers once they are on your list, you are leaving a lot of money behind. The fortune is in the follow-up. And when most think of follow-up, they think of email. Just email.
Yes, email is important, but it should be just one tactic in your follow-up strategy. Employing different mediums of follow-up is vital. If you don’t, you leave a lot of money on the table.
One of my go-to experts on this topic is Shaun Buck. Shaun is the CEO of NewsletterPro, a seven- (almost eight-) figure business. He started his company from scratch and has achieved that success with an offline product. (He also happens to be one of the nicest people I know. And he loves margaritas. I mean, what’s not to love about that?)
I recently interviewed him about his philosophy on how to retain customers and the referrals they give you. Like me, Shaun believes the most important way to grow your business is to get customers and retain them.
From 2011 to 2014, Shaun grew his business by 2,975 percent. Along with a few more gray hairs for him, there were several key strategies in place. When I asked him how he achieved that, he told me there were two main secrets to his success:
1. Retain customers. (Shaun noted his average customer remains with him for approximately four years.)
2. Get each customer to bring a friend or two along.
He further explained that the conversion of new customers—whether referred from Instagram or another social media network, direct mail, or whatever source—is key. He used his own business as an example. From January to the end of April, his business’s conversion figures were:
35 percent of new customers were on their list for 0 to 30 days (these are the group most businesses pursue with passion).
29 percent of new customers were on their list for 31 to 90 days (not ready to buy initially).
7 percent were on their list for 91 to 365 days (they worked really hard to move this group up the sales funnel).
29 percent were on their list for 365 days or more (holy biscuits and gravy!).
Most people, he said, give up way too early on their leads and think that if people don’t buy right away it’s not worth following up on them.
But following up is key.
People need to know who you are, what you do that can transform their lives, and that you are still in business. Or they won’t buy from you. He further noted that most people (51 percent of sales) buy a product 90 days to 18 months after first obtaining the information about it. So if you implement a strategy to follow up, you will end up selling more and growing your business successfully.
There are two things that NewsletterPro focuses on:
1. Referrals—how can we get them to refer people to us (friends, family, or other businesses)?
2. Existing customers—how do we keep them for life?
Existing Customer Campaigns
They generally do this through contests or promotions for existing customers. For example, they ran a promotion that if existing customers referred one person who becomes a client (keeping it simple) they would receive a free trip to Las Vegas, including airfare, a couple of nights at a hotel, and a drive-your-favorite-sports-car experience.
When asked how he affords a campaign like that, Shaun advised that he simply asked himself how much he was willing to spend to get a new customer. Referrals don’t cost as much to chase, and they tend to spend and refer other customers—making the investment in the referral campaign an even better option.
This path of action is obviously the opposite of what most people do (spend the least amount possible rather than preparing for the long term). So, so smart.
There is also an additional strategy in that if you are spending time with your existing customers, you are building a deeper relationship, creating opportunity to do more business together, or even finding a new partner. There are all kinds of potential that can come out of time spent together. By not being cheap, you will likely get dozens and dozens of referrals out of the campaign. A point to note is that the customers who get to go to Las Vegas (in this case) are the ones who have referred someone who has turned into a customer.
And any time in Las Vegas is a good time. (No, there won’t be photos of that in this book!)
If you are wondering how to afford a campaign like the one NewsletterPro used (especially if cash flow is tight), don’t forget that you can create your campaign now but not actually spend the money (i.e., gifting the prize) until the referrals become customers. So essentially those new customers will pay for your campaign. No laying out the cash ahead of the time.
Then how do you use a newsletter to promote a campaign like this? Shaun advised you do one of two things.
1. Congratulate everyone going to Las Vegas in the newsletter. Then make a point of saying to those who aren’t going what they need to do to get invited. You teach your existing customers how to get referrals, and then call them to action by asking them to give you those referrals.
2. Include a free-standing insert in the newsletter. The insert again promotes the campaign, telling them what is happening and what to do to gain a ticket to Las Vegas.
Shaun further refers to a point Dan Kennedy makes that “direct marketing” (an actual physical paper newsletter) is the only reliable source he has as things change so rapidly. Shaun believes that in order to be successful you need to marry online and offline marketing. Business owners are normally in one camp or the other instead of finding a way to do both, resulting in huge growth. The reality is, newsletters are incredible. They do all of the following if not more:
When you commit to publishing a newsletter, it establishes you as an expert.
Although it’s available to members, you can use it as a source of passive income (i.e., selling it to non-members).
Use it before a prospect meeting (send a couple of issues)—establishing you as the expert.
It hangs around longer than emails, which are easily deleted.
It gives you the opportunity to include other things, like an insert highlighting a campaign.
It shows you are willing to invest in your business and will be sticking around. Anyone can generate an online newsletter, but it takes time and money to create and print a physical newsletter.
Shaun makes the cover of their newsletter about them personally as a business and staff. People want to know about your life, business, etc. Pay attention to that portion in your newsletter whether it’s a printed version or an online version.
Focus on Retention of Customers
You need to find out why people leave and fix it! One of the ways NewsletterPro prevents customers leaving is by establishing relationships. Find out what is happening in the lives of your customers. Little things—like sending a card and gift for a wedding, or sending flowers when someone passes away along with a sympathy card signed by the whole office—make a big difference.
Also don’t forget to fix a problem when it is discovered. Only 4 percent of people will complain. Even if you lose a customer, you should still fix the problem so the next customer will not have to deal with it. If you focus on retention, your business will grow!
So go ahead and grab that print newsletter off the table you left behind yesterday. It’s still there and just waiting for you to follow up.
#INSTAGRAMFORBUSINESS POSTABLES
You could be the next Apple. #InstagramforBusiness
You can create a tribe of loyal followers who maybe someday will get your logo tattooed on themselves, like the great brands of Nike or Harley-Davidson. #InstagramforBusiness
Before you begin to market and grow your platform to launch your product, program, or service via Instagram, develop your perfect prospect “avatar.” #InstagramforBusiness
Your content needs to speak to your target market so clearly that to them it seems like you are a friend, not a business. #InstagramforBusinessk
No one wants to feel like they are the first to choose you to spend money with. Show them they aren’t alone. #InstagramforBusiness
The most important thing when it comes to Instagram advertising is to track, measure, and scale once your data supports it. With that you can achieve incredible results. #InstagramforBusiness
If you fail to plan, you can plan to fail #InstagramforBusiness
Resource spotlight: Visit www.UGIGBook.com for an Instagram advertising template for maximum results.