Instagram Paid Ads are the hottest new marketing tool for promoting your jewelry store.
In October, Instagram finally allowed all businesses to place Paid Ads into the Newsfeed of their users. For the past two years, Instagram has only allowed a select few companies with massive marketing budgets to advertise on their platform.
Fortune magazine stated: “The potential is huge because, unlike many mobile advertising platforms, Instagram has the ability to target its ads to very specific audiences using technology and data from its parent company, Facebook.”
Instagram is a mobile only social sharing network that was purchased by Facebook in 2012. By September 2015 Instagram had grown into the 2nd largest social media platform. With 400 million active monthly users they are 4 times the size of Pinterest. Instagram is now one of the world’s largest mobile ads platforms and an important addition to sponsored social advertising.
Initial studies have shown that Instagram users are two and a half times more likely to click on ads than users on other social media platforms. And, because it is still in its infancy, you can reach new customers while your competitors remain clueless about this fantastic new marketing opportunity!
To advertise on Instagram you must have a Business Page on Facebook and a Facebook Ad Manager account. It is also recommended that you have an Instagram account in your business name. You can advertise on Instagram without one, but your ads will be linked to your Facebook page rather than an Instagram account. Having your ads linked to an Instagram account adds credibility by showing users you are a part of the Instagram community and not just an outsider paying for ads.
To get started advertising on Instagram, go to your Facebook page settings and connect your Instagram account to your page. It is recommended that you use an Instagram account in your store name and not your personal account. If you don’t already have one, Facebook has made it easy to set up a new account directly from your Facebook page settings.
Next go to your Facebook Ad Manager and select the type of ad objective you want to run. As of this writing there are only 3 Ad Objectives available for Instagram ads: Click to Websites, App Installs, and Video Views. Facebook plans to add other Ad Objectives in the future and by the time you read this, you may well have additional choices.
Within these objectives, there are three key Ad Units that you can capitalize on: Image, Video and Carousel ads. Image ads are standard photos with a button driving users to click. Video ads are the same as image ads but with video. While users on Instagram are limited to 15 second videos, advertisers can upload video ads up to 30 seconds long. Carousel ads are a series of 3 to 5 images that users can browse.
Be sure to use attention-grabbing visuals. Instagram began as a photo sharing platform and is known for its rich and attractive visuals. If you want to create ads that drive results, take the time to create compelling visuals to catch people’s attention.
The Instagram audience is savvy enough to distinguish stock product photos and is less likely to engage with that type of content. Create images yourself, use vendor supplied images, or invest in a photographer/illustrator to create great content for you. Use a picture of your product in use and overlay text and a close up of the product. For example, use an image of a man proposing to his sweetheart with a close-up of an engagement ring. Add text to the image with an attention-grabbing headline or call to action. When adding text to an image, make certain it complies with Facebook’s 20% text limitations for advertisement.
While it is possible to create one ad and have it displayed on both Facebook and Instagram, it is recommended that you run two separate ads at this time. This is due to the current image size differences. Facebook Ads need to have rectangular images 1200 X 628 pixels in size. Instagram images are 1080 pixels square. If you run the same image on both services the picture will be cropped to fit the desired size limitation. Facebook is working to resolve these differences and in the future advertisers will be able to use the same image on both services.
The final step is to Target the Right Audience. With Instagram Ads, you set your target audience preferences in the same way as you do for Facebook Ads. Most Facebook Ad targeting options are also available for Instagram Ads. These include location, demographics, interests, behaviors and more.
Facebook provides advertisers with the most advanced targeting options of any advertising platform. Don’t waste your advertising dollars showing your ads to people who are not interested in your product or service. Identify your ideal customer for the ad you create and specifically target that audience. By doing so you will receive the best response to your advertising and with more positive engagement to your ads, Facebook will feature them more prominently and at a lower cost.
With the emergence of Instagram Paid Ads, you can build a relationship with a whole new audience. With the right approach to Instagram Marketing, you can drive great results for your jewelry store and truly stand out on the platform. For more information on Instagram Advertising go to www.FeetThruTheDoorMarketing.com/instagram-ads.
Brad Simon is co-owner of Internet 4 Jewelers and Feet Thru The Door Marketing. They provide affordable full-service social media management and Facebook Ad campaign management exclusively for retail jewelry stores as well as online educational programs for local retail stores. For more information you can contact Brad at 864-680-4416 or Brad@Internet4Jewelers.com.
