Estimated reading time: 3 minutes 

As you know, social media is an increasingly important marketing tool. Instagram is one of the top five social media platforms, with more than 1.4 billion daily users. Instagram is a great place to connect with prospects and clients, and it’s simple and free to use.  

If you already have an Instagram business account, you’re ahead of the game. If you don’t, take the plunge. It’s time to up your Instagram activity! 

5 Best Practices for Instagram Business Accounts

To get more from your Instagram business account, follow these five essential rules.  

1. Make a Plan - It’s fine to post spontaneously when opportunities present themselves, but the most effective content is planned. Define your goals—say, to reach more potential clients—then, start creating content accordingly.  
   Tip: if you can create and schedule several weeks of content at once, you’ll save time and stay on point.   

2. Develop a Consistent Brand - To build momentum, it’s important to be consistent. That means sticking with one color palette, creating a recognizable grid format, and using a single brand voice. For agents, an effective brand is professional, friendly, helpful—and, of course, genuine.       

3. Target Your Market - Research indicates that 60% of Instagram users are between the ages of 18-34. The next largest demographic (16%) is between the ages of 35-44. That means, you’ll get the most bang for buck if your messaging appeals to Millennial and Gen Z prospects (tip: weave some light product education into your posts).      

4. Engage, Engage, Engage - One of the best ways to build an Instagram following is to engage with fellow users. When someone comments on one of your posts or sends you a DM (direct message), be sure to respond promptly. 
   Similarly, like and follow accounts that are meaningful to you, such as your group clients, local businesses, community accounts, etc.   

5. Partner with PALIG - By all means, follow our channel. Better yet, leverage our content by liking, sharing and commenting on it regularly. We have multiple opportunities to utilize our content each week, helping you generate activity. 

Mastering Instagram Tools

One of the strengths of Instagram is its mix of formats and tools, which include:  

• Instagram Posts – Posts can be photos or videos, which you can enhance with captions, stickers, filters, and more. Posts will remain on your feed, so they’re ideal for “evergreen” content.  
• Instagram Stories: These are short-lived photos or videos that will appear at the top of your feed, then vanish after 24 hours (unless you save them). That makes them ideal for experimenting with content!  
• Instagram Reels - With Reels, you can create and share short videos (think TikTok, if you use it.) You can add music, effects and text, create multi-clip videos, or record your own reel next to someone else’s, so it’s very versatile.  
• Instagram Live Video: With Instagram Live, you can stream real-time videos for up to four hours. It encourages real-time engagement, since viewers can comment and interact with you. (If you enjoy hosting educational Zoom sessions, this might be something to try.)  
• Instagram Carousel - Carousel allows you to group multiple images or videos in a single post. It’s ideal for sharing information step-by-step or telling a story—say, explaining product benefits.   
• Instagram Stickers - Stickers are graphic overlays you can use to enhance your content. There are various types—location, hashtags, polls, questions, links, etc.—all which encourage interaction. (Hashtags are especially helpful because they increase the “discoverability” of your posts.)  
• Instagram Bio – Your bio allows you to tell people who you are and what you have to offer. It’s brief, so make the most of it. Be sure to pair it with your photo—and include a call to action, like “ask me your life insurance questions!”

Tips on Creating Content

Obviously, you want to use Instagram to draw attention to your products and services—and it’s a great educational tool, too. But in order to attract more followers, you may want to include some topical, local and lighthearted content, such as:

• Sharing community news and events 
• Giving shoutouts to local charities and businesses that you support 
• Posting client testimonials (with their permission, of course) 
• Holding photo caption contests  
• Highlighting photos/videos of agency events 
• Sharing “behind the scenes” glimpses of life in the office     

See you on Instagram!