If you’re new to the world of Instagram, you might not know how to get started with your account. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, a lot of shops haven’t yet jumped on this kind of social media either - which means there’s plenty of opportunity still available for you. 

Write an informative bio

You only have 150 characters (not words) to write your Instagram bio, so you have to make them count. 

A lot of shops write about who they are and what they do, but your Instagram bio shouldn’t focus on you. It should be all about your customers. 

When writing your bio, make sure you include what you can do for your customers and how your service can uniquely help them with their cars. 

Don’t forget to link to your website on your bio as well. There’s a specific section on Instagram where you can connect to your website, and many businesses leave these blank, which is a huge mistake! 

2. Build a strong content strategy 

It’s not enough to only post a few photos or videos every so often. Your audience isn’t going to magically come rushing in to view a couple of posts. 

Instead, you’re going to have to build a strong content strategy so that you can plan out when you’re going to post, how often you’re going to post, and what you’re going to post about. 

Just like any other marketing campaign, your Instagram content strategy has to be well thought through. 

How often should you post on Instagram?

Your Instagram account needs a regular posting schedule; otherwise, your shop will not stay relevant. However, you don’t want to overload your followers with a ton of posts, especially if you’re just posting for the sake of it. 

The best way to figure out how often you should post is by posting at different times and checking the results. By finding out what time gets the most attention first you can build your schedule around that time. 

Generally, the best time to post on Instagram is between 8 AM-12 PM and 4-5 PM on weekdays.

Create a content calendar to keep track of what you want to post and what time you want to post it. 

Figure out what your style should be

Before you start creating Instagram posts, you should figure out what style you want to go for. 

Ask yourself:

• How do you want to be seen by your followers? 
• Should you use emojis?
• What hashtags should you use?
• Are you creating graphics or using photos?

From here, you can create a style guide so that your posts are consistent and work with your brand. 

What are hashtags?

A hashtag is a type of label that’s used on social media platforms. They’re used to make it easier to find information on specific topics and locate posts about certain themes online. Hashtags make it easier for users to explore content that they’re interested in and find what they’re looking for. 

Hashtags all start with a ‘#’ symbol and are usually keywords related to the post. For example if we were to hashtag this blog post on Instagram you could hashtag it #InstagramTips or #InstagramHelp. 

Always research topics

Research is key to creating great posts on Instagram to find out what the auto restoration industry is talking about right now on social media. 

By figuring out these trends, you can post about them and get attention from the industry’s audience. 

Don’t forget to take a look at the hashtags used in competitor posts too. This way, you can see which hashtags are the most popular to use.

3. Post stories as well as regular content

Not many companies take advantage of stories, but they’re an essential part of getting started on Instagram. 

Stories are great for adding ‘in the moment’ pieces of content, so if you’re working on a car and want to snap a couple of photos or a short video, you can add it to your story for your audience. 

This is limited content as they disappear after 24 hours, but you can also add any cool pictures to your highlights which feature at the top of your page. 

You can make different story highlight folders too, so you can break up your story highlights into specific jobs you were working on.

Stories are a great way to casually interact with your audience and even share behind-the-scenes work. 

4. Engage with your Instagram audience

One of the most critical parts of getting started on Instagram is to engage with your audience. 

By responding to comments and liking them, you’ll be able to win the hearts of your audience quickly. 

Plus, the more you engage with what your audience is doing, the more they’ll trust you and stick around for more content. 

Responding to comments might also be the final push somebody needs to follow you. They might have liked your content but were unsure of whether you were a friendly, trustworthy brand. 

5. Connect with influencers

If you’re looking to get noticed on Instagram, connecting with influencers is the perfect way to do it. 

Influencers are popular people in your niche, and they generally have a lot of influence on your target audience. 

If you can get them to give your brand a shout-out on their Instagram, then you’re going to get a lot of attention from the right crowd of people. 

People who follow influencers are easily swayed by their opinions and recommendations. So by working with an influencer, you’ll be able to get a lot of people interested in the work you do. 

Instagram can be a tricky and complex game to play but with the right help and support, you’ll be able to get loads of followers in no time at all. 

If you want some help figuring out the rocky road of Instagram then we’d love to help. We’ve got a lot of experience working with Instagram and would be delighted to give your shop a hand. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch today.