3 steps to attract customers on Instagram

People love to produce, consume and share images. That’s why Instagram has grown to over 500 million users in five years.

“Sixty percent of those users say they have heard or learned about a new product or service on Instagram,” says Ethan Arpi, who works in product marketing at Instagram.

Even better news for communicators is that 75 percent of users take action after being inspired by a post, Arpi says: “That could be anything from going to your website to learn more, to visiting your store or even marking a purchase.”

Here are three ways to attract more Instagram followers—and turn them into customers:

1. Pull the curtain back. “People don’t like super-glossy images or staged videos,” Arpi says. “They prefer authenticity and want to see how things are created.”

That’s why he recommends “behind-the-scenes” videos.

“Get creative,” he says. “Think about what happens out of public sight at your business that you can pull out and bring to life. A short clip from a factory floor is more compelling than a product shot.”