Are Instagram ads worth it for your e-commerce brand?
Instagram has developed far beyond its original offering. 2020, in particular, was a pivotal year for the app. The company released a raft of new or upgraded features, and its user numbers flourished.
Growing an engaged following on Instagram isn't simply ego-boosting - it could be a lucrative sales opportunity for e-commerce brands!
Instagram ads can be a powerful tool to boost follower numbers and get your products noticed by the right people. Used correctly, they can make people stop scrolling and pay attention to your message.
But Instagram is also a crowded space. Brands of all shapes and sizes are competing for attention.
When you run ads that work, they could be a cost-effective way to stand out from the competition, boost sales, generate leads, grow a following, drive traffic to your website, and (the one you've been waiting for) bolster online sales.
First things first: is your audience on Instagram?
Before you commit to spending a penny on ads, make sure your audience uses the app.
Why? Because advertising on a platform your audience doesn't use is like shouting into an empty room. That's not good for anyone.
For most B2C advertisers targeting people aged between 18 to 34 years old, Instagram is high on their list of potential social media platforms. Yet, don't immediately write it off if you're a B2B brand.
Yes, LinkedIn is known as the social media ads platform for business to business marketing, but 36% of B2B decision-makers say they use Instagram to research products.
Instagram users can be receptive to brands that advertise on the platform if they do it effectively.
Do people pay attention to Instagram ads?
So, you know that your audience is on Instagram, and you're eager to find out if it can be effective at increasing online sales.
Not only is Instagram one of the top four most used social media platforms. Its visual nature means that it could be an excellent way to show off your products.
Not only that, Instagram users can be receptive to brands that advertise on the platform if they do it effectively:
50% said they were more interested in brands after seeing their ad on Instagram
A whopping 81% of users use Instagram to research products
50% of users have visited a website to make a purchase after seeing a product on Instagram
Over 1 billion people use Instagram every month
63% of users log into Instagram daily
Take advantage of the different formats.
One thing that Instagram has plenty of is ad formats. The platform has a fantastic range for you to experiment with.
Whether you're pushing forwards with a video-first strategy, want customers to see your striking imagery, or you're testing Instagram shopping posts, there's an ad for that.
Instagram Stories ads, in particular, are becoming more popular with advertisers. It's probably something to do with the 500 million accounts that post Instagram Stories daily. It's estimated that 4 million businesses run Stories ads every month.
If you opt to run Instagram ads, you can take advantage of the different ways to get your message across.
Source: Instagram
Sources for statistics: Hootsuite, Sprout Social & Statistica
Are you ready to take the next step with Instagram Ads? If you want to find out how your ads could stop The Scroll and generate real results for your e-commerce business, get in touch for a chat. The first consultation is free.