Did you know that Instagram has over 400 million users? That's huge considering that it started as a free mobile app in 2010.

But Instagram is not only growing fast; its users also tend to engage more with brands. 

Some studies have found that, on average, brands get 25% more engagement on Instagram than on other social networks. Instagram is great for increasing brand awareness and driving more online sales.

The million-dollar question is:

Where can you find Instagram marketing tactics that work?

Well, consider yourself lucky because today we're going to show seven tactics to increase your revenue fast.

Let's get rolling:

Tactic # 1: Use Instagram Models to Sell More Products

One of the best things about Instagram is amateur models; many women publish semi-naked and studio-style photos.

But before you start thinking I'm a perv, let me explain how those models can increase your sales:

First, models have a TON of followers.

Second, nobody pays Instagram models; generally, they do it just for fun.

Third, if you give them some incentive, they'd be happy to promote your products to their audiences.

For instance, let's say you sell socks. 

In that case, you could find ten or fifteen models, send them free socks (plus an iTunes card), and then ask them to upload a photo using your socks and promote your account. According to Neil Patel, around .2% of their followers will follow you back.

Better yet, some of their followers will buy your products.

That's precisely how Wheels generated over a million dollars from Instagram.

How can you use this technique to get more traffic and sales?

First, look for at least 20 models who are popular enough to generate attention. A rule of thumb is to find models with at least 15,000 followers.

The easiest way to find them is just heading over to Instagram and using relevant hashtags until you find a good prospect.

When you look for a specific hashtag, Instagram shows you people who have tagged images or videos with that particular hashtag. So, for example, when you search for #modeling, Instagram will show you people who have tagged a photo with #modeling.

Here are the hashtags I've had the most success with:

#Modeling

#Model

#Models

Add any model that seems popular to your list. 

Note: Avoid celebrities or models who work with big brands. Those models can attract more attention, but they're generally expensive.

Once you've your list of models in place, you just need to send them your pitch.

Tactic # 2: Leverage Instagram to Position Your Brand

The best way to position a brand is by telling a story people want to hear. And what better way to tell a story than with visual content?

Our brain is wired to understand images 60,000x faster than text. It's easier for people to understand your message when you incorporate visuals in your strategy.

Here's where Instagram comes in handy.

As you probably know, Instagram is 100% visual, giving you an excellent opportunity to position your brand by sharing images, videos, and photos that support your brand's story.

Let me explain it with some real-world examples:

GoPro wants to position itself as the most versatile camera in the world – a camera you can mount, wear, and love. So they're telling a great story to achieve that goal.

If you take a look at their profile, you'll only find photos that evoke a feeling of adventure. GoPro's imagery is full of action – people climbing a mountain, riding a motocross, surfing, and even strolling with crocodiles. 

And, of course, all of them use GoPro while doing such activities. 

GoPro has a clear goal: To become the number one tool for adventurers and action sports lovers. By sharing camera photos in action, they're telling a story their audience wants to hear.

On the other hand, Adobe focuses on sharing surrealist art and images that inspire creativity. Their story is also straightforward: You can create anything you can imagine.

The bottom line: Every brand needs a story that differentiates its products from other brands, and Instagram is the best social network to share. By publishing imagery that supports your brand's story, you can have a better positioning in your audience's mind.

Tactic # 3: Cross-Promote Profiles to Grow Your Following (Faster)

Most people don't do it, but cross-promotion is one of the easiest (and fastest) ways to grow your following on any social network. You can ask someone in your space to tell their followers to follow you, and you can do the same for that person.

Think about it:

What better way to get more followers than featuring your account in front of other people's audiences?

The problem is that people started to reach out to random accounts asking to cross-promote profiles, so it became a spammy practice.

But when done right, cross-promotion can be effective.

Here's a process that works:

Step 1: Find people who target the same kind of audience that you

First, look for people in your industry who are not your competitors. For example, if you're an SEO agency, you should look for internet marketing agencies specializing in other aspects (i.e., PPC or social media).

Also, look for people with a similar or slightly higher number of followers than you. This way, they'll be more likely to accept your offer.

Ready to start finding prospects? Start with the following steps:

First, head over to Instagram and type in:

# + your main keyword

Then, Instagram will show people who have tagged images or videos with that specific hashtag. 

Start analyzing results and look for people that seem relevant. Add them to your list.

Make sure to have at least 15 people on your list before jumping to the next step.

Step 2: Warm your prospects

The most significant mistake people make when cross-promoting social accounts are sending their pitches to random people.

It's much more effective to warm your prospects first. This way, by the moment you send your pitch, they'll already know you.

Here's how to warm your prospects:

1. Follow them on Instagram
2. Like two photos
3. Comment 2 photos

Repeat the process with each of your prospects.

Note: Be natural; people can easily detect feigned comments.

Step 3: Send your pitch

If you've followed the steps above, this step will be straightforward. You just need to reach out to each prospect on your list and make the offer.

You can use this script:

Hey [Name],

Happy Monday!

I was chilling on Instagram this morning when I saw your image on [something specific about their image or video].

Great stuff!

It's funny: I noticed we share similar interests, so I thought you might be interested in cross-promote our profiles.

I'll tell my followers to follow you, and you can do the same for me.

Please let me know what you think 🙂

And you're done!

Tactic # 4: Use Bridge Marketing to Increase Sales

Have you ever heard about bridge marketing?

It's when you create a “bridge” between your business and a specific niche so that more people can feel attracted to your products or services.

For example, let's say you're starting up a food industry business and looking for a web design agency to create your website.

While you're searching, you come across two ads.

The first one says:

Let's create your website. Click here to learn more.

And the second ad says:

We specialize in creating food websites. Learn more here. 

Which of the two options would you choose?

Probably the second one, right?

Although the second agency can design any kind of website, they built a “bridge” between their business (web design) and your niche (food) by personalizing the message.

That's bridge marketing. 

Now, how can you apply bridge marketing to your Instagram Marketing strategy?

Here's how:

Make sure to segment your campaigns every time you advertise on Instagram, then create personalized ads for each segment.

Remember: The more specific your segments are, the more compelling your advertising message will be.

You can segment your campaigns based on:

• Gender
• Location
• Age
• Niche

For instance, let's say you're a company that sells energy drinks, and you decide to try Instagram Ads to increase brand awareness and purchase intent.

Instead of just creating one ad and targeting your campaign to everyone interested in energy drinks (as most people do), you should start by segmenting your audience.

Example:

Segment a) 30 to 45-year-old women, based in Washington, fitness enthusiasts.

Segment b) 25 to 40-year-old men, based in Seattle, motocross lovers.

Segment c) 20 to 35-year-old women, based in New York, snowboarding fans.

Then, you should create a customized ad (including imagery and copy) for each segment. By taking this approach, people will feel more related to your brand, and you'll be able to reach more niche markets.

Tactic # 6: Use analytics to identify top-performing photos, then post more of what works.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to social media is to post content they “think” their audience will love.

Yes, sometimes they can get a stroke of luck, and people react very positively to their content, but more often than not, they fail.

Sharing photos or videos with a proven record of success is much more effective. Look for content people have already shared and loved, and create something based on that information.

I'm not saying you should copy other people's content, but you need to model what they're doing.

That way, all the content you share will perform much better.

Tactic # 7: Start on Instagram, Finish on Facebook

If you only market your products or services on Instagram you're leaving a TON of money on the table.

Here's what I mean:

The ICONIC (an Australian-based online fashion and footwear store) launched an Instagram campaign. Their goal was to increase brand awareness among Australian women and sales of their new clothes. 

They crafted a handful of photos, especially for the campaign, and featured them in the newsfeed of their target audience.

The response was incredible. Women started to engage very positively.

But THE ICONIC didn't stop there.

One week later, they launched a new campaign on Facebook targeting similar interests and demographics as they did on Instagram.

Want to know the results?

Women who saw the campaign on both Instagram and Facebook converted 23% better than those who only saw it on one of the two social networks.

Instagram ads helped increase brand awareness and buying intent, while Facebook's direct response ads pushed people to complete the purchase.

The bottom line?

Launch visually-appealing campaigns on Instagram to increase brand awareness, then continue the campaign via direct response ads to increase and drive sales. 

That's a great way to get the most out of your campaigns.

Conclusion

As you can see, Instagram can be a sales-generating machine when you know how to use it properly. If you apply the tactics and concepts you've learned today, you'll get the most out of this great social network.

What other tactics do you know to market your products or services through Instagram?