3 Creative Ways to Generate Leads With Instagram

It might seem like Instagram is reserved for sunset shots and creative breakfast photos, but it is actually a great place to generate leads.

The social media channel has reported that at least 200 million Instagram users check out one or more business profile each day, while 60% have claimed they’ve discovered a new product on Instagram.

The customers are out there, it’s just a case of reaching them and turning them from onlookers into buyers.

Here are some tips for how you can do that.

1. User-Generated Content (or Fan Stories)

Gone are the days of pushy marketing messages, where brands basically shouted “buy, buy, buy” in the faces of consumers.

Instead, online users are listening to their peers rather than brands themselves, which is why sharing user generated content (UGC) can be a great way to convert buyers.

Consider this:

More and more consumers are switching off from highly-polished brand messages. It’s the reason the adoption rate of ad blockers has gone through the roof and it’s why UGC performs far better than any other kind of lead generation tactic.

This is because UGC is far more trustworthy than branded content.

It acts like a strong testimonial or case study from people who have already used or bought your product in the past – basically, people who can (and want to) vouch for it.

You’re essentially getting people to say “hey, this product is great” without having to say it yourself.

How to Use UGC as a Lead Generation Tactic

• Encourage your followers to share content of themselves using or with your product under a designated hashtag
• From there, you can handpick the best pieces and reshare it to your audience
• To increase the number of leads you generate, link through to the product that’s being shared in the Instagram post, or at least mention what it is

2. Strong Calls-to-Action in the Right Place

The thing with Instagram is a lot of people just use it to browse through pretty pictures.

However, you can boost the amount of engagement you get with a post by encouraging people to take “the next step” (basically, incorporating a call-to-action, or CTA, that pushes them further down the sales cycle).

Of course, this is easier said than done on Instagram.

You’re only allowed to link out from your profile page as links aren’t supported on individual images. However, lots of brands get around this by reminding users to check out their profile for the link in each caption.

This is where your Instagram Stories can work harder for you.

As long as you have the minimum amount of followers (10,000 as we speak) you can add links to your Stories.

According to research, 15-25% of Story viewers swipe up to follow a link and engage further with a brand’s website.

Add to this the fact that Instagram Stories tend to generate more engagement than regular Instagram posts, and add strong CTAs is a recipe for success.

How to Use CTAs as a Lead Generation Tactic

• Link out to a landing page or product page from your Instagram profile and direct people to that link in each image caption
• Create an eye-catching Story image or video (you can even use UGC here as well to combine two lead generation tactics)
• Add a clear and compelling CTA to your Story and include a Swipe Up link if you have enough followers

3. Link Out to a Lead Generating Landing Page

You’ll struggle to get leads through Instagram if you don’t have a designated place for conversions to happen.

Usually, this comes in the form of a conversion-powered landing page, but it might also be a compelling product page or a contact form depending on what products and services you offer.

For this tactic, you’re using Instagram as a portal to get users across to your landing page where they then become far more valuable.

You can combine this with CTAs to make sure users know exactly where they should go and what they should do when they get there.

Your landing page should include either a sign-up form that people can get a freebie or your newsletter from, or directly to a conversion-powered product page that’s been designed specifically to generate immediate sales.

How to Use a Landing Page as a Lead Generation Tactic

• Make sure you link out to your landing page from your Instagram profile or Stories
• Create a landing page that is geared towards conversions – that means offering a freebie, sharing the benefits of your product or service, and having a defined CTA, whether that’s signing up for a downloadable or going straight for the sell

Generate More Leads With Instagram

You might be plugging away just fine with Instagram and are getting lots of likes and building your follower base already. But if you’re not generating many (or any) conversions from Instagram, now’s the time to change that.

The platform is ideal for creating deeper connections with your audience which can be used to power conversions and generate more leads than ever.

Ryan Gould is Vice President of Strategy and Marketing Services at Elevation Marketing

From legacy Fortune 100 institutions to inventive start-ups, Ryan brings extensive experience with a wide range of B2B clients. He skillfully architects and manages the delivery of integrated marketing programs, and believes strongly in strategy, not just tactics, that effectively aligns sales and marketing teams within organizations. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.