There is nothing worse than using a new marketing tool to reach more members of your target audience with your message…and then suddenly finding out that you have been barking up the wrong tree the whole time.

As so many of us are new to the game of Instagram for business marketing, there definitely is a learning curve.  But add to this the fact that many of us are ALSO new to the game of visual storytelling  – and you will see the learning curve get MUCH steeper.

In the interest of helping all of us make better marketing decisions on Instagram, I want to kick off by sharing a quick list of things that you should avoid at all costs on Instagram.

So here we go!

DON’T upload pictures of others (without their permission or tagging)
DON’T randomly like endless pictures of others to try to get visibility
DON’T have massive gaps in your posting times (days, weeks, months)
DON’T forget to respond to those who have commented or sent you a message
DON’T excessively use hashtags
DON’T be negative
DON’T get off message, and post random images that don’t make sense in your feed
DON’T only sell, or promote yourself, your company, and/or your products/services
DON’T use only photos, use videos too

So now that we know what to avoid…bring on what we SHOULD be doing!

DO share your tips, insights and knowledge with others
DO show off new products and services
DO show people using your products and services
DO communicate benefits of your product/service clearly
DO use Instagram advertising to reach a larger audience
DO create and execute contests to increase engagement
DO use the design tools Instagram provides to enhance your visuals

And this list could go on!  We’ll stop there for now.  Now grab your phone, tap on your Instagram application and get started!