If you’re in the home service industry you might not see the value in creating an Instagram account. For many owners, Instagram doesn’t provide enough ROI compared to other advertising avenues such as Google ads or Facebook advertising. 

However, effectively using Instagram will give you an edge over your competition and complement your other marketing campaigns. Giving you a much more well-rounded digital presence. 

Instagram is quickly becoming the most-used social media platform, with the number of active users skyrocketing to over 800 million. With so many people actively using Instagram, there is more opportunity than ever to reach new customers. 

Plus, Instagram is a great way to engage with people who are first-time homeowners and create lifetime customers. Instagram’s demographics target millennials (ages 24 to 39), which now and moving forward will be a large part of your customer base. 

Getting started on a new social media platform can feel overwhelming, but it’s actually really easy to get started. We have created a simple guide that will walk you through the basics of setting up your account, what content you should be posting, and how to start engaging with your community. In no time you will be using Instagram like a pro.

How to Set Up An Instagram Profile

If you’re not already set up on Instagram, don’t worry, it is quick and easy to get going. To start, open up Instagram on your computer, or download the app on your phone. A page will appear with a form to fill out the required information:

1. Mobile phone number
2. Email address
3. Name
4. Username 
5. Password 

A few tips: 

• For the email address, we recommend using one that would be easily accessible for multiple staff members such as a general business email (Example info@hvacguys.com ). This will save some potential confusion down the road. You’ll thank us later. 

• For the username, we recommend using one that is as close to your business name as possible. However, because Instagram only allows for unique usernames you may need to try a few different combinations. In order to get your Instagram username as close to your current practice name as possible, try experimenting with numbers, underscores, or including your city or town name.  

Let’s say for example your business name is HVAC Guys if the name @hvacguys is taken here are a few examples on how you can tweak your name to still represent your business. 

• @HVACguys1
• @hvac_guys
• @hvacguys_toronto

Now once you have filled out all the information, simply click the blue “sign-up” button to finish creating your account. You are now on Instagram.

What to Write in The Bio

The business’s Instagram bio is the first thing your audience will see when they visit your page. Hitting the right note with your bio is important for establishing your brand, and attracting your target audience. People who visit your page will be making the decision to “follow” you based on what’s included in your bio. 

The best bios capture people by offering them all the valuable information they need right away.

Ideas for what your bio can include: 

• Business name 
• Business tagline
• Short description of your specialty 
• Emojis (think: tools or anything relevant to your industry)
• Contact information (phone number, email) 
• Link to your website 

You’re all set with a professional bio.

How To Set Up a Content Strategy

Now that you have an account set up, it's time to create a strategy for what you will be posting each week. Having a clear idea of the content will allow you to plan ahead and keep your brand voice consistent. 

To really get the most out of Instagram we recommend posting at least 3 times per week. Since the Instagram grid is a formation of 9. Posting at least 3 times per week will give your followers a full row of new content every week.

To effectively plan out content and keep your “grid” visually consistent we recommend creating what we call content pillars. Content Pillars are themes or topics that create the foundation of your content strategy. Each pillar represents a type of content that is relevant to your target audience.

An example for a home service business would be: 

• Pillar 1: Home Care Education
• Pillar 2: Staff Feature
• Pillar 3: Promotional Content

We will walk you through an example using these pillars as they are widely applicable to many home service businesses.

Pillar 1: Home Care Education

This is a great opportunity to use your expertise to help followers! You can provide a variety of different tips people can implement to maintain their homes.

Like this post which talks about air ducts maintenance: 

Pillar 2: Staff Feature

Showcase your staff and business personality. This pillar serves to deepen the connection with your followers and show who you are.

Like this video of a staff member thanking front line workers: 

Pillar 3: Promotional Content

This is your opportunity to talk about the services you offer or any promotions you have going. 

Like this post about air conditioning:

You don’t need to stick to these exact content pillars. Choose whatever pillars you think will suit the business best. If there is something really unique to showcase from your business, go for it! 

Once you have established the pillars you can simply create content that fits into them each week. This allows followers to know what to expect and makes your life easier by having a formula to stick to. 

How to start engaging with your community

Engaging with people in your local community on Instagram is a great way to build your following and get new customers. But, where do you start?

Current Customers

You can ask people to follow your business on Instagram by including it within your current digital marketing. Try including the Instagram information at the bottom of any emails you send to your customer base. Or if you already have a following on Facebook let them know to follow you on Instagram as well. 

Also, don’t forget to follow back the customers that currently follow the business page. You can occasionally “like” or comment on one of their recent photos. This will foster good relationships with customers and keep your business top of mind. Be sure to respond when people comment on your posts or tag your business.

Getting New Followers

To gain new followers try following local businesses, doctors, artists, and restaurants. Then to take it a step further, follow some of their followers as they will likely be located within your community and could be a future customer. When people see that you have followed them they will get a notification and likely check out your page. If they like what they see they will follow you back. 

Use the right hashtags! Hashtags are pound signs(#) followed by a word or a phrase like #hvac or #furnacereapir. These help categorize content on the internet to make it easier for users to find. 

We recommend using hashtags specific to your area (#yyc or #ottawa) and hashtags targeted to the audience you want to attract (#airconditioner or #homecomforts). This will gain more user engagement on your Instagram posts. Using the right hashtags helps place content in front of the right eyes.

Last thoughts

Be aware that building a following on Instagram takes time! But setting up your account right and implementing some strategy will save you a lot of time and energy down the road. It is also important to keep in mind that a successful social media presence doesn't mean getting the most likes or gaining followers the quickest, it is about providing your audience with the information that is valuable to them. If you need help with setting up a social media strategy or simply would like to outsource social media to the experts, reach out to us! 

Last tip: If you are struggling to get your Instagram posts to look professional and polished try using Canva. This website has amazing templates and graphics that will really kick your posts up a notch!

I know what you're thinking. Instagram doesn't seem worth the effort for your home service business. When most people post beautifully curated photos, you spend your day in the spaces of people's homes that aren't always the most photogenic. Shout out to the plumbers.

But we're here to show you that it can be done! And give you some evidence to prove it. We're going to showcase 3 home service businesses that got it right with Instagram and how you can use similar tactics to get the word out about your business.

Create an Informative Bio

Let’s start from the top, your Instagram bio. Your bio is the first thing someone sees when they reach your feed and the first place that they look for your contact information.  

For a great example of this, we are going down to Australia with @iplumbsolutions.   

When writing your bio, make sure you include the following: 

• Where you are located.
• What you do.
• Contact information.
• Your tag line. 
• Link you your website.
• Emojis are a great addition. 

Tip: When using emojis in your bio, make sure they are relevant to your information. Use them tastefully. 

Having an updated bio might seem pretty standard, but we have seen lots of business with messy bios or ones that don’t even include contact information. Since it is the first thing someone sees when they reach your Instagram account, make sure it accurately represents your business. 

Teach your Audience Something

What we see all the time with home service businesses is that they use Instagram as a board for promotional content and it becomes a feed full of ads. This is not to say that you can never post promotional content, but you need to give your audience a good reason to follow you. A great way to do that is to share your expertise and teach them something useful or interesting about your industry.  For this example, we want to give a shout out to @vancitysparky who does a great job with their content. You can see a variety of posts that educate the audience on everything from tools to breakers. Check out below for their post on how to best use your ceiling fan for all seasons.

 This post is excellent because it checks the following boxes: 

• Visually represents the concept.
• Anyone easily understands it.
• Helpful fo the audience. 

To keep people on Instagram engaged, make sure you are providing value. Even tips that may seem basic to you can help someone who has no experience in your industry. 

Another way this will benefit your business is that it showcases you as an expert. If you are continually offering helpful tips, you will be top of mind when it’s time to bring in a professional to do the job.

Post Before & Afters

Who doesn’t love a good before and after picture? This is your chance to showcase your skill set and really wow your audience with what you can do. Before and after pictures are not only interesting but can inspire people to upgrade their homes. It’s a way of showing your audience the great results you can create without having to be overly promotional. 

When it comes to posting great before and afters @iplumbsolutions is doing it right. Take a scroll through their page to see how they have been able to showcase their handsome work with sinks, tubs and showers.

Quick Tips For Taking Before and After Pictures: 

• Use a phone with a high-quality camera. Most newer smart phones have one.
• Use natural lighting especially in the after photo. We know sometimes this isn’t possible so you can use flash or external lighting if needed.  
• Use editing apps or programs to adjust photos. This is especially important if the photo is too dark. A little brightening can go a long way.    

Yes, It is worth the extra effort! A picture is worth 1000 words, this is an investment in your business that you can use on multiple social media channels. 

Keep Your Branding Consistent 

Your social media channels are an extension of your brand. Someone should be able to look at your Instagram feed and identify your company.  This means staying consistent with your imagery, brand colours, and incorporating your logo when appropriate. We would like to highlight @dayandnightair  for doing a stellar job with this.

They have been able to incorporate the blue colours in their brand into all of their posts. @dayandnightair’s feed looks cohesive and interesting without seeming too curated or inauthentic. They have also incorporated their logo in a subtle and tasteful way in order to create brand recognition without being too overly promotional.

Feature Staff

Featuring yourself and your staff on your Instagram page is a great way to build a more personal connection with your audience. Why does that matter? Two reasons. 

Makes people comfortable.

People want to know who is going to be coming into their homes. They want to make sure that your staff is clean-cut, well educated and professional. Showcasing employees in your business from your receptionist to your service techs will make the whole experience feel more personal and alleviate any uncertainty.

It’s Far More Engaging

You and your staff are part of your personal brand. People want to see who you are. They want to get to know your personality and why they should hire you. It is far more interesting to see people within an Instagram feed instead of just pictures of equipment. Again @iplumbsolutions has done a great job of showcasing the business owners and staff on their page. Whether it’s using an Air Snake to open a beer or giving a shout out to their team, they regularly incorporate the people in their business into their Instagram feed.

Post Reviews

Reviews are another great way to showcase your quality service without posting promotional content that just feels like ads. In 2019, a survey indicated that 82% of customers read online reviews of local businesses.

This is why you should make the most of any reviews you get, by posting them on all your active social media channels. When it comes to posting reviews @dayandnightair is smashing it.

@dayandnightair post reviews regularly, about every few weeks. Which is enough that people will see them frequently but not so much that it feels like constant bragging.

These reviews are: 

•  Detailed
•  Mention employees by name
•  Reference the original source of the review 
• Incorporate an interesting visual. 

Checking all the boxes of what’s important when showcasing a review. If you’d love to post reviews but don’t have enough reviews to post regularly, check out our full blog post on getting more reviews.

Last Word

Hopefully, checking out these 3 business @iplumbsolutions,  @vancitysparky and @dayandnightair on Instagram have given you some inspiration for what you can do with your own feed. If you want some more tips on getting started with Instagram check out our Ultimate Instagram Guide for Home Service Businesses. Of course, we are always ready to help, book a call with us and we can give you direction for your social media strategy.

Using social media for marketing has become the norm. There are many benefits to having a strong social media presence for both paid and unpaid promotion. Whether it’s furthering your engagement with customers on Instagram stories, targeted Facebook ads or utilizing social media influencer marketing, your business is bound to see some benefits with increased brand recognition. 

At this point, you’ve done your research. You know who your target audience is and which platforms they’re on, you know what your strategy is and what goals you're hoping to achieve. The next step is to set your plan into motion. Social media marketing is much more than just setting up your accounts and running with it. There are certain practices you can implement to make sure the execution of your plan maximizes your results.

1. Build Your Presence

Create your social media accounts on the platforms of your choosing. From there, start following other high profile accounts to create connections. Try asking people you know to follow you to establish yourself online. 

Make sure your profile is consistent on all your social media platforms. Using similar usernames, profile pictures, biographies, and layout will help make your business feel professional.

Tip: Make it known to your customers that you're on social media and encourage them to follow you! It can be as simple as linking your profiles in your outgoing emails.

2. Create Content That Enhances Your Business

When you first make your account, deciding what type of information you want to post can seem overwhelming. You don't want to post random shots, without meaning or a call to action. Also, try to avoid making self-serving posts with lots of information. These posts don't sit well with customers and can harm your online presence. 

Instead, make exciting and creative posts about your services, employees and customers. Share relatable content that will resonate with your followers. If you're finding that what you're posting isn't engaging enough, try a different approach or better yet, ask your followers what kind of content they're hoping to see. Engaging with your followers helps build your brand's digital personality and creates a rapport between you and your customers. 

Need some ideas on what to pots? Check out our examples below from our social media library:

 

Call To Action Captions: Your captions need to be just as purposeful as the post itself. Asking a question at the end of your post or encouraging your followers to tag friends will create further engagement in the comment section. More interactions make your page look credible and will increase the awareness of your business.

Don't forget hashtags! A hashtag is a word or keyword phrase with the pound sign preceding it (#). Hashtags help categorize your posts and make them visible for anyone searching for content in your industry. See below for an example of hashtags you can include with your posts.

#electrical #electrician #engineering #electricalengineering #electronics #electricianlife #electricians #construction #electricity #electric #technology #sparky #electricalwork #plumbing #mechanical #sparkylife #power #electricalcontractor #engineer #contractor #tools #lighting #electronic #electriciansofinstagram #electricalengineer #electricalhacks #energy

Also, make sure to use location-specific hashtags for the area that you operate in. This will ensure you are targeting the right audience.

3. Find Your Posting Rhythm

The content on social media has a much shorter lifespan than in traditional marketing. Your electrical business should be posting at a reasonably regular rate that doesn't overwhelm your customers and is often enough that your content doesn't become stale. 

Although most of what you post might be dictated by other news and updates, you can still plan outlines of events within your business that you know are upcoming. 

For example: if your business is attending or sponsoring a community event, you can post information leading up to it, a quick shot of your business at the event and a little reflection thanking everyone who came out to show support for the company.

4. Analyze Your Performance

Once you have started to post regularly and become an active user on your social media platforms, you will be able to see what generates more conversions and engagement and what falls flat. Finding what resonates with your customers might take some adjusting and risk-taking, but the results of a positive online presence will drastically increase brand awareness. 

Some platforms offer some general insights when you have a business account. These can be useful for a basic understanding of social media, but online software can provide a more in-depth analysis of your digital performance.

Sprout Social is a great tool available for businesses. They provide user analytics, can schedule and publish posts onto your feed and can inform you of trends that might work with your marketing strategy.

5. Adapt and Refine

Once you have been able to make a note of strategies that resonate, you will be able to continuously adapt, expand and replicate those ideas in the future. Your online presence and the way you interact with your audience might be susceptible to changes simply because of the nature of social media trends and account growth. Some practices that were working for you might not be the right approach down the line. Continuously discussing ways of improving engagement within your company will serve you well in the future.

In Summary

Social media has become a key player in the world of digital marketing. It’s essential to understand how to correctly execute your marketing strategy on all your platforms so that you can see the results. Utilize the above-noted tips as a basis to make your business’ strategy a success.

If you're looking for more information on how to create engaging social media platforms check out our guide to using TikTok and Instagram.