With over 1 billion users, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms and an invaluable resource for your business. Instagram, which can be accessed in an internet browser or mobile app, allows you to share images on users' feeds or in the Stories feature. Engaging pictures are a great way to reach your current and potential customers, but you can't just share a picture and close the app. A great caption is just as important as an amazing picture. Here's everything you need to know about how to successfully market using Instagram.

Make your captions short, catchy, and aesthetically-pleasing.

If you want to use Instagram effectively for your business, you have to know how to reach an audience on this platform. Instagram was created to share photos and while it's evolved from the original purpose, it does still focus on sharing images. The picture will be what initially grabs a potential customer or client. They see the image, then they read the caption to learn more. This means your picture has to be engaging and your captions need to tell a story. They should be short and catchy (no one is interested in reading a large block of text while scrolling) and formatted appropriately. You can use emojis and symbols to punctuate your captions and make them easier to read. If you'd like to list a few items for sale in your surf store, use a wave emoji to create a bulleted list. The right captions (paired with exciting photos) will promote your brand and bring in new customers.

Use the Stories feature to your advantage.

Maybe you already have an Instagram account for your business and you post every so often. Are you taking advantage of the Stories feature? When you log in, check out the circles at the top of your feed. That's where you'll find the Stories of everyone you're following, and by clicking your own profile picture on the left, you can share a Story yourself. Stories disappear after 24 hours, but you can store them on your profile if you'd like. Stories give you the chance to post more personal content. You can go live and take followers on a tour of your business. You can add fun filters or countdowns to the images you share on your Story. If you're going to caption your Stories, keep it short and sweet, just like with a regular caption.

You can even link to your website from Stories and invite followers to check out what you have to offer. This is a great way to increase your site traffic. Just make sure you have something there for potential customers to see. Visit www.serptheory.com and see what an expert SEO team can do for you and your site. They'll help you create original and engaging content so customers are never disappointed when they visit your website (and more and more people will find themselves on your site).

Don't forget about your bio.

If you want to have a strong Instagram presence, you have to cover all your bases. Take a look at your Instagram bio. Here's where you can link to your business's website and include a little more about who you are. Include emojis here and tag your personal Insta account so fans of the business can follow you as well. Make sure your bio has important details about the company, such as women- or family-owned or how long you've been in business. You can't fit a ton in this section, so just include the key facts about your company and how people can reach you. The last thing you want is for a potential client to like one of your posts but struggle to find more information about you.

Instagram can be extremely valuable for your business. Use it to engage followers and not only will your company grow, but you'll love connecting with current and potential clients.