With everything you do for your business on social media, it should help you expand your reach and encourage followers to interact with you. Similar to the advanced features for business owners on Facebook, Instagram has also started to provide perks for business accounts. One of these features is a Contact Button for business accounts. This button is for followers to reach out to businesses and get their questions answered, book services, or learn more about you. As a wedding photographer who wants followers to access your website and reach out, this is great news for you. Take a look at the ways you can add and use the Contact Button to encourage higher interaction rates and book more clients with the help of Instagram.
Create a Business Account
You may already be on Instagram, and have followers who are looking for a wedding photographer. Do you have two separate profiles – one for your personal life and one for your business? For you to get the Contact Button, you need to take this step and create an individual account for your photography business. Once you have an Instagram account for your photography business set up, go to your settings and click the option that says, “Switch to Business Profile.” After it prompts you to answer a few questions, your business account will be official.
Not only is this helpful for you to get the Contact Button on your account, but it also allows you to focus on your business and attract the right type of followers. On your personal account, you can continue to share images from your life, family, and daily activities. On your business account, you can share about your photography business and post past wedding images that showcase your unique photography style.
Outdoor wedding photographers, Jason and Gina Grubb’s Instagram business account features a Contact Button for their followers to reach out to them. In our Instagram Essentials for Wedding Photographers, Jason explains the importance of having a personal and business account on Instagram. Check that out here.
Related: How can having a business account help you expand your reach on other social media platforms?
Set the Contact Options
Once your business account is created, Instagram automatically features the Contact Button on your account. The initial contact options are set, but you can make edits that fit your needs. For example, you may not need to include directions on how to get to your location, since your process with clients likely starts over the phone or email, and then you set up a time to meet in person. You can remove this option from your account, so there is only an option to call or email you. If you prefer text messages, you can choose the option for your followers to text you and that will appear on the contact options.
From the Hip Photo’s Instagram business account has a Contact Button, which shares that they are a business and their followers can easily reach out to them.
Once you have a business account and have set the contact options, the next part of this is to encourage your clients to use the button so you can make more connections.
Related: What have we learned here at ShootDotEdit about Instagram? Find out here!
Encourage Follower Interaction
Just as you place links in your bio, your Contact Button is only available on your profile page. Use similar techniques as you would when you encourage clicks on links in your bio. You might use #linkinbio for a post that shares a sneak peek of a past wedding shoot after it’s edited by a post wedding photography company. Try this type of technique with your Contact Button.
Include information for the button when you post something about your business, such as an introduction to new followers. Let them know they can click on it and reach out to you through whichever method they feel more comfortable. You can also encourage interaction when you share about your services, such as, “I’m almost booked through summer 2017. Is your wedding coming up? Click the Contact Button in my profile so we can get in touch!” When you share past wedding images, you can say something along the lines of, “See more of Melissa and Steve’s images on the blog #linkinbio. Have questions about my services? Click the Contact Button while you’re on my profile!”
Wedding photographer Josh Newton has a Contact Button on his account, and encourages interaction from his clients. In a post on his Instagram business account, he mentions booking weddings and encourages his followers to message him:
“Still booking weddings, engagements, and portrait sessions for 2016, message me for details!”
The great thing about this is when someone clicks on his account to send a message, they will see the Contact Button and may choose that option instead.
Now that you know how to add (and use) the Contact Button on Instagram, take action to encourage your followers to reach out to you. If you have yet to create a business account, make sure you do that so you can take advantage of this and other features Instagram shares with business owners. If you already have a business account, make sure your followers know how easy it is to contact you through that button. Find out what else you can do with your Instagram business account from pro photographers in our Guide, Instagram for the Wedding Photographer!
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