instagram advertising campaigns

9 Ways to Create Better Instagram Advertising Campaigns

Not sure how to use Instagram advertising campaigns? Here are a few pointers from digital content strategist Irfan Ak of Branex.

Why run advertising campaigns on Instagram

Instagram has quickly gained its position as one of the fastest growing and widely-used social media apps. Twenty-five percent of mobile users have an account.

After YouTube, Instagram is the second most downloaded app in the Apple Store. It is interesting to know that 62% of users log in at least once per day and 42% check their account multiple times a day.

These statistics show that this social media channel can do wonders for your business. It is packed with a lot of amazing features that help businesses to market their products, services and mobile apps.

Running Instagram advertising campaigns is a worthwhile strategy to reach your target audience, increase brand awareness, and retain more customers.

Bar graph displaying social media platforms and which one a person is spending more time on.
Source: Smartly.io

According to a survey, 29% of marketers spend a big chunk of their marketing budget on Instagram ads. Whether your mobile app is in the development phase, or you have recently launched it, using Instagram advertising campaigns is a great strategy to increase your mobile app downloads.

If you’re wondering how to use Instagram advertising campaigns to skyrocket your app downloads, here is a detailed guide on how to promote your mobile app and get more downloads.

How to increase app downloads using Instagram ads

#1. Create engaging copy

#2. Captions matter

#3. Harness the power of videos

#4. Reach a clearly defined audience

#5. Show your creativity

#6. Segment users based on mobile devices

#7. Use relevant hashtags

#8. Optimize CTAs to get the result you desire

#9. Add delivery timing

#1. Create engaging copy

When it comes to promoting your app through Instagram ads, you need to focus on crafting ad content that catches the attention of your target audience. Since the goal of launching your Instagram advertising campaign is to get more app downloads, you need to follow some effective copywriting hacks.

You have limited ad space, so it’s a bit challenging to come up with content that highlights customers’ concerns and pain points and then gives a solution. However, you can mention your target audience’s struggles and then present an effective solution.

how to get more app downloads instagram

Make sure to keep your Instagram ad copy concise and crisp. Keep the specific demographic and their pain points in mind while writing your ad copy, so that you can easily catch the their attention.  

#2. Captions matter

Writing a compelling ad caption is indispensable to make your Instagram advertising campaign successful. If your caption isn’t catchy, chances are your prospective audience will not bother to click on the ad.

Instagram allows you to write ad captions up to 2200 characters. However, Instagram recommends using 125 characters. In some cases, you can extend the limit up to 300 characters.

how to create sponsored social media ad

Instagram ad captions are a great opportunity to capture the interest of your potential users. Using personalized and powerful statements in captions can help your ad to stand out in people’s feed. What’s more, using emojis in the caption is an engaging way to create an emotional connection with your prospective customers.

#3. Harness the power of video

It’s no surprise that video is the most persuasive and engaging media form,  generating incredible results. According to a survey, more than 84% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product if they see an explanatory video.

So, using Instagram video ads is an effective way to increase your mobile app downloads. Instagram allows you to post a video to an ad. The length of the video ad is up to 30 seconds.

You can use the video ad to inform your potential customers and to educate them about:

The step-by-step visual instructions on how to use the app will persuade users to download it.

You can highlight how the app works and how easy it is to use its main features. When people see how the mobile app user interface design works and its functionality, it will encourage them to try it. In some cases, video announcements work well and deliver a clean and concise message to your target audience. 

#4. Reach a clearly defined audience

With Instagram ads, brands can reach approximately 850 million users. But what’s the point of creating compelling Instagram advertising campaigns, when your ads are being targeted to the wrong audience?

social media usage chart from Hootsuite
Source: Hootsuite

If you want to make your app idea successful and increase the number of app downloads, focus on audience targeting. 

Audience targeting plays a key role in showing your ad in front of potential app users. Instagram provides mobile app marketers with detailed targeting options.

You can target your audience based on demographics, interests, and user behaviors. This way you can create custom audiences and target users who are interested in using your app.

#5. Show your creativity

Instagram sponsored content appears natively alongside organic posts, giving mobile app marketers a huge opportunity to make their ads look native. The key is to use images, copy and hashtags that are not too salesy. Today’s customers are more interested in downloading the apps that offer unique features and solve their problems.

You can see a significant increase in your app downloads when you focus on the visual components of the Instagram ads.

So, try to use high quality and high-resolution images on this photo-sharing platform. Also, make sure the image is free from any disruptive element. Otherwise, it will have a negative impact on app downloads. To create a more native feel, choose the image ratio 1:1 for your Instagram ads.

native instagram advertising campaign

Keep your brand’s logo, colors and design theme in mind when choosing images for Instagram advertising campaigns. Since the goal of your campaign is to increase the number of app downloads, it doesn’t mean only including screenshots of your app in the ad.

Using real-life photos or images that convey the message cleverly will make your ads successful. A/B testing helps you see what type of visual components and images work best for your potential app users.

#6. Segment users based on mobile devices

If you developed a mobile app that works only on Android devices, don’t waste your time and budget on reaching irrelevant audiences. Choose a platform where your target audience exists. Instagram gives app marketers an opportunity to choose display on iOS, Android or all mobile devices.

target audience instagram campaign

So, choose the right mobile device type to reach your target audience and increase your chances of getting maximum downloads.

#7. Use relevant hashtags

Using hashtags is a popular Instagram trend that you can use to create effective Instagram advertising campaigns. With hashtags, you can reach a wider audience.

Many established brands use branded hashtags on Instagram to drive maximum engagement on Instagram. According to a study, Instagram posts with at least one hashtag get 12.6% higher engagement than posts without hashtags.

Using hashtags in Instagram ads is a great strategy to increase your ad discoverability. But it doesn’t mean you should fill your Instagram ad with irrelevant or too many hashtags. It will distract your potential app users from taking action.

A study suggests that using 7 hashtags per Instagram post can generate 23% more likes and engagement.

Research thoroughly before choosing hashtags for your Instagram advertising campaign. For instance, you can use app store keywords as hashtags. That will help you increase your app rankings in app stores.  

Make sure to choose keywords that are relevant to your app content and represent the main goal of your app. Also, you don’t have to follow the hashtag trend. If you don’t find any relevant hashtag for your Instagram ads, don’t use them.  

#8. Optimizing CTAs to get the results you desire

Choosing the right CTA is critically important for your Instagram ad, as it can have a great impact on your ad performance. According to different studies, choosing a relevant CTA can increase ad effectiveness and decrease cost by 2.5X.

Instagram allows marketers to choose from a number of CTA options, including:

  • Book Now
  • Download
  • Learn More
  • Listen Now
  • Play Game
  • Shop Now
  • Sign Up
  • Watch More
  • Watch Video

To get more app downloads, you can use Install Now, Download, Play Game, or any other relevant CTA that attracts your audience and drive more app installs.

#9. Add delivery timing

Instagram ads work best when you choose the right audience, the right images, the right copy and the right time to deliver the ads.

Instagram campaigns timing chart example.

Instagram allows you to schedule the ad and set specific times of day when your audience is actively on the platform.

Time to create your first ad

All in all, Instagram advertising is a powerful strategy that you can use to grow your brand exposure, generate more leads, increase website traffic and app downloads.

If you haven’t run Instagram advertising campaigns before, now is the time to create your first ad to reach a larger audience and make your mobile app a success. 

Author bio: Irfan Ak is a digital content strategist at Branex.