Drive Sales with Instagram Ad Funnels
Hey friend!! 👋 Today, we’re talking about one of the best tools for capturing attention and driving sales: Instagram ad funnels. If you’ve been wondering how Instagram ads can fit into your sales strategy, you’re in the right place.
Last week, we talked about Facebook ad funnels and how they can take potential customers on a journey from “New phone, who ‘dis?” to slams credit card on the counter “Take my money!” 💸
Well, Instagram ad funnels work the same way—but with a twist.
Let’s dive into how you can use Instagram ads to lead customers down the funnel and grab attention, build trust, and make sales. 💰
Why Instagram? 🤔
First, let’s talk about why Instagram is a must-have platform for your business.
Instagram is all about visuals. People come here for quick, beautiful, and engaging content—whether it’s photos, Reels, or Stories. Think of it as a digital scrapbook of everything cool, inspiring, and creative about your business.
But Instagram is more than just the eye candy. Instagram is a powerhouse for driving sales, especially if your business has products or services that photograph well or can be shown off in a visually exciting way. If you’ve got a product that looks good in photos or a story that can be told in short video clips, Instagram is the place to be.
But, to be frank, EVERY business, whether B to C or B to B has the capability to take advantage of Instagram’s powerhouse targeting, whether or not they sell products that can be shown in a visually appealing way. I do it almost every day!
Don’t get sucked into the “I don’t sell physical products so I can't use Instagram” game. No matter your business, there is a way to market and sell it on Instagram!
But, What About Tik Tok?
But, what about Tik Tok?? Yes, Tik Tok is also a wonderful platform. But, when it comes to ADS specifically, I prefer Meta. Here’s why:
Meta has been around much, much longer and the audience targeting is still far beyond where Tik Tok is at the time I’m writing this. Additionally, something I have observed anecdotally, so no hard, objective data as of yet, but it seems like when users are on Tik Tok they want to stay on Tik Tok. They don’t want to bounce out to a landing page. They’ll bounce to the Tik Tok shop, but not to a landing page or website.
So, no hate for Tik Tok, but for now, I prefer Instagram over Tik Tok when it comes to ads.
The Instagram Ad Funnel Explained 🎯
Just like Facebook ad funnels, Instagram ad funnels take your potential customers on a journey. But here’s the thing—on Instagram, it’s all about stopping the scroll. You’ve got to capture attention quickly, then keep people interested. So, let’s break down how the funnel works on this platform.
1. Awareness Stage: Capture Attention 👀
In this first stage, your goal is simple: get noticed. The average Instagram user scrolls through hundreds of posts a day, so your ad has to stand out.
Ad Creative: Eye-catching images or short, fun videos work best here. Think of it like a movie trailer—you’re teasing something exciting that makes people want to know more.
Goal: You’re not asking for a sale yet. You’re just introducing your brand, product, or service.
This first stage is also called the “Top of the Funnel”, or TOF. At this stage, the people seeing your ad don’t know you, so they aren’t convinced of your authority, your expertise or your trustworthiness. Heck, they aren’t even sure you’re a real person and not a Bot! Getting over those three hurdles is your goal at this stage.
Example: A clothing brand might show off a new collection in a short video with models wearing the clothes in a cool location. It’s all about making people say, “Ooooh, who’s that?” 👀
A service based business might do a quick 90 second tutorial/teaching on a topic in their course to try to trigger curiosity for wanting more. For example, an HVAC company might do a reel showing people how to change their furnace filter. Then turn that reel into a TOF ad to get their name out in their community.
2. Consideration Stage: Keep Them Hooked 📢
Now that people have seen your brand, it’s time to keep them interested. This is where retargeting comes in handy.
Retargeting simply means putting ads in front of people who have seen and interacted with one of your posts, ads, reels or stories. Instagram allows you to show ads to people - retarget - who’ve already interacted with your previous ads or visited your profile.
Ad Creative: Carousel ads (where users can swipe through multiple images or videos) or Instagram Stories ads work great in this stage. You can also use testimonials or behind-the-scenes videos to build trust.
Goal: At this point, you want to show people more details about your products or services. Prove your expertise and prove it again! Keep them interested and coming back for more!
Example: A skincare brand might show a tutorial on how to use their products. Now people are thinking, “Hmm, this might be worth trying.”
3. Conversion Stage: Seal the Deal 💳
This is where the magic happens. You’ve already grabbed their attention, proved your expertise, built trust, and now it’s time to make the sale. These ads should target people who’ve shown strong interest—maybe they visited your site or added items to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase.
Ad Creative: Offer ads are perfect here—think discounts, free shipping, or limited-time deals. Show your product in action or use social proof (like customer reviews and testimonials) to close the deal.
Goal: Drive sales! Make it easy for people to slam their credit card down and scream GIMME!!.
Example: A fitness app could offer a 7-day free trial or limited-time discount for those who’ve already looked at their pricing page. A bathroom remodeler could offer a discount if they buy and start the project by a certain date. It’s all about giving them that final nudge to commit.
Why Instagram Ad Funnels Are Different from Facebook 🚶♀️
While Facebook and Instagram are both part of the Meta family, they work differently when it comes to how people engage with ads.
Instagram is all about the visuals: On Facebook, people expect to read posts and interact in groups. But on Instagram, it’s the images and videos that do most of the talking. So, your ad needs to be visually engaging to make people stop scrolling.
Instagram users are more passive: Facebook users tend to be more engaged, while Instagram users scroll through content quickly. This means you’ve got to have "thumb-stopping" content that grabs attention fast, but keep your message short and sweet.
Younger audience: Instagram has a younger audience compared to Facebook, so if your business targets Millennials or Gen Z, Instagram is a goldmine. Although, to be fair Gen X is showing up more and more every day.
What This Means for Your Business 📈
By creating an Instagram ad funnel, you can turn casual scrollers into paying customers. Remember, it’s all about guiding your audience through each stage—first, capture attention with a great visual, then build interest and prove expertise, and finally, close the sale.
What to Do Next 👇
Next week, we’re going to talk about funnel strategies for all stages of the customer journey—from the first time someone sees your brand to the moment they hit "buy." You won’t want to miss it!
And if you’re ready to set up your Instagram ad funnel right now, let’s chat! I can help you create a strategy that takes your customers on a journey they won’t forget. 📍
Catch you next week!
~Michelle
P.S. Instagram ad funnels are like having a VIP backstage pass for your audience—let’s make sure yours is unforgettable! ✨ Reach out to me on Instagram @glowupmediasolutions or email me directly at msemones@glowupmediasolutions. Talk soon!