Instagram is one of the most powerful marketing channels out there, but it can be tricky to get the hang of it.

Reliably driving sales from your Instagram ads is quite the challenge for most people, especially solopreneurs who are relatively new to the world of social media marketing.

But if you can get a handle on what works, and find your “winning formula,” you can make a lot of money through Instagram.

It's capable of providing a handsome ROI.

What works, and what doesn't, can vary from company to company, and from brand to brand.

A productivity app is going to take a different approach than a streetwear company.

But overall, what does a good Instagram post actually look like?

What have companies done that has driven a substantial volume of sales?

In a recent blog post from Wishpond, the author offers some great examples of winning Instagram posts, from companies across a variety of industries.

Here are five of the very best.

1. Waze

[image source: Wishpond]

How this post drives sales:

Partnerships are another great way to drive sales. Waze knows many of their users are Spotify users, and vice versa.

Highlighting their partnership (and the way their apps work together) is an awesome way to share customers.

Customers that enjoy Waze will be more likely to try Spotify (this works the other way around as well) because they’ve previously had a good experience with the app.

Though this isn’t a direct sales post – Waze actually directs viewers to a blog post – it serves to inform users (both future and existing) of features and integrations they may not have been previously aware of.

This post drives sales by leveraging another respected company’s customer base, as well as by sharing a new feature.

If I were to change one thing, I’d make the CTA more direct – maybe change the link to direct viewers to a landing page or product page.

2. HP

[image source: Wishpond]

How this post drives sales:

In addition to being a visually pleasing video, this post is great because it’s topical.

HP knows which product perform well at certain times of year, and they leverage the back-to-school crowd by creating a seasonally relevant post about their Sprocket printer.

Though it’s not technically part of the post, I like that HP does a good job responding in the comments section to queries from their followers and fans, directing people to sales channels.

However, this specific query shouldn’t be necessary – HP should already have directed people to these channels within the video itself or in the caption.

That being said, it’s still an awesome post to drive sales.

3. Amazon

[image source: Wishpond]

How this post drives sales:

This is probably the most direct sales post on this list.

To promote their Amazon Fresh service, Amazon posted a coupon to their Instagram account to encourage people to buy.

Coupons are an awesome – and easy – way to push fans out of passively following your social media accounts into becoming actively paying customers.

They’re attention-grabbing and can make the difference between someone simply admiring your products and actually buying them.

The photo itself is quite good – it highlights the offer clearly in bold text, which is sure to stand out on a follower’s crowded News Feed.

Finally, I love the way Amazon frames the coupon as a “thank you” for being rated #1 amongst online grocery stores.

It’s a great way to make fans feel appreciated.

4. KFC

[image source: Wishpond]

How this post drives sales:

I’ll be honest – I included this post because it’s silly.

KFC are one of the unsung masters of social media; they’ve built their presence with strong branding and a commitment to outrageous content, care of the Colonel himself.

This post is great because it’s effective at drawing attention.

When it comes to quick-moving platforms like Instagram (ever lost a post you wanted to a show a friend because your feed moved too quickly?), it’s important to post content that’s engaging.

This post does that, which pulls people into reading the caption, where KFC highlights their real ask: check out their $10 Chicken Share!

5. Harry’s

[image source: Wishpond]

How this post drives sales:

Besides being my subscription shave service of choice, I love Harry’s branding.

In case you’ve been living under a rock (or giant quarry of dragonglass), this post is a direct reference to the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones.

It’s an appeal to Harry’s target market, showing that the company’s personality lines up with that of their fans and followers.

This creates an emotional connection with followers – and though that might not drive sales right away, it helps when customers are choosing from multiple options in the future.

To make the sale, Harry’s makes a cheeky reference to the high quality of their products (comparing it to the show’s fictional – and sought-after – Valyrian steel), and then leaves it at that.

It’s a bit shameless, but the effort put into the image itself warrants the promotion.

You can check out more winning Instagram posts in the full article over at Wishpond.