Instagram closed out 2014 with a big announcement―the popular social media platform now has over 300 million active monthly users, outpacing Twitter as the 2nd largest social network after Facebook. Simple usability and mobility, along with its massive reach, make Instagram a marketing goldmine for any business that wants to incorporate visual branding as part of its marketing strategy. With a slew of filters and editing features to instantly transform smartphone photos and 15-second video clips to professional quality artwork, Instagram presents major
opportunities for simple low-cost, high-reach marketing. The catch, as with any social media, is knowing how to correctly use Instagram for your business.
Instagram is a mobile photo and video sharing network, so sound reasoning would lead you to believe that you should share photos of your product… and you should. Remember though, that you must do so creatively while also carefully coinciding with your company’s established branding―using Instagram photos to deliver your brand message, reinforce credibility, connect emotionally with your audience, motivate consumers to action and build brand loyalty. The goal is not to simply showcase your products or services (that would be boring!), but to showcase your products or services in a way that is entertaining, engaging, and ultimately, tells a visual story about your brand.
Here are a few tips to get started using Instagram for your business:
Think of your business’s Instagram account like a backstage pass to your brand. Instagram has become huge in the fashion and entertainment industries, which both offer up easy behind-the-scenes Instagram shots when the cameras aren’t rolling, but what you might not realize is that you can roll this same practice into your company’s Instagram strategy. Be transparent and show your followers what your business is like behind the scenes with unique snaps of your product in the production stages or shots of your employees at work and during downtime.
Encourage engagement. As with any social media, engagement with your brand on Instagram means, most importantly, relationship building, as well as improved reach. Set up a photo contest and encourage your followers to tag their own photos with a specific hashtag. You can also provide a call to action, directing your followers to a website link. Note that you cannot provide a live link in an Instagram caption, but trust that your tech-savvy followers will surely know what to do!
Showcase your product in a fun way. Think Starbucks or Google. These brands bring a lot of fun to their Instagram pages, and ultimately, not much beats fun when it comes to engagement! People like things that make them laugh and smile, and what could be a better connection for your followers to make with your brand?
While Instagram is still holding out on making paid advertising widely available to businesses, there is still a lot of opportunity for your company to visually brand itself on this growing social media platform. If you feel like Instagram could be right for your business, but you just aren’t sure how to get started, we recommend that you seek out professionals to help you with your social media strategy.