Instagram as a Valid Marketing Tool
Here is a horrible joke: as I was preparing to write this article about Instagram, I was told to use my best Instagrammar.
It’s a little-known fact that about twice a day someone is proclaiming another online social marketing tool that must be used in order for your business to stay ahead. If you want your company to be legit and relevant you have to be on Facebook… and Pinterest… and Twitter… and Friendster (that still exists, right?).
Let’s talk about Instagram… I know what you’re thinking: “Instagram? Isn’t that where I post my 32 selfies each day?” Selfies, aside, Instagram is a fantastic place for companies to connect with their clients and public in a social online forum. We’re not talking just small Mom and Pop businesses here, either. The majority of Fortune 500 companies have been using Instagram as a marketing tool and are succeeding with it.
So how many people can you reach with an Instagram account? In their third-quarter report of 2020, Instagram announced that it has roughly 1.16 billion monthly active users. The company also estimates that in 2019 it brought in $20 billion in ad revenue.
#marketing
With regards to the Instagram community, in order for your marketing push to succeed, you must establish and continue to have a presence. One of the simplest ways to maintain that presence is through hashtags. Using the right (or better yet, popular) hashtags will make all the difference in the world. Use trending hashtags along with your own hashtags that best describe your photo. A post with at least one hashtag averages 12.6% more engagement than posts without.
SEO Nerd Says: Good Idea!
You can also get your audience involved through the commenting process. Take a picture of a new process or idea your company is working on and ask your customers what they think. Instagram users do this already by posting pictures of things they think are cool or interesting. You should take the same approach as a business. By doing this, you not only get a more grassroots feel of where your company is going, but you also earn respect from the customers because you’re showing them that you appreciate their input.
Make It Pretty
Creativity is the key when you’re using Instagram. Make sure your images are visually appealing and relevant to the message you are trying to get across. You can record videos through the app or maintain more creativity by uploading your professionally made videos. However, at the end of the day, whatever you’re posting has to be visually appealing otherwise people will not be drawn to it. If you’re not sure whether or not the direction you’ve chosen to go in works, just ask your customers.
Plan Your Attack
Lastly, one of the best ways to use Instagram to your advantage is to learn what already has been working. Trackmaven released their findings on what practices the Fortune 500 businesses on Instagram