Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools small businesses can use to build and strengthen their brand. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the go-to platforms for businesses to promote their brands, but having a presence on Instagram is becoming just as important. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself when considering if your business can be Insta-successful on this network.
- You want to reach a new, younger audience of customers.
Instagram’s popularity is skyrocketing, literally! The trendy photo-sharing app has over 300 million monthly users, and is now the fastest growing social network. If your brand is trying to reach the millennial audience, Instagram is the way to go. According to flashstock.com, 90% of Instagram users are under the age of 35. Typically, most users join Instagram to share pictures with friends, but 66% of users said they follow their favorite brands as well.
- You have a product or brand that has a story to share.
Any business can use Instagram as a way to sell its products or services, but not every business has success. Since Instagram is a visual platform, it’s important to create high quality content that is candid, and captures the personal side of your brand. Taco Bell, GoPro and Nike are all brands you can find on Instagram who have positioned their product creatively, portraying a lifestyle as opposed to products alone. These are great examples of a brand creating and sharing their story with followers.
- You have to be active and engaged to get noticed.
The best way to gain followers is by connecting with new people, after all Instagram is a social network! Just like any other social platform you have to be active and engaged to get noticed. Link your Instagram account to your businesses Facebook and Twitter accounts. This is a good way to encourage the followers you already have to follow you on Instagram. Users search hashtags to find content. The most effective way to help people find you is by using relevant/popular hashtags such as: #tbt (a hashtag used for old photos uploaded on Thursday, stands for Throwback Thursday), #KC, and #smallbusiness in your posts. Also, it’s just as important to communicate with followers and other users by liking and commenting on their posts, as well as responding to followers when they comment on your posts.
I am a huge fan of Instagram. I use it in my personal life daily to stay connected with friends and businesses. Based off my personal experience, the businesses that get me to hit the “follow” button are the ones that keep me up-to-date with their products, deals and lives with interesting content.
-Maygan, Social Media
Sources: https://business.instagram.com/
http://www.flashstock.com/2015/01/25-essential-instagram-stats-marketers/
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/demographics-of-key-social-networking-platforms-2/
