Social media has opened a world of opportunity for small business-used correctly, this type of
internet marketing is a cost efficient way to reach customers. For all social media has to offer, one channel is not being used to its full potential: Instagram. With 300 million monthly users, using Instagram makes sense.
Instagram is different than all other social media sites because it is not text or driven. Instead, its focus is photographs marked mainly with short hash tags.
Because it's photo driven, you can't use it the same way you use Facebook or Twitter. But that shouldn't stop you!
What's great is that it is permission based-which means people want you to follow their feed. It may take more time to build your audience, but that audience is high quality. What this means in practice is that you have to work to foster a more organic relationship with your potential followers.
It is the unique nature of Instagram that means some businesses see better results than others. Instagram has a younger demographic-35% of the user base is aged 24 to 34. Because of that, it's great for social businesses like restaurants, clubs, and concert venues. Since images aren't linked to a website, they're more suited to products or places that have a visual or 'real life' quality, so businesses that rely on offline conversions could really benefit. Instagram is also great for things that are popular with the lifestyle category, like travel, apparel, outdoor items and anything entertainment related. If you have a venue or a product that can pop with photos, you have a business that will do well on Instagram.
If you think Instagram is right for your business, here are 5 tips for creating and maintaining a strong Instagram presence.
#1 - Create a memorable profile that's consistent with your brand
People are 60% more likely to buy from a brand they know. That means you need to create and adhere to a consistent identity, so you will become one of the brands they remember. Your Instagram profile should be in line with your brand's existing style.
Instagram is an informal site, so don't be too corporate. It's ok to post more personal or 'human' pictures that establish your brand's personality. Your pictures should not all be about your product or your location; they should show people, places and things that reflect your brand. A clothing company might have one of their staff members testing their new line of jeans, rather than just using a model to advertise them. Or a picture of your Executive Chef creating a new dish. It's about creating a friendly presence that connects with your customers.
Of course, photos should be in focus and clean looking, but they don't have to be perfect, publicity shots. They should just portray the brand in a more casual way. Above all, the overall theme should be consistent across multiple social media platforms so your brand is instantly recognizable.
#2 - Be findable
Like Twitter, Instagram is a hashtag driven platform (although Instgram has 20 million more users than Twitter). That's why it's important to categorize all posts with relevant hashtags. Think about what potential customers will be searching for when looking for companies like yours. While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, 5 is a better number. Using too many will make your post appear spammy, which instantly makes you look too commercial. With hashtags, it's quality over quantity. You can also use a mix of serious and funny hashtags with Instagram, or even define your own 'branded' hashtag relevant to an event or campaign. The goal is to display your personality and create relevance. Only use popular hashtags like #instagood or #selfie if you're interested in targeting quantity over quality with your audience.
Make sure all your other social media channels are connected to your Instagram account. This is another great way for customers to find you and follow your stream. It will also allow you to auto post to Twitter and Facebook, making it easy to update all your three sites at once and grow your followers.
