A fun app that allows users to snap a photo or shoot a video, apply filters and share it with the world is taking off in the marketing world. Of course, we are taking about Instagram, and if your business has not started using this powerful marketing tool you may be missing out.
Many business owners may question whether Instagram can actually help grow their business, since most of the photos shared on the app are meant to be fun, quirky or beautiful and may not necessarily speak to professionals or potential customers. But the social media app allows companies to connect with their customers on a new, more personal level.
Embracethe creative nature of the Instagram appto put a face to your business. Share photos or videos of your employees or co-workers, celebrate achievements and highlight your company culture. Share what is important to you?whether it is completing a job on time, hosting a company party, finalizing a new partnership or celebrating an employee?s birthday or other milestone.
Many companies have found success offering a behind-the-scenes look at their company. Show how a product is made, or how it gets to the shelf. If you provide a service, share photos from on thejob and highlight the employees who do the day-to-day work. When you create a personal connection with your customers, it provides for greater ability to cross-market across other social media platforms.
Instagram will not work for your brand if all you do is push boring product photos. But if you creatively highlight your products or services in a way that is interesting or unique, you will experience better results. Static photos of products will not work?but a creative shot with a great point of view or subject just might.
Use Instagram to educate your customers about what your products can do. Share photos of creative uses, how-tos, or even ask your fans to submit photos of their own uses.
What you share on Instagram is only half the battle. The social media app can be used to locate potential customers using hashtags. Search hashtags to see if there are trending hashtags you can use, and interact with others who are using the same hashtags. Instagram is all about sharing and finding new content and interacting with others who share a common interest?so interact and grow your followers.
You can also use Instagram?sgeotaglocation feature to locate any others who have posted a photo taken at your location. Instagram utilizes Foursquare?s location database, so if your location is not listed you will need to add it to Foursquare. You can add a geotag to your photos, then a location page will be created where all photos posted from that location would appear. This is a great way to catalog your photos and to see what others are posting.
Instagram can be a powerful tool that warrants its own social media marketing strategy. It is a social medium, so take the time to respond and engage with those reaching out to your company on Instagram. Connect on a personal level with your followers, and they will develop an emotional connection to your brand?putting your company in the forefront of their minds.
Feel free to experiment with different hashtags and offer a variety of photo and video content. Content created on Instagram can be shared easily on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms to expand your social media reach.