Bringing your brand to life online has been made much easier with the growth of image sharing social media platforms. Instagram is a simple but highly engaging platform for brands if used effectively.
In June 2016, Instagram announced that its community had grown to more than 500 million Instagrammers, with 300 million of those using the platform every single day.
Wherever you are in the world, it’s possible to find and connect with your desired market
As Instagram’s users are active across the world with “more than 80 percent living outside of the United States”.
With Instagram’s usage figures doubling over the last 2 years and 30% of internet users now signed up to Instagram (GlobalWebIndex), it would be foolish for businesses to ignore the opportunity to develop their brand and own specialised network on the social platform.
If you’re just getting started or looking to develop your brand on social media, here are 4 ways that you can utilise Instagram for business:
Encourage users to window shop
Photos and images can be a creative and interesting way to show off your products. Use Instagram as an innovative catalogue for your products or services by inviting potential or existing customers to take a look at what the business offers and see the products in real life situations. Another option is to share user-generated content to show the products or service in action with a genuine customer. Through doing this, users will get a real feel for what your business offers and can make an informed decision to purchase.
Develop your brand personality online
Images are an inventive way to share a ‘behind the scenes’ look at your business and help to develop your brand personality online. By involving your customers and fans in the business processes and inviting them to meet the team behind the brand name, you will begin developing a transparent and inclusive online community. This all contributes to engaging potential customers and making existing customers feel invested in your brand.
Engage your followers in a meaningful relationship
Social media platforms are a great means by which to engage with your customers and fans in two-way communications. Encourage customers to tag your business in their photos and use your own personalised hashtag. You will be able to keep up-to-date with how people are using your product and service, read their feedback, comment on their posts and ask to share their reviews on your own page. By following your users back you will be able to see the types of people who are engaging with the business and the content they are sharing. This interaction will help your customers feel important to your business, allow you to get a better understanding of your audience and enable the business to develop meaningful relationships with users and customers.
Inspire and benefit your customers
Instagram is not exclusively a platform to promote your products and activities. Instead, think of your profile as an opportunity to communicate with potential and existing customers. What sort of content would they like to see? Tie in your particular expertise and knowledge with the interests of your customers by offering advice, inspiration and other appealing content. If users feel that they are constantly being sold to they will be inclined to disengage with the business. Offering additional content that keeps users interested will help develop the brand into a source of guidance, entertainment or inspiration in the user’s daily life.