Photo sharing has been given a major social upgrade thanks to the
introduction of Instagram. The Instagram platform has become hugely
popular with more than 80 million users, who enjoy altering their photos
with special effects and cool filters before sharing them with friends
and followers.
Businesses can start using this new type social media as a way to
market their company and build up a following. People love strong visual
images, so posting pictures of products and even employees will make
them feel closer to you. This type of marketing is what helps forge
brand loyalty.
So how can your business use Instagram for marketing? Here are some examples:
Geotagging
In Instagram’s latest update, users now have the option to tag a
specific location with their images, which are saved to a personal photo
map. These can be shared with your followers.
This is great if you have a physical location or even if you travel
around the city, state or country. If you have booths at local craft
fairs or other vendor events, then you can snap a photo and tag your
location to let your followers know where you can be found.
Inside Look
The whole idea behind social media is sharing. Your fans and
followers are giving you a chance to reach them on a more personal level
so make sure you are giving them the same. Take pictures of the staff
in the office. Snap shots of upcoming products to give them a sneak
peak. If you’re on the road, take some pictures along the way. Give
followers a real sense of how things are behind the scenes to help them
feel like a part of the brand.
Use Hashtags
If you use Twitter, you know how effective hashtags can be at
sharing. You can use the same on your Instagram photos. Use hash tags
that relate to your business or industry to make it easy for people to
find you. For instance, if you make jewelry, you can use hashtags like
#rings, #customjewlery, or #necklaces. Look up popular hashtags that are
being used by similar brands and add them to your images.
Encourage User Images
People who are already using your products should be encouraged to
snap a photo of themselves using it and tag it with one of your hash
tags. This will show people how to use your products and show how many
people are happy with your company.
Hold Contests
People love a chance to win prizes and using Instagram to hold a
photo contest is an exciting way to give them what they want. You can
ask fans to send in a picture of them using your product and then choose
a winner from among them. You could also go a different route by asking
them to send in a picture that demonstrates something more abstract,
like what represents summer to them.
There are any number of ways to get creative and get more followers
by holding a contest using Instagram. Your followers will share with
their friends who will also want to join in the fun.
Market Your Events
If you are going to be at a trade show or convention, take pictures
and tag your location to let your followers know what is going on for
your business. If you are holding a big sale, snap a shot of your sales
flyer for your followers to see. This is also a good way to make your
followers feel more special because you can offer them a VIP discount
that only Instagram users can get. Get creative with them!
Instagram was acquired by Facebook for about $1 billion. That is a
sure sign that this is an important part of social media. When you
implement it in your marketing strategy, it is one more important tool
to have.
People love getting involved and sharing with the businesses they
love. Take part in this era of sharing and you can broaden your reach
and strengthen your branding with a few snaps of the camera.
Are you signed up with Instagram yet? What are you doing to market your business with the latest social app?