Instagram is the home of photo filters, fitness models, food obsessed people and selfless. The Facebook owned social network is billed as the fun and quirky way to share photos and short films with friends and fans. But if you are a brand, it is a powerful marketing machine if used correctly.
To date, according to Instagram, users have shared 16 billion photos, 1.2 billion likes daily, an average of 55 million photos shared per day and 90 billion active users capturing and sharing moments in time. With those figures, it’s hard to pass up the benefits of establishing an Instagram account for your brand.
To help you make the most of the platform for your brand, I’ve compiled 6 helpful tips to ensure success.
1. Read the Instagram for Business Blog
The Instagram blog for business offers a wealth of information about using the platform, tips and tricks, API examples, news about Instagram, and stunning visual treat. The blog is a great place to start if you want to learn more about how other brands are using the platform to reach their audience and expand their network.
2. Create a Following
What’s the fun in having an Instagram for business if you are not connecting with your audience. Here are some helpful tips in getting more followers on Instagram:
- Cross post selected images on your Facebook page
- Use relevant and popular hashtags
- Connect to your Facebook account
- Engage with your audience by liking and commenting on their photos
- Follow your audience back
3. Create a personality for your brand
Instagram is the best way to showcase your brand’s personality, voice, and connect with your fans. While it is important to post photos that are relevant to your brand and potential customers, it is equally as important to show a fun and quirky side. What’s the point of having filters if you aren’t going to use them. Give your fans a peek into the day-to-day lives of your brand and its employees, post fun memes or gifs, and provide a behind-the-scenes look into the workings of your company.
4. Host a Contest
An fun and effective way to boost attention, increase following and engage with your audience. Ask your fans to post entries with a specific hashtag, create fun photo, and mention your company’s Instagram name.
5. Reward Followers
Outside of giving your followers a behind the scenes look into your brand, reward them with special discount codes or promos. Rewarding your followers with perks gives them a reason to check into your profile daily.
6. Use Relevant hashtags
A great way to reach specific audience and increase followers is to use relevant hashtags into your posts. Use Webstagram to find popular tags to expand our network.