11 Jun Yes, Businesses CAN Use Instagram

Now that more marketers are using images for their social media campaigns (especially on Facebook), it makes sense that Instagram can be part of your marketing plan.

You may be thinking, “I’m a business. How can I possibly use this to get results?”

First, I’ll tell you why you should be thinking Instagram: the use of it has skyrocketed as the perfect opportunity for brands to get quick messages and photos to their target audiences.

When Instagram started out, it was simply a way to post pictures with your fans and did not have a lot of marketing value, but it has rapidly proven to be an effective platform for marketers to reach a new audience in a way the audience wants to be marketed to: with visuals and short messages.

According to expandedramblings.com, Instagram has 200 million users a month and 7.3 million daily users.

How can you use it to achieve results in your marketing plan?

Take advantage of your online profile. Yes, Instagram is available and widely used on smartphones, many people still access it on the web.

Instagram profiles give marketers an opportunity to market on other devices besides mobile. You can use pictures to tell a story about your company; make sure you are showing a balance of branding and “human” pictures (photos that show more of the fun side of your business and shows your personality).

You can also include pictures with a call to action to your website, as long as that’s not the only type of images you feature.

Keep them coming back for more. Think about your audience and how to reward them for looking at your pictures. Depending on the type of business, you can give followers promotional offers or discounts or even hold a contest. A sneak peak into your latest product or service is another great way to reward your clients or customers.

Make your clients the stars. People get tired of seeing nothing but logos on a company’s Instagram page. Clients and customers can be evangelists, telling your company’s story from another perspective.

Use Instagram to take a quick picture of your clients and showcase a sneak peek into what the experience with your brand is like. Find a way to showcase your brand values while highlighting your clients’ experience.

When you think about Instagram, you may think that only B2C companies can use it, but it really is a valuable tool for B2B companies as well.

How is your company using Instagram? Share by commenting below!