Millions of people around the world are documenting their lives on Instagram every second of the day. From personal moments to world events, Instagram is the place to instantly communicate through imagery.
If you haven’t heard, Instagram (owned by Facebook) is a photo-sharing app best known for its square-shaped photos, vintage filters, and being dead easy to use. Take a picture on your phone, crop it, and apply a filter, maybe add a frame, then simply upload your creation to Facebook, Twitter or email it. Put simply, Instragram lets you create a living portfolio.
But how can you leverage this hip social platform to grow your personal brand or business?
With Instagram, you can post content that allows your followers to share in your experiences and adventures. Give them access to moments they can’t see anywhere else; it’s a great way to engage them and help solve that good old issue of “know, like, trust”.
Are you going to a road show, conference or sponsoring an event? Do you decorate your office when a staff member has a birthday? Do you have office cats (we have two!)? If the answer is yes… Instagram it! Folks will get a better feel for your brand by learning about YOU, and the events or causes you attend, support or sponsor.
Instagram provides a unique visual opportunity to take your Instagram followers with you wherever you go. Use the “Photo Map” icon to allow your followers to see exactly where you are; they will be tickled to know if you happen to be in their neighbourhood.
As you know, we love video at The Social Adviser (it’s one of the best ways to build trust with potential clients), so why not use Instagram in this way to introduce your followers to the people who make you and your business what it is!
For example, a 15 second video spotlight on a team member will give them some well-deserved recognition (and a few seconds of fame) and your followers will get a chance to see the people that make things happen behind the scenes. You might even want to make this ‘people profiling’ an ongoing campaign that introduces your followers to team members serving a variety of roles within your company. (Be sure to enhance your post and share a little about each employee in the caption).
And remember, Instagram is a great way to generate excitement and drive traffic to your website or blog by including a link in the caption and then sharing it on other social networks.Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Use your usual social media name, e.g. The Social Adviser – this allows users to easily find you and allows easier cross-posting between different platforms.
- Know your audience – Instagram users are generally young (18 – 30) and internet savvy.
- Use relevant hashtags, e.g. #socialadviser #adviseredge to make your content discoverable.
- Show your personality.
- Interact! Thank your followers for the comments they make by tagging them.
- The golden rule with Instagram – whatever you do, make it fun!
Why not give it a go? Follow The Social Adviser (@thesocialadviser) on Instagram and tag us in your next snap!
Need some inspiration to help get your creative juices flowing? Here are a few companies that are using Instragram really effectively:
Wimbledon – @wimbledon
Ebay – @ebay
Instagram – @instagram
This week’s post by our Godzilla of Getting Stuff Done, Chloe Clelland