The Powerhouse Of Instagram
Just as brands have thought they have conquered Facebook and Twitter as a marketing tool a new and different social media platform comes around: Instagram. Despite the fact that the platform has been around for many years now, many brands are still having trouble mastering the platform and finding exactly what equation makes a brand trendy on Instagram. And part of that reason is Instagram, like all social networks, is constantly changing it's algorythm and upsetting the balance. But there are some tricks and tips that can help!
In this blog, Hollywood Branded has created a list of the top 5 tips to successfully using Instagram to stand out and market your brand.
1.Stay On Top Of Trending Topics
Social media content these days is as fleeting as the attention span of the millennials who use it. However, they do pay attention to what everyone else is talking about in the world of the Internet.
Research trending hashtags and build simple and timely posts around the things people want to see, talk about, comment on and tag their friends in.
Another great way to keep up with what people are talking about in relation to your brand is by setting up Google alerts with keywords relating to the world of your brand.
2. Be Personal
Studies show that people react much more favorably to social media messages that look and read like a real person wrote them. When brands become personal, they are able to relate with their demographic.
This changes your brand’s image from simply advertising on social media to being a voice that they want to keep up with on a daily basis.
Users also have less obvious preferences when it comes to how they use Instagram - and cater to that! For example, did you know that the color blue is proven to have more engagement? Check out more tips in our blog post on creating successful Instagram posts.
3. Change It Up
Not every single post has to be about your brand. This is important because on Instagram, if every post feels like an ad, your brand is far more likely to be unfollowed.
Add in funny posts, share other account’s content you enjoy and matches your brand’s vibe (of course as long as you give credit), and don’t just post the same thing every day with slight variations (a mistake many brands make.)
For example, if your brand is from Boston, show home-team spirit by putting up a picture of your marketing team wearing jerseys on the day of the game, or if you are a dog friendly office or just happen to have lots of employees with dogs and photos, celebrate Dog Appreciation Day at the office and post about it.
This goes hand in hand with making your brand personal to your demographic – and as a result, marketing to them.
4. Use Contests, Giveaways and Polls To Drive User Interaction
Like we talked about in our blog about social media interaction, the way your brand’s followers interact with your social media posts is more important than just the fact that they follow you. More engagement leads to more sales and spreads the word about your brand!
A great way to drive user interaction is to take a poll or ask a question in your caption. People love to share their opinion, especially on social media.
Contests are another great way to spread the word, offering a user the chance to win your product if they tag a friend in the comments and share on their own page. Free stuff for users can mean free advertising for your brand!
5. Add Some Star Power!
Of course, adding a celebrity endorsement on your page or being tagged in a celebrity’s post is a huge way to entice your demographic into following you. This includes celebrity social influencers.
This isn’t necessarily as hard as you may think it is. Of course, celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Beyonce come with high price tags but you have to remember your platform – Instagram.
There are thousands of Instagram users who have become “Insta-famous” through fitness accounts, modeling, funny pics, fashion, photography and just about every niche you can imagine.
By partnering your brand with an Instagram celebrity that may not be world-wide famous but very recognizable among your target followers, that price tag goes down while you simultaneous hone in on your target audience. There are probably far more than you even realize. Whether that is an account with 50,000 or 500,000 followers - they have very engaged audiences.
Need Some Help Making Your Brand Insta-Famous?
Are you interested in learning more on how your brand can work with social media influencers? Download our infographic that provides case studies, rates and strategies for success when creating a social media influencer program.
