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You’ve heard it a million times. “Social media is constantly changing” and “social media marketing is vital to targeting millennials.” Okay, So you have a Twitter, you have a Facebook and those are both important, but it's important to ask yourself- am I using my Instagram account to its fullest potential?
It cannot be understated how instrumental Instagram has become to effective marketing in today's market. In this blog post, Hollywood Branded takes a look at why Instagram is so effective and provides 10 steps for brand managers to create more successful Instagram posts to promote your brand and improve your marketing strategy.
Instagram is obviously a visually based platform. It consists exclusively of pictures, with the only text being profile information, photo captions, and comments. It is our attention-span-deficient society’s version of a seven year old choosing between a picture book and a novel.
But more than that, it is visual storytelling. And this post just wouldn’t be complete without saying it….
Oh no…
It’s coming….
It’s so cliché, don’t hate us…
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” And a video, 1.8 million...
Okay, we’re sorry. But it’s the undeniable truth. Countless studies over hundreds of years have shown that we as human beings simply remember pictures and videos more vividly and with more accuracy than words. Of course it is not that other social media platforms don’t use images, because they do. And the posts that do use images tend to have much higher engagement… but with so many posts, words, sidebars and general clutter, (younger) users have begun to drift toward a platform much simpler and visually appealing: Instagram.
And that 1.8 million? It's from a study - check it out.
While Instagram may seem relatively new, it’s been around since 2010. It exploded after Facebook purchased it in 2012 (sooo surprising right?). There are plenty of analytics out there about what makes the ideal Instagram posts, and although some of the stats are a bit strange, they could help you optimize your content when promoting your brand on Instagram.
According to data acquired by Curulate, there are small, subliminal factors that make a big difference in the success and engagement of Instagram quotes. For example, a post with just one dominant hue receives, on average, more likes that those with multiple. Brighter images perform 24% better than darker images and pictures with a higher amount of background space receive 29% more engagement than those without.
And guess what color Instagram users like the most? Apparently, blue. Blue posts receive 24% more engagement than the color red. Oh, and don’t forget to have texture in your image… that generally produces 79% more likes.
Besides these subliminal things, there are very practical things you can do to create successful social media marketing on Instagram.
There is only one thing more important than the ten steps listed above. And that is... start posting! If your brand doesn't have an Instagram account, then you are guaranteed to not find success. Instagram is kind - you don't have to post every single day to build a following. And you don't have to post boring content - Instagram is a great place to show your company culture and that your brand is real - and backed by people who have fun!
Want to listen to blog posts like this instead of reading them? Check out our podcast!
Looking for more ways to be successful on Instagram? We have you covered! Check out some of our blogs on Instagram below.
Are you ready to take your Instagram account to the next level and learn how your brand can work with social media influencers to fast track to higher engagement and increased fan base? Download our infographic that provides case studies, rates and strategies for success when creating a social media influencer program.
Check out our How-To-Guide For Connecting With Social Media Influencers and download the infographic now!
Stacy Jones, Hollywood Branded's founder and CEO, has over twenty six years of leadership experience building global entertainment branding campaigns for top Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of brands. Her career started after receiving her BFA in Theater Production & Scenic Design from the University of Arizona. Acknowledged as an expert in the field, she has appeared on CNN and MSNBC; spoken at conferences around the globe from Germany to Beijing; and has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Financial Times, The Economist, Brandweek, Advertising Age, Variety, B&C and Mediaweek amongst others. Originally from Texas, you will still hear her ya’ll as she gathers the team for strategy planning sessions. Like all true entrepreneurs, Stacy is an adventurer at her core – having sky dived, hang glided off bi-planes, swam with crocs while rafting the Zambezi in Africa, photographed grizzly bears in Alaska, trekked Mayan ruins in Belize, explored the ocean as an avid scuba diver, and who loves owning an advertising agency where she swims with a different type of Hollywood shark on a daily basis.