Using Instagram For Your Business? Where Marketers Go Wrong

Instagram has grown exponentially in two straight years and is social media’s rising star. The focus on visual creativity gives brands new opportunities to diversify your content and present it to an audience in a broader fashion. Yet, many marketers see limitations and prefer to keep Instagram out of its social media marketing strategy. You have to wonder why, when Instagram has 30,000 active users added every month. It is only second to Facebook and is 3x more active. Instagram has a bigger dynamic and diverse audience than any other social media platform. The fact marketers think it is limited is but a misconception. Here’s why Instagram marketing is good for your business and why some marketers miss out on seeing it.

You think it only works for brands that sell visual products. This is what most people say but it doesn’t make it real. Just because your product is not attractive it doesn’t mean it is not going to sell. Instagram is all about being visual and marketers think if the product or service doesn’t look attractive it would be hard to visualize enough for people to buy it. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It is up to the brand to make it more compelling, engaging and visually attractive, you have the opportunity to explore and create anyway you like. In addition, for companies that doesn’t have an attractive product to showcase, why not try something just as interesting.

Showcase your culture instead. Take photos of your employees at work, behind their desks, at the lunch table or on a break. These candid moments will make your audience draw closer to your brand. You are willing to show intimacy with your brand and your audience will respond appropriately. Share employer goodwill. Show the audience you are engaged in your community. When brands show employees who care about their community and are giving back, your Instagram users will appreciate the action.

Use Instagram advertising to promote your merchandise. You may not have an attractive service to show off, but you would surely have some good looking merchandise. Promote your merchandise and even offer your customers some of it. Why not have a sweepstake and give away some merchandise to the lucky winner.

Some marketers still believe Instagram is for the bigger brands. Big companies have big budgets and can leverage the platform to their advantage. However, take a look at the smaller companies, they too are on Instagram and seem to be doing fairly well. You can leverage Instagram on a budget.

Instagram is not just for photo posting. Yes, it is a visual platform like no other and for top brands this remains to be true. However, Instagram advertising allows photo sharing to be a two way street. It is not all about you sharing company photos; it can also be about customer sharing their photos in special campaigns and photo contests.