The internet is becoming the preferred method for consumers to browse and make their purchases. Businesses are accommodating them by increasing their online presence through websites and social media sites. Some companies even operate entirely online, relying on digital channels for exposure and revenue. But with so many social media platforms to choose from, which one should an online business invest in? The answer is three syllables long: Instagram.
Most users may use the photo-sharing app to show off yummy dishes or great purchases. But the social media network offers online businesses so much more.
The Wonders of Instagram
Instagram evens the playing field for businesses large and small to thrive because it’s so easy to manage an account that even a solo operation can handle it. All a company needs is the right combination of engaging posts and interesting photography to reach out to the platform’s one billion monthly active users. With a good enough strategy, any company can get views and interactions from this vast population of users, 500 million are on the app every day. Connecting and collaborating with other businesses and individuals is also easier on Instagram because of tagging mechanics.
Whoever is in charge of a brand’s Instagram account can incorporate hashtags and influencers to broaden their audience and increase their clout. A company that uses the appropriate hashtag can instantly reach any market and easily target a specific clientele. Instagram influencers are celebrities who can promote products on their own feeds. A business that partners with a reliable and trusted influencer could gain the patronage of their followers, which can sometimes number in the millions.
Finally, Instagram makes it easy to interact with customers. The app has numerous features that an online company can use to get opinions, reactions, and comments from their followers.
But the success of an online Instagram strategy relies on engaging and interesting feed from the brand.
Feed Your Followers
The backbone of a successful Instagram feed is good photography. Although e-commerce companies can use photo retouching services, the concept and execution of the original photograph have to be creative to begin with.
The photographs should showcase the products and services offered by a company in an exciting and brand-new light suitable to the industry. The person in charge of the account should pay attention to the composition of the shots. Photographic principles, like the “rule of thirds,” still apply to images taken for social media. They could experiment with different layouts, filters, and angles until they find the perfect combination that highlights the best features of their product.
Instagram also allows companies to become more intimate with their followers. By using stories, companies can offer time-limited promotions and exclusive content. They could also carefully time posts to build hype for events and promos, and upload sneak peeks and teasers to keep followers interested.
Social media platforms offer businesses of every size and scale a chance to reinvigorate their marketing strategy. Instagram melds a wider reach with increased interaction and engagement, both of which are important to the 21st-century consumer. A big break for any brand could be one sepia-filtered post away.