Insights

5 things you need to know about Instagram

There’s more to Instagram than meets the eye. Follow these 5 tips to gain better reach for your business and watch your audience grow.

As a social media platform, Instagram has had a big year. It now has a reach of 500 million active users, and by 2017, it is predicted 50% of social network users will be on Instagram. On the surface, using the platform may seem easy enough – post a photo, use a hashtag and hope for the best. But there’s more to Instagram than meets the eye. Follow these tips to gain better reach for your business and watch your audience grow.

1. Keep up with trends

The Boomerang app was launched in 2015 and has proven to be hugely popular, as the trend toward capturing ‘micro-moments’ in a fun, creative way, continues. Instagram’s video sharing app has also been a hit with users, with the latest trend being ‘silent’ videos (yep – we’re too lazy to turn on the sound). By staying on-trend, your brand or businesses content is not only more likely to be noticed but reach more potential customers.

2. Curate your feed

Those businesses using Instagram most effectively tend to have a defined style and aesthetic feel to their posts. This means using photos and video content that reflects a certain theme. If you’re unsure of what style and content will generate the most buzz – experiment. Using metrics like comments, profile click links, engagement rates and likes will give you an insight into what’s working and what’s not.

3. Tap into user-generated content

Connect with your target market by using their photos and stories. Ask fans if you can feature their photos on your brand or business account, with a quote or explanation for each one. The idea is to create a sense of community, and in so doing turn your customers into an external sales force.

4. Don’t sell directly

Instagram is not a great platform for selling (in most circumstances). Posts with too much promotional language – ‘buy this’, ‘big sales’, ‘free shipping’ – tend to do poorly. It is essential to your brand or business’s success that you first develop a relationship with your target market, through relevant, powerful and meaningful messages.

As an award-winning, full-service digital and creative agency in Brisbane, iFactory is committed to delivering advanced digital solutions including Instagram strategies and content marketing. Let us help you craft a complete digital strategy and social media strategy customised for your business today.

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