Instagram is a fun and quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. Snap a photo with your mobile phone, then choose a filter to transform the image into a memory to keep around forever. Instagram state that they are building Instagram to allow you to experience moments in your friends' lives through pictures as they happen. They imagine a world more connected through photos.
Instagram is more than just a photo sharing community. It is also a special tool which entrepreneurs like you can use to boost your online presence.
Getting started on Instagram is fairly straightforward simply sign up for an account (e.g., use the same name as your Twitter handle), add a profile photo (e.g., brand logo) and a link to your website, connect your account to Facebook and let your followers know they can follow you there.
It’s what to do next that presents a difficulty for many brands.
What follows are 6 ideas followed by the TopTips
#1: Acquaint Yourself with How to Best Use Instagram for Business
Businesses have been flocking to Instagram in droves. In response, Instagram started the Instagram for Business blog, which offers tips, brand spotlights, API examples and news from Instagram HQ.
Instagram blog
Instagram's blog will help keep you in the know.
Read and revisit often to date on some of the coolest ways to use the Instagram platform for business.
#2: Balance Fun Images with Pictures From Your Business
Rachel Sprung writes, “Take advantage of the increased real estate you have with the Instagram web page to tell a story with the images. Have a healthy balance of fun images and business pictures.”
Anthropologie has struck a good balance with their images. Their followers like fun images as well as business ones. A puppy picture received 7,640 likes and a picture of their personal shoppers posing at a company luncheon event received 3,457.
Track the engagement on your images to find out what your followers like best!
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#3: Cultivate a Following
Tim Sae Koo offers 3 helpful tips for getting more followers on Instagram:
Cross-post selected images to your Facebook page with a hashtag that aligns with your campaign or brand image to help people who don’t know you’re on Instagram to find you there.
#4: Debut Videos
Instagram’s recent Video on Instagram has given Twitter’s Vine a serious competitor to contend with. Most notably 15-second, filter-enabled, editable video functionality compared to Vine’s 6.5 seconds.
Honda débuted an Instagram video by making a joke out of the choice. Fun idea!
#5: Embed Instagram Video in Your Blog or Website
Instagram released a new embed feature for its desktop web browser version. Mike Gingerich provides helpful instructions, in addition to examples for when and how to use Instagram videos.
Since you never know who will see your shares on a social networking platform, embed your Instagram video in your blog or website to extend the reach of your content.
#6: Follow Your Followers Back
The people you follow on social networking platforms make all the difference in the world. Curiously, many brands on Instagram (some with very large followings) don’t follow back.
To create strategic relationships on Instagram, find the brands and people you enjoy and can learn from in your followers and follow them back.
TopTip #41 – Have a consistent Username
Your usernames must be consistent with all your other social media profiles. This allows your existing and potential clients to identify you better and also recognise you and your company.
TopTip #42 – Send a Message with Your Profile
Your profile is where everything begins. Be as comprehensive as possible when making your profile. You can introduce your company’s values and objectives. You can even offer them a brief background of your company. Send the right message by properly creating your Instagram profile.
TopTip #43 – Search Your Target Viewers
With the help of using hash tags, you will be able to locate potential clients and even followers who share the same interests as you do. You can also make use of Instagram’s search function to find individuals who are searching for the products and services which you are offering. Once you have identified these, then you can begin analyzing their interactions in Instagram, pinpoint their main need related to what you are offering and device a good strategy to catch their attention.
TopTip #44 – Story Telling Sells
As we all know, Instagram is one of the largest photo sharing community over the internet. It houses millions of users and standing out above the rest is a must if you want to establish your company’s presence. You can do this by telling a story with the use of stunning photos.
TopTip #45 – Capture Great Shots
Of course, you have to make sure that the pictures you posts are all amazing. You therefore, have to make sure that you have somebody who knows how to take great pictures or learn how to do it yourself. The success of your strategy implemented in Instagram, greatly lies on the photos which you will be sharing. Learn the various techniques of taking great pictures.
TopTip #46 – Behind the Scenes Photos
One great way of connecting to your customers as well as allowing them to get to know you better is by posting photos of things that is happening within your company. You can post shots during an event preparation or perhaps during an office eat out. You can take candid shots too. Doing this, will allow your customers have an inside view of what is happening with your company.
TopTip #47 – Showcase Your Products
Another great thing which you can do with Instagram is to showcase the products which you are offering. You can provide up close photos of what you have. You can start with your best sellers down to your discounted offers. Post the best shots as possible to attract the attention of your potential targets.
TopTip #48 – Getting To Know
Another great idea when using Instagram is to post photos of you and your employees. This will let your followers know the individuals who are responsible for the great company that you have. Your employees too would love this. Add up a short description about each employee and you are good to go.
TopTip #49 – Interaction Is Important
You also have to comment and share other individual’s photos. Simply posting your photos will not guarantee that you will have tons of followers right away. You have to engage with other users as much as you can and also make sure that your comments are relevant and insightful.
TopTip #50 – Use Third Party Apps
There are several applications which you can use to make your photos more attractive and desirable. You can even choose those which would allow you to combine several images in one photograph.
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