Posts involving photos and other visual effects are the posts that grab the most attention. But we know this by now, right? It is easy to barely glance at the long, wordy, Facebook statuses and glaze over blogs with nothing but exhaustingly long paragraphs. With Twitter and Facebook, photos are optional, unlike Instagram, where each post must have a photo or something else visual. Instagram lets visuals be the center of attention. That’s part of what makes Instagram so intriguing. Instagram for business is a unique, refreshing way to promote your field, product or service.
Adding Instagram to your list of social media for business
With Instagram’s huge amount of active users (around 200 million), it’s a great place to direct attention to your business. It gives you the ability to surround your account with social media users who are willing to engage. It is easy to connect on Instagram with sharing and commenting on awesome imagery.
Visuals set Instagram traffic apart
These active Instagram users aren’t playing around. When I say active, I mean really active! There are approximately 1 billion likes happening on Instagram every day. These users are passionate about their own work, making them more likely to be passionate about your work as well. The focus on visuals encourages the engagement among followers. Using Instagram for your business can help spice up using social media in digital marketing. You are able to crop and add filters to your images. This can help you personalize your brand in different ways than just lengthy blocks of text.
Best practice for Instagram-ing
If you’re on board with using Instagram for your business, the next step is strategizing in order to get the best ROI. It is known that the time of day you post something on social media matters. Instagram is no different. Aim to post your visuals around 5 or 6 p.m. But whatever time you decide to post, try to be consistent. Do not go weeks–or even days–without posting. Having an inactive account will encourage people to unfollow your profile and discourage people from following it in the first place. Additionally, you must engage with your followers. This is common within all social media sites, and Instagram is no different. Like your followers’ posts, even comment on them. Follow other business accounts that may complement your service or may be looking for a business like yours. [Tweet “Show interest in your audience. They care about other things in their lives besides you.”] Above all else, treat your business’s Instagram account like you would want to see from an account you follow. You want to hear from those you care about, both in their own posts and in interactions with you. You want content that’s engaging, images that are appealing and a kind of relationship with these accounts. People want the same from you. What has worked for you on Instagram? Do you have a timeframe or certain hashtags that bump up the traffic on your visuals? Tell me about it! See what works for you and let me know. – Photo Credit
