You know you’re one of the 70% of the 400 million monthly users that Instagram has who scrolls through the photo-sharing app at least once per day, but is your business reaping the benefits or boycotting the empire that is Instagram?
The answer should be the former, and if it is not, here’s why it ought to be.
Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform in the world. With 40 billion total photos shared, and 80 million posted per day, it’s no wonder that businesses are making a killing off of the virtually free advertising agency that is Instagram.
First, let’s talk about Instagram’s main features: browsing, uploading, commenting, sharing, and much more. These features make the app completely interactive between users. Thus, it creates an opportunity for you to interact with clients, potential clients, and desired publics that must be reached. No matter how big or small your business is, it can benefit from Instagram.
Here are a few ways Instagram can help your business:
- It makes your business more personable because it puts a human voice behind a product. You can take photos of employees hard at work on a Monday, or of your brand new jewelry on a friend who has thousands of followers already. Doing this will not only help your business’ account gain followers, but it will remind clients that your brand is memorable and relatable.
- You can offer followers business incentives. For example, if you own a bakery and you want to attract a larger base of clients, you can feature bonuses on your account. Valentine’s Day is coming up – post a picture of your cutest, most delicious pink and red cupcake and caption it, “We love our Dallas community! Come in today to share the love and receive a free cupcake when you buy two.” This creates a want that clients did not even know they had before they scrolled through their feed and saw your drool-worthy cupcake staring back at them.
- Sticking with the bakery example, your Instagram is a direct window into your shop. With the revolutionary photo-sharing app, you can feature photos of your yummy treats all day long, and you should see said drooling clients run through your doors. Perhaps it will be a bit less exciting, but Instagram is the perfect tool to allow users to browse through your baked goods from their desks and then reward themselves with a cookie (or four) after a long day of work. Take notes from @Sprinkles.
With hashtags, location services, direct sharing, commenting, and liking, your photos should take off in no time. The Instagram world may seem big and scary, but there is everything to be said for becoming “InstaFamous” in today’s world.
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