How to use Instagram to promote your organization
Now that Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media networks, a lot of businesses and organizations are jumping on it to promote themselves. And rightly so. If you want to connect with more people, you need to go to the places they frequent.
A lot of social media use is trial-and-error. Some things work and some don't, and there's nothing wrong with trying something different to see how it turns out. If it doesn't work, scrap it and move on. If it does, you've just discovered something your organization can keep doing.
Because each social media platform is unique, each should be used according to the way it's designed. With Instagram, it's a completely different user experience than Facebook or Twitter and your content needs to fit within it. Here are some tips for using Instagram to promote your business or organization.
1. Show, don't tell. If you've never used Instagram, it's a photo- and video-sharing app. That's its singular purpose. It's an app designed to show people what you're doing, rather than tell them. You can always add a caption for any photo or video, but my advice is to keep it short if you want people to read it. Like Facebook and Twitter, you can include hashtags in your captions. However, links typed into the caption will not be click-able within the app.
Use Instagram to show current projects, products, and behind-the-scenes looks. Use text-over apps to artfully include quotes or stats on your images. Use video clips to include a brief message or actively show what you're up to. The point of Instagram is to get creative!
2. Cater to your audience's interests. Take some time to brainstorm and research what your audience is interested in. If they're following you, you already know that they care about your business, so offer them unique perspectives and new information. Think through what else your followers care about and use that information to create new content.
Also, you can see some of the photos people you follow "liked" by going to the activity page and tapping on "Following" at the top. Scroll through the list to see what types of photos people are liking, accounts they are following, and other information. Do you notice any trends in your audience's Instagram choices?
3. Offer something different. Work on giving your audience something new. It could be an offer or giveaway, a new perspective, or a visual story they've never seen. Think outside your company's box and keep using creativity to craft something new and visually exciting. Try designing a new graphic, artfully capturing a product, or using video in a unique way.
4. Invite interaction. Social media is, after all, social. Instagram is a great way to encourage interaction with your brand. Ask questions, respond to inquiries, comment back, share "likes" and follow key audience members. Don't simply post photos like a robot. Embrace organic interaction with your audience and let them get to know you.
5. Keep these details in mind. Don't neglect the details of Instagram itself when you're sharing your content. For example, Instagram automatically crops images into a square. You can use another app to help you insert rectangular-shaped images, or just plan on creating all square-shaped photos. Also, videos are only allowed a maximum run time of 15 seconds. You can trim a longer video to fit within the app itself, or simply record only 15-second bites. Finally, Instagram is meant to be a mobile experience. You can view photos and edit your profile on a desktop computer, but photos can only be posted via the app on a mobile device like your smartphone.
Do you have more questions about using Instagram or another social media site for your business? I'm always available to help with ideas, suggestions, content creation, graphic design, marketing consulting and more. Please contact me or leave a message in the comments!
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| Screenshot of my Instagram page. |
Because each social media platform is unique, each should be used according to the way it's designed. With Instagram, it's a completely different user experience than Facebook or Twitter and your content needs to fit within it. Here are some tips for using Instagram to promote your business or organization.
1. Show, don't tell. If you've never used Instagram, it's a photo- and video-sharing app. That's its singular purpose. It's an app designed to show people what you're doing, rather than tell them. You can always add a caption for any photo or video, but my advice is to keep it short if you want people to read it. Like Facebook and Twitter, you can include hashtags in your captions. However, links typed into the caption will not be click-able within the app.
Use Instagram to show current projects, products, and behind-the-scenes looks. Use text-over apps to artfully include quotes or stats on your images. Use video clips to include a brief message or actively show what you're up to. The point of Instagram is to get creative!
2. Cater to your audience's interests. Take some time to brainstorm and research what your audience is interested in. If they're following you, you already know that they care about your business, so offer them unique perspectives and new information. Think through what else your followers care about and use that information to create new content.
Also, you can see some of the photos people you follow "liked" by going to the activity page and tapping on "Following" at the top. Scroll through the list to see what types of photos people are liking, accounts they are following, and other information. Do you notice any trends in your audience's Instagram choices?
3. Offer something different. Work on giving your audience something new. It could be an offer or giveaway, a new perspective, or a visual story they've never seen. Think outside your company's box and keep using creativity to craft something new and visually exciting. Try designing a new graphic, artfully capturing a product, or using video in a unique way.
4. Invite interaction. Social media is, after all, social. Instagram is a great way to encourage interaction with your brand. Ask questions, respond to inquiries, comment back, share "likes" and follow key audience members. Don't simply post photos like a robot. Embrace organic interaction with your audience and let them get to know you.
5. Keep these details in mind. Don't neglect the details of Instagram itself when you're sharing your content. For example, Instagram automatically crops images into a square. You can use another app to help you insert rectangular-shaped images, or just plan on creating all square-shaped photos. Also, videos are only allowed a maximum run time of 15 seconds. You can trim a longer video to fit within the app itself, or simply record only 15-second bites. Finally, Instagram is meant to be a mobile experience. You can view photos and edit your profile on a desktop computer, but photos can only be posted via the app on a mobile device like your smartphone.
Do you have more questions about using Instagram or another social media site for your business? I'm always available to help with ideas, suggestions, content creation, graphic design, marketing consulting and more. Please contact me or leave a message in the comments!
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