Instagram is at the top of the list of the fastest growing social media platform today. It is also another testament to how important mobile marketing has become and how many people are using their smart phones and tablets to engage with friends, family, brands and businesses. If you’re trying to keep your business in front of your current and potential customers, here are a few simple tips that will help you to tell your story using pictures on Instagram:
#1. Take a Selfie – Now I’m not saying take a selfie every day or every few hours (we all know how annoying that can be.) Keep this in mind, people like to buy from and work with people they know, like and trust. Your audience wants to connect with you and wants to be familiar with the face behind the business logo. So show them your smile once in awhile and your audience will find themselves feeling a stronger connection with you and your business.
#2. Share a Product or Display – Sharing photos of your products, your product displays or your product in action is a great way to grab the attention of your audience. Be sure to balance your content with other images so you aren’t running the risk of appearing too “promotional”. Use these images as a way to tell a story about how your product is solving a problem or adding value to your client’s lives or businesses.
#3. Create a Video – Instagram isn’t limited to just still images. So bring some action into the mix and shoot a short video clip. Showing “behind the scenes” action is almost always interesting to your audience. A quick video of the chef at your favorite restaurant preparing a delicious dish would be pretty intriguing since even though you visit often, you rarely get a glimpse of the kitchen.
#4. Share Your Passion – Just because your hobbies and passions aren’t directly related to your business doesn’t mean your audience doesn’t want to know about it. If you are an amateur woodworker on the weekends, share photos of your projects and give your audience a new perspective on who you are and what you enjoy to do outside of the office.
#5. Spotlight a Loyal or Happy Customer – We can’t help it, we all like to see photos of ourselves. Develop a strategy for sharing customer photos and you’ll find all your customers will start checking out your feed to see who you’re spotlighting next (and hoping it will be them!)
#6. Support Your Local Business Community – It doesn’t always have to be about your business. When you are out in the community, take photos in your favorite coffee shop or boutique, post them and tag the business. Keep that strategy up and eventually you’ll see local businesses doing the same for you and each other! And not only are you creating great content, but you’re encouraging your audience to shop local, and that helps everyone!
#7. Be Silly! – We all love to smile and laugh at the content that comes across our feeds. When that opportunity arises to share a funny story or picture, even if it’s not related to your business, do it! Pets and kids are great at creating these opportunities, share your amusing moments and you’ll be sure to see increased engagement on your posts.
Don’t forget to use #hastags when posting your images. 2-3 hashtags are most effective when trying to captivate new followers. There are so many more ways you can use Instagram to connect, but I hope this gives you a few ideas that will spark some creativity and get your posting more engaging images to your Instagram account. More engagement means more visibility, and more visibility means increased brand recognition, and the stronger your brand becomes, the more customers and leads you attract. If you have additional ideas to share, let’s hear them!