Image Credit: JAMoutinho
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamoutinho/7448717958/sizes/n/
It’s no secret that social media has become an essential way to get your business and brand noticed. Visual social media is booming and one of the biggest driving forces behind it is Instagram. In April 2012, Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion and as of July 2012 the photo-sharing app has 80 million users.
So what is Instagram?
According to Instagram’s blog, the photo app is a free, 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. Their goal is to allow people to experience moments in each- others lives through pictures, as they happen to make the world a more connected place. You can also share the Instagram photos on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr and Foursquare.
Why should your business be using Instagram?
It’s mobile and more people in the U.S. will primarily access the Internet via their cell phone or mobile device than their computer by 2015, according to visual.ly. That’s billions of people that you want to get your product, service or brand in front of. Already, 40% of the U.S. leading brands like Starbucks, Nike and Audi are now active on Instagram. These brands have hundreds of thousands of followers who like and share photos they post.
How can your business use Instagram?
Instagram should been seen as an opportunity for your business to reach out to potential clients on a more personal level. It allows you to interact with your followers and tell them your brand’s story through images. It encourages potential clients to feel connected to your business and share it with their friends and family.
- Take photos of your business events. Photos of conferences, special openings or celebrations can be filtered to capture the tone or mood of an image. Posting it to Instagram gives you the opportunity to share and relay the feeling of the company environment.
- Connect with potential customers. By taking and sharing photos from around your office or production process it makes your business more real to the consumer. It’s like putting a face to the voice. You are also opening your business up to new groups of people that your business may not reach through traditional methods. And when clients share
your Instagram photos with new people it potentially gives the new person the feeling thatthey were referred to your business because they were sent your photos. - Instagram is also a tool to engage with your customers on a regular basis. You can invite people to share photos of themselves using your products or services and invite them to share the photos on your Facebook wall. This will give your business more exposure and lead to more business.
- Try signing up for Simply Measured. It’s a company that allows anyone to get social media data and create custom reports in Excel and online. This data measures total engagement of your Instagram account. It can provide you with statistics on which of your photos are popular or aren’t popular, when the photos are being shared the most.
- And a final tip, if you take a photo with Instagram that your business would like to use outside of the virtual world try FreePrints by PhotoAffections. It’s a free iPhone, iPad and iPod touch app that allows users to order free premium-quality photo prints directly from their iPhone. FreePrints accesses photos stored on your iPhone as well as Facebook, Instagram, Flickr and Picasa Web Albums.
Maintaining a social media presence can feel a little overwhelming but Instagram can be a great addition to your business social media tools by adding another way to share photos. Social media marketing can encompass a daunting amount of platforms that need focus but, is an integral part of a business’ success. Three Girls Media can take some of the load off, so if you need a hand contact us today!
Special Offer: Three Girls Media & Marketing Inc. loves working with small and emerging companies to raise their brand awareness and name recognition. We offer a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation and can discuss your specific brand marketing needs. Email info@ThreeGirlsMedia.com to make your appointment today!
Image Credit: JAMoutinho
Instagram is still new to me. Thank you for posting about it. It is something I need to learn more about especially since you mention that by 2015 the primary access to the internet will be by mobile devices!
It’s astonishing how fast mobile devices are changing the face of the Internet! Glad you found the post helpful!
This is something I’ve been seeing so much of on Facebook, but didn’t think about it for my business because I didn’t know anything about it (though thought it was a great visual). This post has given me food for thought, and because my business is driven by visuals, I can see how it would really benefit me to try it out!
Happy to know this gave you some food for thought Kathy! Instagram is proving to be a very popular social media platform and is gaining new users every day. There’s a new free iPhone & iPad app called FreePrints by Photo Affections that syncs with your images on Instagram and allows you to edit, crop and order premium quality FREE 4×6 glossy prints of your images, up to 1000 prints per year! Other print sizes, including 5×5 which are perfect for Instagram are available for just pennies. It also syncs with other online sites like Facebook, Picassa and more. Shipping starts at just $1.99 and you’ll have your beautiful FREE prints in just days. Look for FreePrints Delivered to Your Door in the iTunes app store.