How to Get the Most from Instagram as a Business

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Instagram now claims to have over 400 million active users, 75% of whom are based outside the US. In terms of user engagement, the social network claims that in one day, users will generate 80 million pictures and like content 3.5 billion times. This goes to show the extent to which the platform has found success in just five short years. The simplicity of being able tell rich & beautiful stories makes the user experience rewarding and addictive. When it comes to raising awareness, developing brand affinities and driving interest, Instagram has been able to serve advertisers as a powerful ally in the fashion and beauty positioning space.

Unfortunately most marketers jump on social networks without understanding its nuances and specific ins and outs. Each social network presents its own challenge and its own opportunity. When it comes to target segment engagement on Instagram, internet industry giants like BeautyGuide and Daraz are brilliant and get it. Here’s the top 3 ways leading brands have engaged target segments and engaged audiences to developed a brand connection using Instagram.

Contests
BeautyGuide’s “Mother’s Day” campaign struck a chord with its customers in Malaysia, with user generated content pouring in across the country featuring selfies and tributes to moms everywhere. Brand affinity exercises like this evoke the connection between family and care, with the same exuberance that BeautyGuide shows its partners across SEA.

Awareness
During the Daraz Fashion Week, Instagram was leveraged to push trends and keep customers updated. The idea was to reach out to the relevant audience and Instagram was a great platform to do that. According to Saman Javed, Daraz saw over 5 million Instagram impressions which was pretty amazing considering how they had just kicked off the channel not too long before it.

Sponsored
Internet retailers should be the first to take social shopping to the next level with Instagram. The network will soon take payment details to be the POS. Measure your returns and experiment with content. Start today by focusing on three tier approach – sign ups, app installs and CTR to the main site.

Authenticity
Digital natives is not an age, its a mind set. The audience proactive on Instagram self identifies with this classification. The community is always seeking useful, relevant and interesting content. Content and content marketing is the future, so hire a brand content expert to find the connect between what you’re offering and what the target segment is concerned about. Develop content that informs & inspires rather than sells. Do it in a real and human way.

Create
Recognize that the community is creative or aspires to be seen as such. Give them something to play with and track the creations. In a world of conversion marketing and optimisation, its pays to break away from the clutter and and stop selling. On Instagram is tone should be service focused, with an interest to inspire, educate, remind and respond quickly. Target segments will feel good, engage and add long term value.


This originally appeared on HYBE.

Babar Khan Javed
Babar Khan Javed is a brand journalist. He is a post-graduate of "Squared", Google's highest qualification for marketing strategy. His work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals such as Market Leader, Consulting Magazine, Global CMO and Brand Quarterly. He is interested in the dynamics of advertising including industry topics such as how media is being transformed by technology. He can only be reached at [email protected] and responds within 24 hours.

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