There are numerous discussions in the past few years that are focused on the importance of an effective social media presence for businesses both large and small. Even how EVERY business can benefit from a social media presence! The history of social media started some 15 years ago. They were used as virtual places where people can communicate with their friends, relatives or even find new like-minded people. However, these networks have become so popular that their creators and business owners have realised that they have huge business potential too.
Of course, business owners had websites even two decades ago, but the problem with these websites was that they were working in only one direction. Businesses were presenting information without generating user feedback and without customer interaction. This is something that can be done easily thanks to social media, in particular, Instagram. It is obviously a good idea to listen to your customers’ ideas, complaints and answer their questions, and with the assistance of popular social media networks, you can also offer customer feedback instantly and publicly which enables your interaction to be viewed by thousands of people. Using social media should now be part of every online marketing strategy and marketing strategies in general.
In addition, business owners have a unique chance to target their audience, something that you can’t do with the many of the outdated marketing techniques available today. Don’t forget that the communication between your business and your clients is not the only type of communication you can witness on these social media platforms. Users can also communicate between themselves and share their own experience, opinions and thoughts of your business. This is something that has affected the way business function in 2015 and beyond. You can expect to receive many online reviews (both good and bad) about your products and services, which allows savvy business owners to use these social media platforms as some sort of customer support too.
Instagram For Business Owners
One of the most popular social media networks today that is used by many successful businesses is Instagram and these are some of the reasons why they find this network useful.
Instagram is a great place to make a name for your brand, and while certain types of businesses (like the fashion and food industries) may find it a lot easier to gain a following than others, it’s definitely not a social network you should rule out.
Before you take on the visual world of Instagram, take the time to learn about the social network, what it does and how to make it work for your brand.
Instagram is an excellent platform not only because it has millions of active users, but also because it gives you a better perception about the way your clients look at your products and services and your brand in general. The main focus is placed upon the images & videos you share.
The best way to use Instagram is to take a personal approach and provide users another perspective of your business. For example, instead of placing only images of your product or services, you can take and share images of the process of production, favourite customers or even your products in action. You can also take photos of your offices, personnel and your headquarters. In other words, social media marketing should not be used as just another form of direct marketing.
Hashtags Huh?
Hashtags are a great way to help other users find your content on Instagram, just like on Twitter. Since users can both search for hashtags and click on hashtags they see in posts on the app, using relevant hashtags can be a highly effective tool for getting noticed. However, just like on Twitter, you have to make sure you’re using the right hashtags for your brand, and that you don’t go overboard.
Show Off Your Products & Services!
Is your brand a retail business? Take pictures of cool new products as you get them in, or share pictures of your most popular products. Or, if you run a service business like a hair salon or a restaurant, take the time to take photos of your work. Sharing photos of cool haircuts (even before-and-after shots are great!) or your latest dessert specials is a great way to get people interested.
Encourage Engagement
Own a restaurant? Put your Instagram handle and custom hashtags on the menu so that when your customers inevitably take a picture of their new favorite dish, they tag you in it. This way, other users who want to know where it came from can easily find you. This works with any type of product or service — let your customers know you’re on Instagram and which hashtags they can use to show off their photos.Just make sure you’re checking them out, liking them and commenting on them, so they continue to do so.
Used correctly, Instagram can be a highly-targeted, visual advertising channel for your brand. In fact, in a recent study it was discovered that Instagram provides brands with 25% more engagement over other social platforms. This mean that Instagram is a prime channel to build your brand for your ecommerce business. Like any social network out there, there are right ways to use it, wrong ways to use it, and clever ways to use it.
If you would like WestVic Web l to show you how to most effectively use Instagram to increase engagement & build a massive following, simply contact our expert team today!
