Instagram’s success only confirms the hypothesis that niche demarcation is the future of the social media market. As Western marketers predicted, social media is beginning to be shared not only by user type, like LinkedIn (for professional contacts), but also by content type, like Pinterest and Instagram “visuals”. By the way, both of the latter are devoted exclusively to graphic content, but it is Instagram that has become an amazing success story.
The number of Instagram followers is growing every second. It would be rash not to use such a «live» platform in the interests of your business, given that the largest social networks have long and more than successfully been used to promote brands. Strategies, methods have been developed, a real industry of SMM services has been created. Perhaps it’s time to look at the capabilities of Instagram through the eyes of social media specialists, since it has long been not one of the billions of applications, but a social network that, like others, can become a powerful marketing channel for brands.
What Instagram gives brands
Instagram in terms of its potential is an «unplowed field» of various opportunities for both B2C brands (aimed at the end consumer) and companies oriented to a business audience (with a well-built business strategy). You may need auto instagram views. By the way, unlike the methods, the goals that can be achieved using the service are largely identical to those set in a standard social media marketing campaign, namely:
#Recognizability
Although there are no ads on Instagram, you can pinch off some of the fame from here: you need to provide such content so that users themselves follow you (it is important not to slip into an account with funny pictures). Everything is complicated by the absence of a viral effect, since a special application is required for sharing (placing other people’s posts in your feed). In what situation will the user rush to install it? Perhaps, if only you take a picture of him and he wants to get a picture of himself. There is only one way out: to become the very best, the most interesting, the most useful.
#Loyalty
It’s such an interesting thing when people love your brand. Not products, not employees, but just a brand for what it is. Yes, not every online bearing retailer will be able to replicate Apple’s success. But you can and should try to make the buyer fall in love with you, and then visual content will help you. Today, when people have no time to read, communication through pictures can be considered the beginning of flirting.
# Reputation management and feedback
Any impact on someone else’s opinion gives rise to instant opposition, as in Newtonian mechanics. You can make the most amazing product (which we have no doubt about), but there are still critics. You need to respond to angry reviews (whether fair or not). Answering questions about the company, goods and services is your sacred duty and the opportunity to win over a potential client.
The process is hampered by the limited search functionality on Instagram. The principle «hashtag or nothing» works here, which also gives good results.
# Lead generation (receiving targeted appeals to the company)
Let’s start with the disappointment: Selling directly from Instagram is hard enough. Of course, the service can indirectly present a product to a potential client, but the issue of moving to an order / purchase will have to be resolved by indirect methods (a personal appeal to the account moderator, a call to visit the site, a callback, etc.). The main difficulty is the inability to perform the target action directly from the service.
As such, clicks on links cannot be considered. And in principle, there is only one active link — in the account description in the profile. But no one bothers to sign under the photo that the product has appeared on the site or in any store, tell about the new model, etc.