Instagram Activities Worth Trying This Year
August 6, 2019
Instagram didn’t take any time to become one of the most used forms of social media. With celebrity accounts, influencer posts, and plenty of aesthetically pleasing pictures to scroll through, it’s no wonder it gained such an online presence over the past few years. With more than one-billion users actively using the site, there’s certainly reason for Insta-creators to add and evolve the platform based on audience interest.
While the site is still mainly geared toward users, there is a business presence beginning to take shape. More marketers are choosing to use the platform to share products and knowledge with consumers. So, what should you be looking for on Instagram this year? And, how can you use it to benefit your company? Here are a few of the things we suggest trying before 2020.
Reintroduce the “Business Card” with a Digital Twist
Upon meeting a potential client, one of the most important marketing tactics to use is the business card. Of course, when marketing digitally, it’s difficult to hand a physical card to those viewing your Instagram account. The solution is simple. Knowing businesses were taking an interest in the platform, Instagram created Nametags. This feature provides users with a digital business card to share with their users.
The business card is an old concept, but it doesn’t need to feel dated. With this new option through Instagram, you can show clients just how modern your brand is. Not only does it offer a mode of contact, it also provides you with more followers. The Nametag feature provides users with a unique code which can be scanned. When scanned, the code takes users to your account, where they can follow, sort through your photos, read about your brand, or click a link to your home page.
Recycle User Generated Content that Made a Splash in the Past
Another blast from the past which can be repurposed for your needs is user generated content, or UGC. UGC includes posts from Instagram accounts around the world. This content is passed around the site with shares, likes, and comments. When you see something you think your followers might be interested in, share it with them. This includes memes, photos, videos, and more.
Some companies have been wary about UGC in the past, wondering if it’s better to provide unique creative content of their own making. While it’s recommended you use original content online, UGC has a huge benefit to your brand. Not only does it show you’re “with the times” and know what’s cool, it also offers up a four times better rate of click-through than unique content alone.
You can kick up UGC recycling a notch by choosing posts from your own follower’s feed. Seeing their posts in your news feed makes them feel like an important part of your brand community. It’s a great way to personalize your story to suit your audience and increase brand relevance in the lives of those who follow the business online.
Take a Page of Facebook and Live-Stream
Live streaming has become a widely popular activity. Besides giving you the chance to share a visual feed with followers, watching it in real-time means they can also interact with you. This is basically the main reason for any social media post to begin with. Audience engagement is a huge factor in determining the importance of a post, business, or website. Google and other search engines use this information to rank you in search results. Just as search engines use social engagement as a measurement, so too do social media platforms. Businesses which appear popular with users are pushed to the top of news feeds for advertising purposes, making them more visible and relevant to social media users.
Live-stream videos got popular on Facebook and are now taking Instagram by storm. Being a non-traditional form of marketing, it gives modern marketers an edge above those businesses still consumed by off-line advertising. While billboards and television still provide results, there’s certainly a more dramatic return on digital advertising now than ever before. Using live-streaming videos and other fun modes of sharing offers consumers something worth looking for and spreading to friends and family.
Instagram Shopping Advantages
If you’re not already an avid Instagram user, you might be surprised to learn that Instagram shopping has become a thing. More and more businesses use Instagram to share products, with a quick and easy link to ‘click to buy”. This concept isn’t exactly new, but it’s smart, and something Instagram wasn’t known for in the past. The shopping network on cable television was one of the first ways to offer visual selling to the consumer population. A quick phone call and 4 easy payments of $22.95 and whatever you wanted could be yours. Most online products require full payment up front, but now you can shop using Interac, Apple Pay, PayPal, and more.
Whether you’re a fan of Instagram or not, it’s hard to disagree that the platform is making a difference for the brands that use it. If you’re looking to get involved but unsure where to start, begin small. Build a profile, a nametag business card, add photos, and attract some of your current website users to follow you online; once you gain the attention of a few, more will follow. Use some of the above tactics to increase interaction and visibility. Eventually, things will take off and you’ll find that regular posts and replies are enough to keep your profile moving.