A picture is worth thousand words, and Instagram’s ideology is the same as it exemplifies the positives of visual appeal. Many brands were able to bring in a huge number of followers in 2016 through perfect Instagram marketing strategies. So have no second thoughts about using Instagram to strengthen your start-up’s online presence.
The following ideas will help you stand out, and are devised with startups in mind. Let’s take a look
1. Showcase Your Brand
(Screenshot of Vans’ official Instagram account)
Do you have a great product that is yet to be launched in the market? Then, you can demonstrate how your product functions to your future or potential clients by uploading original images.
Example – Popular shoe brand “Vans” uses Instagram to Share real-life images, and they have a massive fan following as well. Rather than telling people about your brand, use visual appeal to showcase the experience of using the product.
2. Being Distinctive Works
(Screenshot of Pepsi’s official Instagram account)
Are you in the process of trying to create a buzz about your brand? Well, it depends on the uniqueness of your service or product. Come up with themes that highlight your product and the experience. Pepsi uploads unique photos and filters on Instagram. Even though the campaign looks simple, it’s different at the same time. The brand has taken Instagram marketing to the next level by sticking to a color scheme with blue being the predominant color as it resembles their brand logo.
3. Share Exclusive Content
The words ‘Content is king’ are applicable when it comes to creating a strong presence on Instagram. If you have not shared much on other social media platforms, learn how you can post great visuals through Instagram to increase your brand reputation. For Instance, the company WeWork which offers office spaces, posts unique content that matches their slogan “Do what you love”. They also use hashtags that will encourage their followers to post similar pictures using the same. An impressive caption can act as the frosting on the cake for your posts.
4. Make Your Company Or Brand Relatable
If your product can make users happy, that is the biggest endorsement it can ever get. A brand like Coca-Cola has a significant social media presence because users can relate to the brand. We should give credit to them for devising hashtags like ‘Open Happiness’ and Taste the feeling’. Their Instagram pictures show people having a good time while consuming the product. Coca-Cola’s friendly, refreshing and happy pictures have made their users come back for more.
5. Provide Behind The Scenes Access
People would love to know what happens behind the scenes of a TV series or a movie. We can safely say that this trend has taken Instagram by storm. Being a start up, it is the perfect time for you to leverage this chance.
Connect with your fans and interact with them by showcasing real pictures of your team, the process of manufacturing, happenings at the workplace, etc. Instagrams’s latest feature, Instagram stories is perfect for showcasing behind the scenes action. You can also showcase everyday happenings through this feature.
6. Blend Videos with Photos
(National Geographic’s Instagram channel focuses on both photos and videos)
Your startup’s Instagram presence can substantially benefit by focusing on videos. A video has the capability to engage more than thousands of fans at a go. It has three times more inbound links as well. National Geographic is the most followed Instagram channel and has a perfect blend of both videos and photos.
No brand started as a fortune 500 company. A company’s success depends on their ability to get more customers and retain existing ones. And Instagram opens the perfect avenues for that in this virtual era. It can help you get fans, traffic, and free endorsements. You do not necessarily need to pull your advertising and marketing budgets. Instead, modify your approach according to your target audience. If you feel that reaching out to your target audience is an uphill task, you can consider taking over established accounts with similar demographics or consider buying active followers.
In short, strive for uniqueness, understand your target audience and be consistent, to reap the rewards of Instagram in maximizing your startup’s reach.