What is Instagram?
Instagram is a popular social media platform. It differs from other platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook, in that the platform is primarily a visually driven, with content mostly being square tiled photos, and short form videos.
Key Stats:
- Currently, Instagram has over 2 billion monthly users
- 4th most used platform after Facebook, Youtube and WhatsApp
- Instagram is the most downloaded App in the world
Is your target audience on Instagram?
According to statistics, 35% of Instagram users will make a purchase on this platform in 2023. Specifically, for Generation Z, Instagram is the top social commerce platform, with people aged 25 to 34 being the largest user group on the platform. The majority (56.4%) of these people are women.
If your target demographic falls within these groups, Instagram commerce is definitely an avenue you should be dipping your toes into if you are an e-commerce store, or if you wish to advertise your business’s services online.
A brief history of Instagram
Instagram quickly gained traction and popularity when it launched in October 2010. From having one million users sign up in its first two months, 10 million in a year, and surpassing 1 billion users in 2018. Instagram was acquired by Facebook in 2012, and is now part of the newly rebranded ‘Meta Platforms Inc’, the parent company which now houses Facebook and WhatsApp, among other products and services.
But I already have Facebook, why do I need Instagram?
Most businesses should, at a minimum, have a business Facebook account. Having a Facebook account allows consumers and your future customers to feel closer to your brand. It also allows consumers to see how your brand engages with its customers and shows customers what you care about as a business.
The good news is, if you already have Facebook, half the work is already done.
Facebook and Instagram are under the Meta umbrella, and the platforms are linked. This means it is super easy to share content across the platforms. You won’t have to craft and design a post specifically for each platform every time you want to post. Although creating content targeted for each platform is also recommended to better capture your audience’s attention, sharing content between the two means the workload is lessened.
Instagram for Marketing
A bonus about Instagram is that it has inbuilt and easily accessible insights, which means you can tailor your social media marketing strategy. Instagram Insights can provide you with specific information about who your followers are, and how your content (and therefore your product and brand awareness) is performing.
Because Instagram is a visually driven platform, getting creative is encouraged. Audience’s attention spans are getting shorter, so having strong, visually engaging posts that speak to what your brand is about is the goal.
Our 5 tips for using Instagram for business
- Use hashtags – Hashtags can increase a business’s visibility on the platform. Try not to use hashtags that have millions of associated posts, as you will get lost in the throngs. Pick hashtags that are unique to your field and locality eg: #brisbanevegans or #shoplocalmelbourne
- Leverage your Instagram bio – Use the link in your Instagram bio to promote specific products or business links
- Tell a story – emotional connection drives Instagram users to feel connected to the accounts they follow. Posting behind-the-scenes videos or photos, or giving followers sneak peeks into upcoming projects, products or history of your business.
- Be unique and authentic to your brand – Don’t try to copy exactly what other businesses are doing on Instagram. Think about what your brand represents and what your point of business is.
- Engage with your audience – Set time aside each week to reply to comments or direct messages your profile receives. This will not only boost your profile on the Instagram algorithm, but will also help build consumer trust and engagement.
- Keep your captions short and sweet – Instagram is not the ideal platform to write a few paragraphs in your caption, that type of content is better suited for Facebook.
If you are thinking about utilising Instagram to get your brand in front of new audiences and build brand awareness, but don’t know how to get started, reach out to Outsourse2Us to start planning the next step in your social media strategy.
