For many brands, Instagram has changed from a useful promotional platform to the main focus of their social media marketing. The number of users and the high engagement levels means you can build an audience from scratch. Everyone from clothing companies to restaurants have been able to transform their fortunes, with businesses growing significantly in a short amount of time. Many brands, though, don’t have the same visual appeal, so don’t make an effort to grow their audience. Using the following approach, these brands can not only build an audience, but also develop a strong identity that people can get behind.
Look at Your Competitors
While you want to have your own identity, it can be useful to see what your competitors are doing. You will often find different styles of posting, leading to varying rates of engagement. Most industries will have variable success rates, but less exciting niches might not have any clear success stories. The point of your research, though, should be to see examples of posts with more likes and comments than usual. You should also analyze profiles that are based on similar niches, looking for ideas and responses from users.
Think About Your Target Audience
Instagram has a diverse audience, so you can potentially reach all kinds of people. Your target audience, though, will likely be more specific, so you don’t necessarily want to gain followers who will never become customers. Use your customer data and industry research to create a target audience, ensuring your brand identity will appeal to these people. Tools like Brandwatch can be used to find your audience and identify patterns and influencers they follow.
Add Emotional Appeal
Emotional appeal is a more important driver for sales than many people realize. Most consumers might want to make rational decisions, but it will be emotions that draw them to a brand. You can create this emotion appeal on Instagram through colors, messaging, and storytelling. Rather than trying to hit every emotion, though, it is important to understand the primary one that will most resonate. You may be highlighting confidence, power, security, vitality, or something similar. Everything from the main image or story through to captions can be built around this emotion.
Show Products In A Different Context
Consumers become used to seeing certain product types within a familiar context. A company selling paint, for example, might show a family home that has been redecorated. However, many of these images get filtered out by people who have grown accustomed to them. Showing products in a different context stands out on a feed where users are often quickly scrolling. Using bright colors and beautiful background landscapes are two examples you could use.
Highlight The Human Side Of The Business
Instagram is a great place to show a side of the business that most people won’t get to see. Going behind the scenes with employees lets you show a human side that will often build a relationship with followers. You could use something as simple as an image of an employee in an attractive setting with some branded merchandise. Additionally, you can create more natural stories of products being created and employees in the office.
Include Some Humor
Instagram users have shown they are comfortable liking and sharing humorous content. Certain brands can use this to their advantage, creating content that is lighthearted and fun. It is possible to add humor to images, videos, and captions, using a style that resonates with your overall branding. You can use an existing social media trend, applying it to your own industry. A funny quote can be used for an image or caption. Videos can be used for short sketches. Alternatively, you could get creative and use stop motion animation or stick figures in a whimsical style.
Focus On Brand Values
Many brands get caught up in showing the small details of their products or business. While clothing brands or restaurants, for example, can do well by showing off their creations, this won’t work as well if you don’t have a clear visual identity. Instead, think about brand values and create content built around them. If your brand focuses on customer service, community, and teamwork, your content can show examples of this in practice. A brand focused on innovation and boldness could highlight new technology and people being ambitious and enterprising with your products.
Instagram has become a vital channel for building brands and keeping followers engaged. While there is always the potential for new sites to grow, Instagram is currently the social media platform that brands are turning to. It is understandable that brands without a clear visual identity will think the site is not for them. However, you can always find ways to draw attention when you understand what works. Using these methods, it is possible to increase your brand awareness and make a real difference to your bottom line.
