Instagram, why should you use it for your business? Well it is fast becoming the social media platform of choice. It is growing 5 times faster than any other social network. It is estimated that it will pass 100 million users in the US alone! The brain processes images 60,000 faster than it does text, 90% of information sent to the brain is visual.
Many people assume that a photo based platform like Instagram is only for businesses that have products to sell. But this is really not the case! In fact, We are a service based business and I use Instagram all the time to grow the business. Obviously, product based companies have more “product” which can be photographed and shared on Instagram. But service based companies have a lot to offer too. It just takes a little more creativity.
Share images of projects you’re working on, meeting with clients, places you visit, your office, your staff, or any other aspect of your business. In all reality, everything you do everyday could be documented through photos. You just have to find creative ways to showcase it. You can also use short videos to answer questions or make announcements.
Before posting public photos, business owners should consider adding hashtags to their picture for optimal exposure. For example, pictures from chefs often have #food, while a beauty salon may post pictures of the salon and add tags like #beauty #beautysalon. Instagram users often search through these hashtags to find photos (and videos) that fit their particular interests. Careful hash tagging has the potential to bring in more followers and interest in your business. It is also a good idea to add your website address in your post, driving traffic to your website.
New features introduced over the last few years include: Longer video, Hyperlapse, Boomerang, the ability to switch between accounts, photo zoom, shoppable images, stories, and live video. These elements have transformed Instagram into a much more convenient and dynamic opportunity for brands and business owners. Instagram can be linked to your Facebook business page and Twitter so you only have to post once and it automatically connects to your other social media platforms, saving you time.
My calculation is that Instagram is going to become a shopping haven for end users and a potential revenue stream for business just like yours. Instagram has shoppable product tags that give the viewer immediate information on a product without leaving the platform. If the viewer decides to purchase, he or she clicks a Shop Now button to go directly to a landing page to place an order.
Instagram is here to stay for the foreseeable future, so it’s a good idea to get yourself acquainted with this app. A picture paints a thousand words! You can follow us on Instagram – iwebdesignirl
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