Instagram for Business? Dragonfly Can Help Put You In The Picture.
As of March 2017, 17.2m people in the UK were using Instagram, 31% of whom are aged 18-24, a further 30% are aged 25-34 and 15% are 35-44. Due to the apps’ visual nature and high user engagement rate, it is one of the most valuable social media marketing tools that a brand or business can utilise, however it isn’t always right for everyone.
Here our social media team looks at why businesses shouldn’t rule out Instagram as an effective marketing tool and offers advice on determining whether it’s the right platform for your business.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
People remember 80% of what they see, 20% of what they read, and 10% of what they hear, according to research by Instagram service provider Gramlike. The findings also suggest that the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than it does text and 40% of people respond better to a picture than copy. Therefore reaching out to your audience through the use of imagery will not only offer them information that they are more likely to remember, but if you’re trying to push a product, it will also provide them with a better representation of what it looks like and does.
If you’re a service-led business and don’t have anything physical to sell, don’t worry. There are lots of like-minded companies’ currently making great use of Instagram. We recently set up an Instagram profile for one of our construction clients and are already seeing an increase in traffic to their website, with 17 referrals from Instagram in just one month. Not a huge amount, but as their followers grow, it is likely that the amount of referrals to their website will too.
Reach more of your target audience quicker
Instagram is a great way of expanding your reach and putting your business, products and services in front of your potential target audience. Better still, it’s free and easy to use. You simply take a picture, choose how you want it to look, add a description and upload it almost instantly. Using hashtags that are relevant to your clients, sector and business in the description also creates the potential for increased visibility. As we aim to reach construction and manufacturing businesses, we tend to use hashtags such as #Construction, #Manufacturing, #PR, #coverage, #media and others that may be relevant to the post at the time.
Provide an insight into your business
Instagram can provide your clients with an insight into your business that they wouldn’t usually see. If you have great offices, construction projects that you’re really proud of, a bake off competition in the office or even a fancy dress day to raise money for charity, post about it. This will show your clients and competitors that your business has personality. Take advantage of Instagram’s photo and video capabilities and share an insight into your business, your achievements, CSR activities and team members in a fun and friendly manner.
Top tips for posting
- Be imaginative, but make sure you don’t stray too far from the personality of your brand or business.
- Get to know your audience well and post images that are relevant to them.
- Use hashtags to expand your reach beyond your followers.
- Less is more – post once or twice a week; Mondays and Thursdays tend to be the most popular days.
- Delegate the job of monitoring and updating the platform to one person on your team (or two at the most).
Things to consider to determine if it isn’t quite right for you.
- If your audience is over the age of 40, Instagram may not be quite right for you.
- If your competitors aren’t on the network, it may be worth considering if this is because your clients or target audience aren’t on it either.
- You don’t have the time to dedicate to taking the photos.
So, if you think your construction or manufacturing business could benefit from Instagram, or to discuss strengthening your existing B2B profile, contact us to find out more about Dragonfly PR’s social media support services. Call Dragonfly PR on 01709 300130 or email hello@dragonflypr.co.uk.