As of June 2016, Instagram had reached 500 million monthly active users. Different from Facebook or Twitter, Instagram offers a unique place for people to browse aesthetically appealing images and has become a sweet platform for businesses to place less invasive ads. As more businesses are using Instagram to reach its target audience, here are 3 trends I observed that will help businesses grow its audience and engagement.
1. Commonality and themes
When I am deciding whether to follow an account on Instagram, one key criterion is whether it follows a consistent style throughout the entire feed. This is a universal rule for businesses, photographers, bloggers, etc. You need to be consistent in at least one aspect (e.g. colour scheme, content, or unique style) which makes you really stand out from others, and users will know what they can expect in future posts if they follow your account. For example, the Cross Decor & Design uses bright, low saturated colours in all its photos that are visually appealing that make me want to visit the store right now.
2. Using Instagram as a business site
The ultimate goal for businesses is to turn your social media followers into customers, and you would want to facilitate the purchasing process as much as you can. Most of the e-commerce brands attach a link to their websites in the bio and mention “Link in the bio” in their every single post so that users can be easily directed to the right place when they see something interesting in the post. Another rising trend in the fashion industry is the use of LiketoKnow or LiketoBuy services. Rather than tagging the brand or product name in the post, the way LiketoKnowit works is that after you hit the like button on a post, you will receive an email with a full list of the products that the model/influencer is wearing in the photo and a link to where to buy them. Not only will you be able to track where the customers hear about you, the service just makes everything as easy as adding a product to the shopping cart.
See how the local brunch place, Catch 122, is getting creative by utilizing Instagram as an online menu?
3. Build a community and show your brand’s value
Instagram users are just a great pool of talent and produce numerous high-quality content that you can draw from. When deciding what to post on your Instagram account, think about what value you are providing to your customers and who you want to engage with. Is it a healthy-eating lifestyle, or minimalistic design style? Sharing your company values with the customers by building a community rather than aiming to directly convert them. Daniel Wellington does an awesome job by generating all its content from users and rewarding them by giving them credit. It only picks the photos that match the style of the brand and shows you what life is with a Daniel Wellington.
