What happens when you decide to market a business using only Instagram? If you’re like most companies, you’ll have to shut down shop… But if you’re James and Carah Reynoso of Ezra & Eli, well, then you might have to temporarily shut down your shop just to meet through-the-roof demand! Worse things could happen to a start-up, right?
Ezra & Eli is an eco-friendly, fashion-forward clothing brand for infants and toddlers, based out of Franklin, Tennessee – just a stone’s throw from our BuzzPlant office. I had the pleasure of meeting James and getting to know him at Whole Foods, where we struck up a conversation about business, marketing, and – of course – Instagram.
Ezra & Eli: Instagram Marketing
How do they do it? Here are four key types of content I see in Ezra & Eli’s Instagram strategy. Any B2C company could use these Instagram marketing strategies…
#1 Giveaways
Ezra & Eli does a great job at pushing the giveaways. Giveaways are an excellent way to build excitement, bolster brand awareness, and drive traffic. And – to state the obvious – giving away your own product costs a lot less than the sticker price.
Participating in this contest doesn’t require a whole lot from users: (1) follow all four shops, (2) tag three friends in the comments, (3) and use the campaign hashtag on a picture of your own baby. In 90 seconds, a user can enter to win and push exposure for all brands involved.
#2 The “10k Followers” Sale
The “10k Followers” sale is another great example of how Ezra & Eli has pushed engagement – and rewarded followers in a tangible way!
Of course, you can pick any milestone for your own Instagram marketing purposes. Create a sense of urgency and ownership in your brand’s fans; ask them to help push you to your goal by tagging friends or commenting (so that the activity will show up in their friends’ ‘Following’ feed).
#3 Share Fans’ Content
Perhaps the one angle of Instagram strategy Ezra & Eli does best is sharing their fans’ content. Most of the @ezra_and_eli feed consists of cute kids wearing E&E clothes. And what potential customer isn’t going to love that?
#4 Promote the Niche
Lastly, I love how this company is a team player all the way. Take this post (below), for example. This is one of many posts that are entirely focused on another company in the same niche. Far from avoiding the fact that they have competitors, Ezra & Eli embrace it wholeheartedly. This is a company that prioritizes their customers’ desires above their own agenda. And, clearly, it’s paying off for them!
Enough About Instagram Marketing…
Go check out their store! What local small business do you admire? What do these small businesses “get” that the more established companies can’t wrap their heads around? Let’s talk in the comments section below!