Should Your Brand Be on Instagram? 5 Important Questions to Consider

According to a recent article in Fast Company, almost one-quarter of Fortune 500 brands are using Instagram to connect with customers. And they are not just posting pictures of food, fashion or flowers.

Companies like FedEx, General Electric and BMW share images of planes, trains and automobiles to show case behind the scenes action at their organizations.

If you’re not aware, Instagram is a free iPhone and Android photo sharing application that lets you add flair to images with filters, transforming boring photos into works of art. Instagram is all about creating images, compared to Pinterest that is more about curating images.

Should your brand be on Instagram? Is it time to dedicate more resources to social media and get on the Instagram bandwagon?

Here are 5 important questions to consider before taking the plunge.

#1 Who are you targeting?

At last count Instagram reported 150 million active, monthly users. Compared to Pinterest, both men and women are represented on the platform, although it skews female (55 per cent of users). Instagram is most popular with younger people. Thirty-four per cent of Instagrammers are between the ages of 18 and 24, while another 33 per cent are 25-34.

If your brand targets this demographic, definitely consider Instagram as part of your social media marketing mix. And even if the 18-34 demo isn’t your consumer, they may represent another important stakeholder, such as potential employees.

#2 What resources can you dedicate?

Getting started on Instagram is relatively easy. Pick a user name that represents your brand, then add a profile picture, a short bio and a link to your website and you’re ready to “say cheese.”

Maintaining an account does not take much time once you are in the habit of taking pictures and posting to the app. It’s a best practice to post no more than once or twice a day so there is no need to constantly be snapping and sharing images.

A good example is Sharpie, a brand that does an excellent job of posting images frequently—but not too frequently.

Nevertheless, you still need to dedicate time to building your Instagram community.  Consider if you have adequate resources to not only post regularly, but more importantly, to engage with people by liking and commenting on their photos.

#3 Is your brand visual?

According to Nitrogram, the most popular brands on Instagram are Nike, Starbucks and the NBA. Instagram is an obvious option if your brand is visual. But even if it is not, Instagram may still be a good choice.

HootSuite, the popular social media management tool, isn’t intuitively visual. But the company makes good use of Instagram by focusing on its mascot, Owly, and using the app to give potential recruits a sense of its corporate culture.

#4 Is your brand or competition already on Instagram?

Monitoring a social media platform before committing to it is always a wise idea. Are other people already talking about your brand on Instagram? Is your competition actively sharing images?

Use the Explore tool within Instagram to search by placing a hashtag before your brand or competitor’s name. If organic conversations are already happening in your brand or category, consider launching an official account to create brand content and interact with your Instagram fans.

#5 What images will you share?

Instagram lets you use images and short video to connect with your customers and enhance their impressions of your brand or company. Before setting up your account, consider what assets you want to share.

Will you focus on your product? Or use images to communicate different aspects of your culture? Do you attend conferences (or run your own) that will help you tell a story about your business?

Whatever you decide, remember that Instagram isn’t all about you. Capture images that interest your target customers and balance fun photos with more serious ones from your business.

Do you need help getting started with Instagram? Contact us today to learn more about our social media marketing services.

Sources:

Instagram: is it right for your brand?