The main goal of any social media strategy is to learn how to BE social, NOT how to DO social. Social media is all about communicating with your consumer base, not shoving your brand down their throat. Your posts should showcase your businesses personality and the people that are behind the magic; make your consumers want to be friends with the people who run your business, so when they decide they need to go shopping they choose your store/product. When building graphics or content, think about the type of posts you would upload personally; does your content mimic that same feel? Once you mastered that, your business’ social media will soar.
Now that I have successfully gone on a social media rant (oops), let’s focus on a few key tips & tricks to help make your Instagram work for your business.
1. Let’s start with the basics, how often & when to post.
Each consumer base is going to engage at different times of the day & sometimes even on different days of the week. The best way to find what works best for your brand is to test posting at different intervals and times, but make sure to track how each time preforms so you know when to continue to post. Once you have found the best time/day to post, make sure to stick to a uniform posting schedule.
2. Switch up the type of content you post.
Make sure to keep things interesting! Don’t continuously post the exact same type of content because it will get boring for your following & they will start to unfollow or even worse write nasty comments on your posts (we call it “social balls” internally).
3. Choose brand style guidelines & stick to them.
Instagram is all about visuals, so aim to build a cohesive but recognizable brand identity. Choose a similar backdrop or a few key people of your business to be the focus of your posts. A visual social media report from WebDam found that 60 percent of the top brands on Instagram use the same filter for every post. This allows their page to have consistent look and feel. Pick a subject matter that matches your company; for some that is easy: A Jeweler will post jewelry; a RV dealer will post RVs. Decide if you are going to utilize emojis or if you will stick to strict grammar rules. Create a branded hashtag & USE it.
Outside of the original Instagram posts, Instagram Stories have taken the platform to the next level & you need to be utilizing this feature to capture your audience’s attention. Make sure your story is clear & simple, don’t overwhelm your consumers with too much information in one image/video. Break it up, tell a story (like the name… what a breakthrough). Create a beginning, middle and end, this will help capture your audience until the end. Showcase real aspects of your business, be authentic. Not every video will be perfect. You do not need the best lighting or the best shot to get your viewers to listen. People trust REAL. The most important thing is to utilize all of the amazing features that Instagram provides to its users. Also, last, but certainly not least USE CALL-TO-ACTIONS! Make sure to very clearly direct your consumers to the action you want them to complete.
Just remember, what works for your business on Instagram is not always the best for every platform. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter all have extremely different audiences that engage with content, so make sure to tailor your content to each platform.
I know, I just listed A LOT of information and building a cohesive brand strategy can be difficult, that is where we come in. Here’s the “Bottom Line,” if you need help managing your company’s Social Media give us a call. We have a team of dedicated and smart individuals who are willing and able to build a partnership with you and take your social to new heights.