Should you be using Instagram?

It’s official, Instagram is booming. According to PR News, Instagram was the most-engaged platform during the Olympics for both B2B and B2C brands.

The social media platform is not only achieving a fast growing number of users, but it’s proving to be a popular tool for marketers too.

With such great engagement rates, it sounds like an opportunity not to be missed for any business - but should you really be jumping on the Instagram bandwagon?

If you’re considering adding Instagram to your social media toolkit, begin by comparing how your brand aligns with the US P soft he social media platform.

Instagram is all about visuals. Whether it’s short videos, eye-catching photos, emotive quotes or funny memes, you need to have visuals that will grab attention.

Think about what elements of your organisation you could capture in an attractive image.

Instagram can be a great way of sharing your employer brand with the outside world too. If your team travel a lot, get them to share images from their trips. If you invest in team days out, get lots of snaps and upload them.

Also note that earlier this year Instagram introduced a new algorithm, which means posts now appear depending on what users have engaged with.

Many Instagram users have also noticed adverts receiving increased prominence in their news feeds.

Consider allocating budget specifically for Instagram advertising, not only to help kick-start a new account but to also increase your reach to a targeted audience. Instagram is owned by Facebook, meaning there are several features that allow you to seamlessly advertise across both, whilst also making the most of the great audience targeting many advertisers have come to love.

Also look at how your brand could use ‘Instagram stories’. Many have argued stories are an attempt to copy the popular features of Snapchat, as it allows users to collate images and videos into a story that will vanish after 24 hours.

For brands, however, Instagram stories are a great way to engage your audience in time-specific events.

Instagram could be a great new platform for your organisation but before you start, gather the assets you need to create a compelling profile, create campaigns that will give you great reasons to post on a regular basis and, last but not least, consider whether your target audience is using the platform.

Wherever you post your content, you want to make sure it’s reaching the right audience.