In June 2016, Instagram reached 500 million active monthly users, up from 400 million in September 2015. Consumer brands like HomeGoods and King Arthur Flour have shown the power of great design and mouth-watering treats in engaging users and growing an Instagram following, the photo sharing platform isn’t just for consumer brands. B2B brands including Adobe, Citrix and MailChimp have quickly demonstrated the power of creativity and culture in building an engaged audience on Instagram. Here’s how your B2B company can leverage the power of Instagram as part of their social media marketing program.
Showcase company culture
Company culture plays an important role in attracting the right talent to an organization. Visual marketing channels like Instagram offer companies an avenue for showcasing team-building events, inspiring workspaces and a snapshot of what it is like to work for their firm. Embracing the power of their own teams, some organizations even go so far as to offer employees the opportunity to do Instagram takeovers and update the company’s Instagram with a “day in the life” stream of content.
Highlight what inspires you
Puppies. Bunnies. Gourmet food. The prospect of improving the quality of life in third-world countries. While everyone draws their inspiration from unique places, letting clients, prospects and potential team members know what makes your organization tick can make for an interesting and engaging stream of Instagram content.
Showcase your impact
Let’s say your company manufactures highly specialized widgets that power industrial equipment used in major construction projects. While it may be challenging to cultivate an audience who wants to look at countless photos of your widgets, the projects your widget helps clients to execute may pique your audiences’ interests. Effective marketing – regardless of the channel through which it is shared – clearly connects what you do with why it matters. Instagram is a great avenue for showcasing this connection in a visually compelling and easy to digest format.
Make it personal
Behind every product and service is a team of people who are working hard to drive an organization forward. Whether you showcase your team working in their native environment or volunteering in the community, B2B companies have an opportunity to help clients and prospects connect with their organization and team through Instagram.
Tell your story
Great marketers are great storytellers. They know how to dig for a compelling hook, hone the message and leverage visuals to bring a story to life. Whether it’s the story of revitalizing a community through economic development, or bettering communities by supporting education and outreach, every company has a compelling story to tell. When evaluating which marketing channels can help to achieve your organization’s goals, consider how to bring your stories to life through compelling visuals that are well-suited to sharing on Instagram. Remember, stories are about more than products and services – they are about the people behind them, the community relations initiatives that are part of your mission and the culture that defines your organization.
While effective Instagram marketing requires companies to create and curate a collection of high quality photos to tell their story, a consistently updated and thoughtfully executed Instagram presence can enhance an organization’s social media marketing program.
Looking for tips to make your marketing more visual, including opportunities to leverage photos and videos in your traditional and digital marketing? Contact us today!
