What generates 70 million photos each day, 2.5 billion likes daily and has 300 million active users? You guessed it – Instagram. This photo-sharing social platform has really taken off over the past few years and many businesses are starting to take note. If you’ve been putting off your Instagram debut because you’re not quite sure how it works, you’re in luck. Even if you think your brand isn’t camera-ready, these Instagram ideas can work for even the least photogenic brands.
First, I should tell you the cardinal rule of Instagram: Use quality photos. Instagram is a visual platform, take advantage of it. A few other guidelines to follow are be creative, think of clever captions, tag relevant people and businesses, add locations and use appropriate hashtags.
Let’s say your team volunteers with Habitat for Humanity to build houses in the community. Tagging Habitat For Humanity, using relevant hashtags, such as #MightyFineCaring and #habitatforhumanity (encourage everyone at the event to use the same hashtag) and adding the neighborhood as the location will all help people with similar interests find your posts. Habitat for Humanity will be notified that you tagged them and could share your post, furthering your reach.
Stumped on what to post? Give these ideas a try to engage your followers and accelerate your growth on Instagram:
1. Expose your company culture. Followers love seeing the people behind the closed doors of your office. You can take images “behind the scenes” of a current project, or show “a day in the life” of someone at your company. Find the beauty in your brand (even if what you offer isn’t all that photogenic).
2. Encourage clients to post photos using your product or service. You can come up with a unique hashtag for them to use and ask them to tag you. You can then repost your clients’ photos. Your clients will love being featured on your account and your followers will love seeing how what you do helps other companies.
3. Does your company take part in volunteer work, team bonding or other activities outside the office? Encourage staff to share these pictures for you to post.
4. Create a unique hashtag for a company party and have all of your employees add the hashtag to the pictures they take at the soiree. This way you can repost pictures taken by employees and create buzz around popular hashtags.
5. Look for inspiration. Research other companies whose style you like to see what’s working for them and follow their lead.
What types of Instagram posts have you noticed receive the most engagement? Share your ideas in the comments below!
Originally published on the SAGE Blog
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