Use Instagram to Connect with Your Audience

Instagram began as an iPhone and Android app that allowed users to share photos on Facebook directly from their phones. It has since become a social media channel in its own right. Marketers are learning that Instagram is a powerful marketing tool.

An interactive audience

One of the main reasons that Instagram is so powerful for marketing is that it delivers marketing messages in the exact way its audience wants them delivered. According to social media experts, the Instagram community is more interactive that other channels such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

To be successful on Instagram it is very important to interact with your Instagram followers. Here are some tips for engaging with the Instagram community.

Have conversations

Communicate with your followers by replying to comments and post questions. If you respond to comments, be sure to use the @mention feature. This way, the original commenter will be notified about your response.

Use images to tell stories

Instagram is all about connection and authenticity. You can humanize yourself and your company by posting behind-the-scenes photos. You can also use photos submitted by your followers. Instagram offers several photo-editing tools to allow you to quickly and easily edit your photos and give them a professional polish.

Promote events

If you are planning an event such as a contest, give away, or sale, Instagram is a great place to promote your event. Use visuals and hashtags to key your followers in to your event. Interested members can use the hashtag to find out more about your event.

Offer Incentives

You can use Instagram to offer various incentives such as discounts, coupon and custom codes. These incentives can be used to encourage participation. For example, you can use incentives to reward your followers for looking at your images and reading your descriptions.

Photo contests

You can use Instagram to run photo contests to increase engagement among your followers. Just like events, give your photo contest a unique hashtag. Ask your submitters to use the hash tag. This way, the photo entries are easy to search. Visitors can find the photos and cast their votes. You can also use the hashtag to find all user-submitted photos and decide on a winner.

Let customers sell your brand

Passionate customers are your best advocates. They will tell your story from an outsider’s perspective. This can be a powerful selling tool. Feature your customers’ pictures on Instagram. In addition to rewarding your customers with recognition, customer photos offer powerful social proof for your products. Your customers will love the recognition as well. Lastly, customer-submitted photos give you a unique view into how your customers experience your brand. You can take that information to strengthen your brand.
Instagram is a powerful marketing tool, if used correctly. The Instagram community is built around engagement. Use comments and photos to interact with your followers on Instagram.

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