Wednesday reflections…
I came across a post this morning as I was sipping my daily cup of java while scrolling through my Facebook Newsfeed titled: “The Top Instagrammed Design Destinations In The U.S.“ I immediately clicked on the link, and it got me thinking about Social Media Marketing. Social Media Marketing is all about content and getting potential customers to respond to your content; your content has to evoke curiosity and be aesthetically pleasing; your content must create a sense of reassurance and excitement and showcase your company’s culture – all at the same time. Just thinking about developing this kind of content daily can seem overwhelming, but I will let you in on a little secret…
Get personal with your brand!
Getting personal will do wonders for your brand. WARNING: POSTING YOUR PHOTO TO SOCIAL WILL NOT CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DISASTER. Many people are weary of posting photos of themselves on the Internet. Don’t be; this is what society was made for! I want to dive head-first into one of today’s most influential social media platforms, Instagram.
Instagram or “The Gram” – if you want to sound like one of those hip millennials (although they have the right idea) is a tool you should be using if you aren’t already. There is no better way to market your brand than by forming content that your audience can personally relate to, and Instagram is the perfect platform to capture that and create lasting relationships with potential customers.
Instagram 101:
BE REAL WITH YOUR BRAND
Post photos of you and your team interacting with clients and each other. Is the office dog doing something funny? Post it to The Gram! Are you a family-run business? Showcase your family and your family’s company values. People love to see that you are a real company with a relatable day-to-day – just like them.
BE INTERESTING
Nobody wants to see or engage in the same content flooding their newsfeed regularly. Be interesting. Are you planning a team activity? Post it to The Gram! Is an employee planning a fabulous vacation? Have them take a destination photo with a company sign or mascot. People like to see you having fun. At Power Marketing, we believe fun makes work better and makes it more comfortable when forming relationships with potential leads.
SHOWCASE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Did your company receive a notable award? Post it to The Gram! Did you receive a glowing testimonial? Showcase accomplishments on your newsfeed; they don’t have to be huge accomplishments, either. Did your co-worker finally decide to shave his ‘No-Shave November’ trophy beard? OK, that Gram might be up for debate, but does Gram, your beard-free co-worker, receive a crisp $100 bonus for his incredible marketing talents?
DON’T BE AFRAID OF VIDEO
Videos are social media’s gift to us. They are influential, often viewed, highly attainable, and FREE! Recent statistics show that 4X consumers prefer watching a video about a product than reading about it (Source). Cisco projects that global Internet traffic from videos will make up 80% of all Internet traffic by 2019 (Source). Instagram Videos are only a few seconds long, so be creative! Apps like Boomerang and Promo make video creation easy for the non-savvy Instagram user. Check out these videos of brands doing Instagram videos right: Click Here for Inspiration.
HASHTAGS ARE YOUR FRIEND
Hashtags, some people over use them, some people never use them, find your happy hashtag medium and USE THEM! Hashtags are a necessary evil and help categorize your content. Hashtags help potential customers see you and want to engage with your brand. Hashtags build trust. They help convey your message to your audience, capture leads, and make sales (which is the ultimate goal, correct?) So don’t be shy #buildyourbrand, get #creative, and #hashtag away!
A Gram a day brings leads your way! Post your Insta-worthy photos below and follow us on Instagram. #wedoitforthegram!