Three Ways to Use Instagram to Your Advantage
Posted by aonenetworks On October 29, 2013
Even though Facebook owns Instagram, the photo-based company is still very much a separate service and has a life of its own. While Facebook alone is a great social media platform and an excellent place to start, Instagram has the power of being a picture-based sharing program only. Since this platform is so popular with those who do not use Facebook, you can even harness a completely new audience just by using it correctly. Here are just a few ways to take advantage of Instagram.
Timing is Key
You probably have a pretty good idea of when to post on your Facebook now. Between Facebook analysis and your own observations, you should already know if your audience is comprised of night owls or lunch browsers. Unfortunately, the timing for Instagram is completely and utterly different. Since this program is rarely accessed through a computer and is almost exclusively mobile-based, people tend to access the program more often than they would a different social media platform. While other social media websites have mobile and app versions, they didn’t start out that way – Instagram did.
The only way to figure out when your audience is going to respond to your Instagram is through trial and error. Keep track of how many shares something gets (especially something intriguing or funny). This will help you define a time period in which your audience is often online.
Take Advantage of Hashtags
Twitter and Facebook have already hopped on the hashtag wagon, and so has Instagram. While too many hashtags can cause confusion, a few here and there are always beneficial. You can integrate these in with your post’s title about the picture or in the description. People don’t like staring at hashtags, but when they’re included in a description, they are often more accepted.
Videos Can Also Be Used
Sometimes a picture just doesn’t do it, and you need something with a little extra pizzazz. Instagram introduced videos a few months ago, and larger companies are already using this feature to spread clever marketing messages on Instagram. The limit is fifteen seconds, so make sure your video is concise, catchy, and useful.
Instagram can be tricky, but once you get a hang of videos, integrated hashtags, and timing, you’ll be well on your way of making yet another social media outlet useful for your business.
