Instagram

Instagram Marketing for Online Entrepreneurs

What’s it going to take for Internet Marketers to finally embrace Instagram, Apple Inc.’s 2011 “App of the Year”?

For those still unaware, Instagram is a free photo-sharing program and social media network that currently enjoys a base of over one-hundred million registered users.Instagram logo

Started in October 2010 by entrepreneurs Kevin Systrom and Michel Krieger as a mobile photography project called Burbn, Instagram has surpassed Flickr, Picassa and other well-known photo apps in terms of volume, importance, and buzz-worthiness.

Facebook Purchased Instagram

So much so, that social media giant Facebook showed its love for Instagram by presenting it with a billion dollar stock and cash purchase offer on April 12, 2012 that was approved by regulators five months later.

Still, many marketers are justifiably skeptical about Instagram’s usefulness in a fast-evolving mobile world. Photography marketing, for lack of a better phrase, is largely uncharted territory.

Furthermore, skeptics would ask, what’s the big deal about taking a photo, filtering it digitally, uploading, and then sharing it with a “photo-viewing” network?

Can sharing photos on Instagram expand your expert status and credibility in today’s cyber-business world?

In a word, yes and here’s why…

A Picture is worth at least a Thousand Words.

With all due respect to e-mails, salesletters, and choppy video messages, photographs continue to be real attention getters. Through pictures, Instagram lets you build emotional bonds with your audience and creates intimacy at a level that text is rarely capable of. Being innovative with hash tags and well-timed promotions (e.g. monthly contests, giveaways) has never been more intuitive.

Instant image sharing from the convenience of a mobile phone is your marketing gateway. Whether targeting a new microniche or reclaiming followers in a competitive market, you can instantly present your digital collage on screens worldwide. Instagram currently supports major platforms like Apple iOS and Google Android.

A Systematic Approach to Instagram Marketing

There is more to Instagram Internet Marketing than snapping photos and uploading them to family and friends. Your marketing campaign must follow a few simple yet vital steps to achieve success:

1. Create an action plan

What steps do you as an Internet Marketer need to follow to turn your target audience into raving fans of your personal brand? What kind of photos will it take to capture their interest? What picture elements will encourage them to make your unique selling proposition (USP) go viral?

2. Take pictures (i.e. create content)

Make sure that the photos you take adhere to the following principles:

  • A. Exclusivity: To ensure the best photo search results, make sure you only post them to Instagram.
  • B. Mystery: Add an element of secrecy by deliberately “leaking” valuable information.
  • C. Esthetics: People are attracted by the “Wow” factor in pictures, and are more likely to share attractive photos with friends.
  • D. Person-ality: If you run a small business, highlight your staff and workplace friendliness. Present a positive first impression of your company that tells prospects you are real and for real.

3. Adding Hashtags

Like on Twitter, Instagram's hashtags make your photos searchable and give you a better chance to attract active followers. Use niche-specific and general keywords in names and descriptions to increase visibility.

Aware of its place of influence in social media circles, the company is spearheading efforts to keep the “Insta-space” positive by banning photographs and hash tags that promote hate or self-harm.

Ms. Ileane created her own Instagram hashtag – she uses #ileanegram That's a cool way to make your own Instagram posts unique. Most people don't realize that you are allowed up to 30 unique hashtags on each one of your posts.

4. Better Interaction with Audience

Include photos of yourself in action, whether in your regular workplace or out at seminars, trade shows, or other industry events. Engage your audience by asking for comments about a new business process, product or service upgrade. People like to connect with people not brands – so going behind the scenes to show how much work goes into your product or service is always a good thing.

5. Consistency of Process

Even if a big splash draws immediate attention, it’s slow and steady that wins the race! Add value to your Instagram portfolio on a regular basis to establish long-term brand recognition. Update regularly!

Examples of Innovative Instagram Use

A number of iconic businesses and individuals have already put Instagram to use. For example, the Ford Motor Company created the “Fiestagram” contest to increase visibility and awareness of its latest Fiesta models amongst Europe’s fashion, style, and tech trendsetters. Its six-week 2011 campaign attracted 120,000 new Facebook fans and over 16,000 photo entries. For Ford, Instagram was the perfect vehicle for transcending European language barriers to create a simple but effective giveaway contest that would help it meet its ambitious marketing goals.

Rising UK pop star Ellie Goulding took a page out of the fan-generated Michael Jackson’ “Behind the Mask” project to create a visually appealing video using Instagram submissions for her hit song “Anything Could Happen.” It was a promotional coup that gave supporters a piece of the action, and kept Goulding in the music news cycle prior to her album release in October 2012.

Not surprisingly, Sharpie – the makers of markers and other specialty pens – has put Instagram to good use. It encourages customers and followers to post their sketches regularly. Sharpie appeals to its target market’s creativity, and in return can reasonably measure the devotion of customers to its products.

Recommendation

Facebook’s purchase of Instagram has drawn comparisons with Google’s $1.65B USD YouTube buy in 2006. Some are wondering whether the once innocent San Francisco start-up can fuel photo marketing the way YouTube brought video marketing to the mainstream.

While the jury is still out on the prohibitive price tag (N.B. Yahoo! bought competitor Flickr for $35 million USD in 2005), there is little doubt that photo sharing is a popular activity with significant upside for those who use it properly.

Ultimately, it will be the bold innovators and entrepreneurs who create pictures, exploit Instagram add-ons and use its plug-ins that will secure massive customer goodwill in the years to come.

Will one of those entrepreneurs be you?

For Further Reading:

Photos by Sharpie on Instagram

Robbie Daw, Ellie Goulding’s Anything Could Happen: Watch the Lyric Video for Her New Single

Dan Klamm, How Ford Used Instagram to Promote the Fiesta’s High-Tech Features

Michael Stelzner, Instagram Marketing: How to Get Started with Instagram

Insta Profit Gram Click Here!

What's your experience with leveraging Instagram for marketing your business?

44 thoughts on “Instagram Marketing for Online Entrepreneurs”

  1. Hey Brian,
    Thanks for bringing this up. I have not read any of such post elsewhere on Instagram. It looks like very few bloggers are making use of it. Personally, I have no experience on it.

    Following your tips, I’ll be playing arround it to see what it gives 😉

  2. I always was concerned that Instagram can be another great tool for making money)) And I wasn’t wrong) Tanls for sharing this review!

    1. Eh? Still not sure how Instagram can be used to make money – not from this post at least. Personally I think it’s overrated and the privacy policy and terms of use conditions will be its ultimate downfall.

  3. I have heard a lot about Instagram but so far have not been able to use it. I am now thinking of trying it out. To use it for marketing seems like a good idea. Thanks for pointing this out.

  4. Hi Brian, Nice to see you and your guest post on BBT. Well I am an active user of Instagram and I love sharing images on Instagram. It seems good to use Instagram as a marketing tool.

    Thanks!

  5. Hi Brian, I found when I added hashtags to my photos I did get more likes. I haven’t really used it for my blog or websites. I use it for phone. I’ll have to follow some of your tips to use it for my sites and get more creative. Thank you.

  6. Nice post Brian,
    I have not really used Instagram yet with my website but I have heard from a lot of people who have managed to drive a lot of traffic to their websites using Instagram so this is something I am going to try this year 🙂
    Thanks for the post ! there is a load of useful advice for newbies to instagram.

  7. I find it rather interesting that Facebook purchase such an app, they have thousands of API integrated apps yet they find this one worth value enough to actually purchase it. I’ve never used Instagram for marketing so far I’ve only followed a few people.

  8. Instagram is expanding fast, so any company that want a powerful online presence should follow your suggestions and action plan. Nevertheless, I think that companies should adapt to the specificity of this social network, as not every image posted is embraced by the community. There are certain standards that any photo should comply to.

  9. Excellent post Brian,

    I wonder which would be best instagram or twitter?

    I have been testing taking pictures with twitter and it works great with no problems at all.

    I don’t think you can add the fancy special effects that instagram offers though like the ability to add your logo or branding to the image, that would be cool.

  10. Hi Brian,
    Great post, I am not using Instagram yet, but after reading your article about it I am really excited to use it. It have great features which can help a lot in various fields.

  11. As a social network I don’t have used Instagram yet that’s why most often I use other social networks. But after reading this post I am feeling something like this I am missing a great network!
    So I am very interested about Instagram. Thanks for this informative post “Brian Edmondson”:)

  12. Instagram has indeed emerged as a strong promotional tool. It is just a matter of time before it will spread like a wildfire and get into the mainstream just like YouTube has.

  13. hello Brian,
    Instagram has taken the lead in making the web more visual, creating avid photographers from average users and brand specialists from businesses who have seen the potential of such platform. Photo-sharing has proven to be a great way to attract a good following, increase customer relations, and inspire active participation and discussion from users. To enjoy all these promising benefits, what does it take to make your marketing campaign a success?

    It is actually a great and helpful piece of information. I am happy that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing 🙂

  14. Hi Brian, I knew about this network. But I’ve never thought or read this kind of information. I think it is best way to get benefit and reach audience to our site, because i read somewhere else that there are currently 22billion mobile users in the world.

  15. I have learnt something new today~don’t send your photos to other platform (facebook, twitter etc) to make it more exclusive. That’s brilliant.

  16. very informative post Brian.Instagram,a word which i kept hearing,but never thought that it can be a best tool for marketing.

  17. I still don’t how Instagram can help a website if your goal is to build a business. Yea I could take pictures of my travels, but beyond voyerism I don’t see the value. Maybe if you provided a concrete case study I could get more on board with this idea.

    1. David,

      Couple of ways to approach this.

      1. Some niches are going to be more “visual” than others. If there is a visual aspect to your niche; then it’s pretty much a no brainer.

      2. As a huge advocate of personal branding and personality based marketing, I really think there are a lot of uses of using “everyday pictures” and using them to turn it into some type of value added content or lesson for your specific market. That part takes a little more thought, but for those who understand the power of it, the uses are really unlimited.

    1. Yes Instagram has been Facebookified if you will. Twitter actually responded to this by adding some cool filters you can use on your images to kind of emulate what you can do with Instagram. We can even apply the ideas in this article to sharing pictures on twitter as well.

  18. I’ve just started using Instagram and I instantly fell in love with it. I often use it not just for personal usebut for marketing purposes as well.

  19. Definitely food for thought Brian.
    I’ve no doubt Instagram has a good shelf life, but it’s some way from peaking yet, which of course is great for marketers and smart bloggers.
    But for now, I have to say it’s not giving much in the way of results. At least not my way.

    I’ll continue of course.

    By the way, what does everyone think about Manteresting.com?

  20. Brian,

    What are your thoughts with regard to traditional businesses in “non-picturey” industries. For example IT, marketing, finance, etc.

    Photos really make sense for: cars, hotels, salons, conferences, and many others.

    I am working with a financial services firm and a previous firm set them up on Instagram but did not do anything with it. I personally am not seeing a fit and I suppose that it makes sense Instagram won’t be a fit for every business.

    Thanks for the article.

    -Chris.

  21. Ken Flannery

    Brian,

    Thanks for the great info. I have a Real Estate business in Browns Mills, NJ and have been looking at other ways to market.

    Thanks again,

    Ken Flannery

  22. I have always known that instagram is a great app, lots of my friends are using it. However when I want to register it was not possible cause it needed a device like iPhone – it wouldn’t load into my computer. I keep trying but I haven’t had much success.

  23. I have been trying to open an account but my android says it is not compatible.
    Currently downloading bluestacks android emulator. I hope this trick works.

  24. Well if facebook remove their ridiculous ‘we can use your photos whenever we feel like it for whatever we feel like’ policy, more people may consider using Instagram… that’s what will make it take off.

  25. instagram is great for marketing and proves to be more and more important in these days and growing everyday as more people are joining….

  26. Thanks for the article. I didn’t know too much about instagram before I read this article. Thanks for the education.

  27. Rajkumar Jonnala

    this is one of the best way for online marketing thanks for sharing your ideas with us

  28. I just had a wonderful guest poster for my blog that just had just written an article that talks about using Instagram for your marketing!

    If you the extra time from working on other aspects of the marketing, then I am all for using Instagram to leverage more results to your blog!

  29. For me personally, I’d only include my URL in fields that specifically ask for it. Generally on social media, I just use the medium in a social manner that it was intended for; and let the traffic naturally filter down to my own site from people who naturally get value from what I’m posting and want to learn more about me. I wouldn’t include links in tags to photos or anything that isn’t natural.

    Hope that helps.

    Brian

  30. while reading your article
    i still skeptic about instagram
    but when i see that yahoo bought flickr and google has bought youtube
    and i know how big they are ,
    i think now i give instagram second chance

    thanks for great post

  31. hey!
    i didn’t know too much more about instagram before i read this article. but I am now thinking join in instagram. keep it up thnks for share here…. 🙂

  32. Adding hashtags is sure to boost our presence on Instagram. The other four points are cool too, but you have missed one. Merging two, three or more images into a single one is sure to boost too. There are various tools available on the web to do this.

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