Here’s how brands are making use of Instagram
With 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is gaining traction over the years as being the leading visual social media platform out there. Starting later than Facebook and Twitter, it is grown to be the third most popular social media platform just after Facebook with 2 billion active monthly users and YouTube with 1.9 billion active monthly users. Furthermore, Instagram’s user base is very diverse but is mostly popular with the younger audiences. In fact, 64% of 18 – 29 year olds use Instagram, that is nearly 2 out of 3.
So what differentiates Instagram from Facebook or Twitter or Reddit or LinkedIn?
What makes Instagram is its huge visual emphasis, with images and videos taking the forefront instead of captions or words or audio. Scroll down Instagram and all you see are images, only when the visuals draw you in then you’ll be interested to know more by reading the captions. Visual content is key because it is fact that people remember 80% of what they see, 20% of what they read and 10% of what they hear. Humans are naturally very visual creatures.
However, while Instagram might not be the right social platform for certain brands, engagement with brands on Instagram is 84 times higher than Twitter and 10 times higher than Facebook, its own parent company. The downside is that it is difficult to generate leads and drive traffic because of its lack of links. Despite that though, it is perfect to showcase your brand’s goals, values, culture and create genuine engagement with your consumers through content.
With that being said, let’s take a look at how existing brands make use of Instagram.
- Establishing brand consistency
One notable account is Bellroy, an Australian accessories brand, inclusive of bags, folios, wallets, pouches, phone cases and key covers. Their Instagram page has a very distinct look with the minimal photos of their products of of people using their products and solid colours. However, note that when they are promoting a certain series, they keep the colours strictly consistent even though they make use of various kinds of posts. Flat-lays, photographs, vectors and even illustrations. A brand can have many kinds of ways to display their product or service but keeping them in a consistent identity is what makes it work. Visual trends even within an account is key. This is how a brand can use Instagram’s squarish, collage layout to present their collections or products in a visually pleasing way.
Fitbit goes for a lifestyle direction where they showcase how the product is being used as their consumers go about their day to day life. This lets your consumers be sure and confident about the reliability of the product and where and how it can be used. Notice that they aren’t any key identifiers that the brand is Fitbit, however, by looking at what links all the posts together, the watch itself, we would be able to tell that this is Fitbit. Even if the colours don’t match exactly, ensuring as a whole that it looks visually appealing creates a good form of visual engagement and recognition. Usually, along with that, peppered in between are words that generates thoughts or conversations which brings us to our next section.
2. Creating engaging content
Sheep Inc, is a recent clothing brand that are dedicated in creating comfortable, long-lasting sweaters that are biodegradable and carbon negative. Because of this, their tone of voice is more down to Earth and casual. Looking at their Instagram, one can immediately notice the distinct shade of fun yellow texts and monochrome, muted images. Being stylistically there already, the content creates further engagement with the audience. The interesting thing about sheep inc. is that you own a sheep after you buy a sweater from them. So, to engage the audience, such examples include, “sheep name of the day” or context as to why they are doing what they are doing, serving a cause, in a way that fits your tone of voice. The content almost bleeds into each other like a paragraph.
VSCO is a community platform for photographers. The thing about VSCO is that it is readily accessible to anyone who might have an interest in photography, loaded with presets and easy to use editing features. The way that they create engaging content on social media is by featuring photos by photographers who use their platform. Because of the ease of being featured and usage of their service, the content connects with their target psychographic. This allows aspiring photographers to showcase their work along with insights to why they shoot the things that they do, as well as for VSCO to promote their new presets. Social proof is important in establishing a stable brand. People want to know how other people use and engage their products or services which in turns improves trust between brand and consumers.
3. Use Instagram tools
Uni Qlo is a good example of how to make use of the tools that Instagram provides such as stories, IGTV and bulk uploads. Instagram has evolved over the years by adding full length videos through IGTV, uploading multiple pictures as well as implementing a stories feature which is widely used by consumers on a day to day basis. Uni Qlo makes use of bulk uploads by featuring one particular person in different outfits, in different scenarios. Back to my lifestyle point, it generates inspiration as people are curious as to how people who have achieved something, live their lives and how it can impact others. Inspired people tend to relate more closely to the brand. They also make use of short and long videos, longer ones on IGTV to interview people on certain topics. Their account is all rounded and makes full use of the tools that Instagram has.
DRIBBBLE
Notice a trend here. People love to be inspired and motivated by others’ lifestyle and views. So how does dribbble tap into that? Dribbble is a brand for the design community. They know their demographics and psychographics very well. That is the first step to using certain tools. Looking at the design community and how sometimes they might look or inspiration of prompts to run into artist/idea block, dribbble regularly post design challenges or exercises through stories. This is an excellent way of catching their target audience as they tap through their daily stories, giving them a shot of inspiration throughout their day. Also on their feed, they have favourites for blog posts, interviews, as well as design insights. These personal motivational stories and featured designs are what makes people invested.
Now that we have seen some examples of how brands make use of Instagram, go out there and make your own business or brand stand out.
