Getting Started with Instagram for Your Brand | BCM

It was just a matter of time before Instagram, the largest photo app, became more brand-friendly. Instagram was purchased last year by Facebook, and recently launched a new feature, Photos of You, where brands can now be “tagged” in photos. Also see our post on marketer Instagram Secrets! This innovation, coupled with improvements in Facebook’s functionality, namely increased photo size and the option to have a photo-only NewsFeed, now requires that brands take a longer look at how to integrate Instagram into their digital marketing strategies. Here’s how to get started:

1. Get an Instagram account for your Brand  Easy enough!

2. Connect that account to your brand’s Facebook account  You must be an authorized administrator of your brand’s Facebook page.  Troubleshooting is available on the Instagram site.

3. Follow the “Instagram for Business” blog so you can keep up with new functionality and see best practices  

4. Let your followers on social media know that you have an Instagram account and interact with them Post your account name on Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts to get the word out.  Consistently post photos and use hashtags.  “Love” and comment on other photos and users that you find appealing and are relevant to your brand.

5. Investigate apps that enhance Instagram There are tons of them.  Two of my favorite are: Diptic – Allows you to combine multiple photos into one  And Statigram – which is a stat nerd paradise!  

6. Run a photo contest!  Take advantage of Photos of You and have your followers create photo content for your brand.  Reward them for their efforts. Statigram offers solutions for brands on Instagram to run contests. That should be more than enough for you to get started with your brand. For more assistance with Instagram or any other digital media, contact Beeby Clark+Meyler.