3 Most Important Things in an Instagram Campaign

The hottest network going right now is Instagram. You probably know that, yet you’re hesitant to jump into the photo-marketing realm, I can’t blame you, it can be intimidating. But the good news is, you don’t have to be a prolific photographer to have a great Instagram feed that attracts people and increases awareness of your brand. You just have to keep a few key things in mind. Instagram is not like Facebook or Twitter. It is not like Pinterest, it has it’s own unique type of follower and it’s own unique platform – so it demands it’s own set of rules.

In running Instagram campaigns for my clients, I have learned through trial and error and testing what works… and what doesn’t. Here are my TOP 3 things you need to consider when building out your Instagram strategy, there are more, but if you start with these three first, I believe you will see growth and success in your marketing effort:

GREAT PHOTOS – Remember above all things that Instagramers are photo snobs, we love great photography, we are there to see great photography. Please don’t sell with your photo, instead, tell a story that represents your brand mood. Use only clear, quality photos.
MASTER HASHTAGS – You will attract more people to your feed with hashtags. Master your hashtags like you do your keywords. Use hashtags to describe your photo and the message you are sending. People looking for that same subject matter will find you more easily. Additionally, use your branded hashtags that represent your company and services on every post.
AVOID TEXT ON YOUR PHOTOS – DO NOT use text on your photos, save the text for the comment section on your post. Text takes away from your image and makes it feel like an ad… and Instagram doesn’t like it. The most successful ran campaigns from big brands are not traditional ads with text, but photos that capture the mood of the brand and represent the products they are selling.

In this example for my client who is an Italian hat maker, I captured an impromptu photo while out shopping (with permission of course). The photo tells a story and is fun and certainly represents the mood of the brand. Hashtags used? #italianhats #shoppingNYC #nycstyle #boyshats #passagrillihats #goorinbrothers… etc.

There is much more to consider when planning an Instagram campaign, so we will save that for later posts. This will give you a good start.

LUNCH AND LEARN ABOUT INSTAGRAM MARKETING

If you are in the real estate business in Dallas, Texas, I will be presenting a Lunch & Learn on how to use Instagram in the Real Estate industry. Download the flyer for class details here.