We have come to rely on social media as a means to build awareness of our brand and to attract and build social leads. Instagram, now that it is part of the Facebook family, is more powerful than ever to handle that task. Interfacing with your Facebook page, having access to in-depth analytics and demo/geographics, PLUS it’s focused and loyal followers of great photography are only a few reasons that Instagram needs to be in your strategic marketing plan.

In Part 2 of the INSTAGRAM MARKETING SERIES, I will provide you with strategies on how to build your brand on Instagram and increase awareness and influence. I will share key tips on the art of storytelling, and time saving factors when you interface Instagram with Facebook. Also, tips on doubling your impact with ads, and other insights, information, and facts to boost your brand and “INSTABrand” your business.

Thank you for joining me, enjoy!

Missed Part 1 of the series?  Read it here.

INSTAGRAM MARKETING SERIES: PART 2

Building a Dynamic Instagram Feed and Boosting your Social Influence 

CHAPTER 1: Build Your Brand With These 4 Tried-and-True Tips

Image designs by @nsthtc #nuaesthetic

A LOT of people are paying attention to Instagram!

40 Billion Images

         4.2 Billion Likes

                  400 Million Daily Users

Being found there and building a memorable brand takes work but can happen if you follow these 4 tips…

1. Build key partnerships 

Find the people who are reaching your audience and partner with them –

2. Build your email list

Convert followers to subscribers with a great call to action and link in your bio –

3. Create content people will share

Use beautiful imagery with engaging text –

4. Engage your followers

Make posts when your followers are online and ask them to engage –

Create an influential page with:

• STRATEGIC posts

• BRANDED images

• COMPELLING content

• ENGAGING call-to-actions

These things will increase exposure of your brand.

Instagram has tremendous potential for businesses in almost any industry. If you use Instagram strategically, you can be assured it will have a significant impact on your reach, brand awareness, and ultimately your sales.

CHAPTER 2: How Important is Visual Marketing to My Strategic Marketing Plan?​

Image designs by @nsthtc #nuaesthetic

If I were standing before you today teaching a class and asked you this question “how are you converting your Instagram and social media followers into real social leads?”, I would get a variety of answers. Some would respond with great success stories and others would share their disdain for the whole idea of social media marketing. There’s a great divide in what most small business owners believe to be true about social media marketing. I’m here to tell you that social media marketing is (at least for now) a very vital component to your overall marketing plan. And in the realm of social media visual media rules!

Nothing captures attention like a beautiful photo

The crazy volume of photo and video content on social media proves the increased importance of visual marketing in our everyday lives. You’ve seen the numbers, 400 million daily users on Instagram, and over 40 billion photos uploaded. In fact, the average consumer devotes roughly two hours per day to social media and that time is increasingly spent viewing visual media (photos and videos).

How Important is Visual Marketing? VERY!

Many people misunderstand how to properly use visual marketing for their business. You might think it will work like traditional marketing methods and make the phone ring off the hook because the branded message is pushed hard – but it won’t. Social media marketing is not about pushing anything; it’s about BUILDING relationships. And nothing connects us like great photos strategically used in a visual marketing program.

If you have a team of people who are out representing your business to your targeted prospects, or if you have a sales-force out beating the bushes, social media will serve to validate your business and your relativity to the market, which is a huge and foundational element to your overall marketing plan. Instagram and visual marketing will set you apart from the competition. Big businesses know this. If you’re a solo-preneur and you are wearing ALL the hats required to run your business, social media marketing is NOT an option. In fact, it is most likely the only marketing you are doing. So how do you handle even more by adopting a strategic visual marketing campaign?

Where do you start in visual marketing?

The key to any successful marketing campaign, and especially in visual marketing, is consistency. You must have a consistent presence on social media. A streamlined branded look that is consistently being pushed out across the online networks and in other traditional methods, all synced up with the same passionate message.

We have established that Instagram is the hottest thing going right now. What kind of investment are you willing to make to represent your brand on the most relevant mobile platform? You can’t afford not to be there.

Curating top-notch images that tell your story, that have a central focus, that complement your branded look, and that appeals to the next generation of leaders and clients, is what will take your business to the next level and turn your followers into real social leads. This is where you want to start.

Use the power of visual marketing to bring awareness to your brand by:

• Curating stunning images that tell your story

• Creating a central focus in your images

• Complimenting your overall branded look

• Appealing to the next generation of leaders and clients

CHAPTER 3: Tell Your Story with Pictures!

Image designs by @nsthtc #nuaesthetic

You’d be surprised at how many people in your networks don’t know your story. Using social media and visual marketing to tell people what you do creates an emotional touch-point that will be remembered when it’s time to buy.

THERE IS AN ART TO STORYTELLING, so keep these 3 things in mind when crafting your message and content:

1 – CREATE A VISUAL IMPACT that is memorable, draw your followers in with every photo.

2 – USE CREATIVE COPY that describes your business. Relate to your audience with emotional touch-points.

3 – CONSISTENCY & QUALITY is the foundation for all great marketing. Developing relationships on social media takes time, so be patient and never sacrifice the quality of your content.

Sandy Hibbard Creative has built a suite of services that will tell your story. From weekly emails and blog posts to daily social media and InstaBranding posts, we do the creative marketing work for you:

>>>  Social Voice Box – curated daily posts to your social media networks
>>>  Social Voice Box PLUS-Social Voice Box, PLUS weekly blog posts written and posted to your website and networks

>>>  Email Campaigns – keeping in touch with your database through targeted and custom written email blasts

>>>  InstaBranding – the premium visual marketing platform where we curate great photos and copy, posting daily to create your branded Instagram feed

CHAPTER 4 – Building Influence and Doubling your Exposure with Instagram

Image designs by @nsthtc #nuaesthetic

Get CREATIVE and build your online #INFLUENCE

Building a strong and CREATIVE online presence on Instagram will empower your brand and increase your online INFLUENCE.

Here are four easy steps that will get you REAL results and INCREASE sales for your business:

1 – Properly set up your account with a FABULOUS profile pic and engaging description that matches the content of your page

2 – Create eye-catching IMAGES that attract your targeted followers

3 – Post CONSISTENTLY – at least once a day and use descriptions on each photo with 5-10 #HASHTAGS

4 – Follow and ENGAGE with accounts within your sphere DAILY

A search friendly profile, targeting the right Instagram accounts, sharing fabulous images with detailed text, and consistent posting is the golden formula for growing your Instagram feed and creating #INFLUENCE online. It’s not rocket science, but it takes time and a focused strategy with an understanding of the social market.

BONUS CHAPTER – Doubling your Exposure with Instagram

Image designs by @nsthtc #nuaesthetic

Double your impact when you combine Facebook ads with Instagram.

By connecting your Facebook page with Instagram, running an ad will double your exposure and increase engagement.

Facebook is clearly the most popular and affordable ad platform today; its deep demographics allow you to laser-focus on your target audience. Now you can build your ad in Facebook’s Ad Manager and click a button to have it run on your Instagram account. Why not run ads on both networks at the same time? The benefits are enormous!

Here are 6 advantages to running an ad on Instagram from your Facebook Page:

1 – It’s easy to set up, simply link your FB page to your Instagram account

2 – A great photo with descriptive text and #hashtags is all you need (see my 25 tips for taking photos for Instagram)

3 – You have direct access to FB’s demographics and insights

4 – It will increase awareness of your brand and double your ad exposure

5 – The ads work while you sleep, work, or play

6 – Facebook/Instagram ads are inexpensive and easy on the budget

#InstaBranding curates your images and will handle your daily posts AND your ad campaigns for you. Contact Sandy for details.

* * * * *

Thanks for taking part with me in this 2-part intro to marketing on Instagram. I hope you have been inspired and have learned more of what is available to you in online marketing and a little on how to get there! There is much more to learn and a lot to keep up with as this network, along with Facebook and the others, continue to grow and change almost on a daily basis. Please connect with me and let me know what needs you have in your marketing. Our InstaBrand program and The Social Voice Box program, along with our other services, were created just for busy professionals like you when time and money is always a factor.

Be sure to come by often for updated articles, resources, tips and tons of information you can use in your social, Instagram, email and print marketing.