No longer the new kid on the block, Instagram has made a huge impact on the social media world and in turn, the marketing world. With 28 percent of the U.S. population using the app according to Forbes, it is a potential gold mine for forward thinking companies willing to learn how to navigate the popular program.
First impressions are of the utmost importance. Instagram makes it somewhat difficult by limiting a company’s options to profile picture, username, bio, and url. Forbes recommends using a close-up headshot of the face of the company if possible, but otherwise to use the company logo. If an image is used, a company should keep in mind that it will appear small and needs to be easily recognizable in that format.
Username is also important because it will be one of the primary ways a potential customer will interact with a business. It should be the full business name making it easy to recognize who the account belongs to. It is also important to make sure that all other social media accounts use the same business name for the sake of consistency.
Instagram’s bio is unique in that it is not searchable. Many social media bio’s are searchable, meaning companies should focus on using keywords that will trigger search engines. However, a company using Instagram has more freedom to focus on a consistent and brief introduction to their brand without using search buzzwords.
Finally, many companies will directly link their Instagram url to their main website. While this is not wrong, Forbes recommends creating a distinct website just for Instagram users to take advantage of the format and potentially build email addresses for later contact.
While there are an endless array of other tips and tricks for using Instagram effectively in marketing, building a good first impression on an Instagram profile is a crucial part of managing social media well.