Instagram is good for business, and brands that are investing in their community on the platform are reaping the benefits. What makes Instagram, once an image-only sharing platform, the star platform it is today? Here are four reasons to explain why Instagram is a brand darling.
The Scroll Effect
Back in the 2000s, users were all about clicking to navigate websites and platforms. It was a common practice to use the mouse to track left, right, up, down, click. Then the smartphone entered the scene, and users used both thumbs to navigate a webpage on their phone.
For nearly a decade now, users have adopted the single thumb scroll. Websites are optimized to work with single-hand smartphone users, and this audience expects to get all their information with minimal-to-no zooming.
That’s where the Instagram interface is so beneficial for brands. The endless scroll-click-scroll functions make it an enjoyable experience for users, keeping them coming back for new content often. Even 42% of all Instagram users check Instagram multiple times a day.
This behavior benefits brands. You have multiple opportunities in your audience’s feed, and it’s up to you to create impactful content that will stop them in their scroll track.
How to do it? Create a pausing engagement: watch a video, scroll through a carousel, or create a crafty graphic.
The Interface is More Organic-Friendly
From location tagging to profile tagging, story tagging, and beyond, the adoption of searchable content is much richer than that of other platforms. It’s easier than ever for audiences to find content that matters to them, whether they’re looking for “Moms in Austin” or “Organic Restaurants in New York”.
The catch to being searchable? Brands need to be active and inclusive of common keywords in the content they share on Instagram. By tagging your location on your feed posts and stories, including relevant hashtags, and including strategic keywords in your content, you’ll be able to drive organic content to your page from your target audience.
Sharing Central
If there’s one thing to say about Instagram users, it’s that many are comfortable sharing their lives with family, friends, and their community. Instagram also has more public accounts than Facebook, which means brands have more accessible information when identifying their audience behaviors and interests.
Because of this public-sharing forum, brands have the opportunity to connect with users that are more likely to share that brand’s content on their own pages. With the right content that resonates with an audience, you’re likely to amplify your message organically with the help of your digital word-of-mouth followers.
Your Audience is There
Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, making it one of the largest social media platforms out there. On top of that, they continue to grow every year with new users. As the social platform continues to mature, its adoption rate by the 50+ crowd grows; 42% of adults 50+ claim to use Instagram.
As marketers, it’s our job to be where our customers are. And the reality is that if we are not there, our competitors will be.
For brands that are on the fence about how they can maximize their audience engagement on Instagram, we recommend starting with a social media strategy that will align your business goals with your social goals. From there, you can identify your unique positioning on the platform to get the best returns possible.
Curious how Social HQ can help? Schedule a complimentary discovery call to see what we can do for you and your brand on Instagram.
