InstagramMarketingMarketingInstagram

The Ultimate Guide to

Ross Simmondswww.rosssimmonds.com

InstagramMarketingMarketingInstagram

Every day, 55 million photos are uploaded, 86.4 million comments are posted, and 691.2 million users like various photos in their feeds on Instagram.

If your strategy includes marketing to Generation Y or Millenials, Instagram is kind of a big deal.

?Are you using it effectively

?Are you using it effectively

The Ultimate Guide toThe Ultimate Guide toInstagram Marketing

112233

Getting Started: Account Setup

Marketing Effectively on Instagram

Taking Your Instagram to the Next Level

Getting Started: Account Setup

Marketing Effectively on Instagram

Taking Your Instagram to the Next Level

11 Taking Your Instagram to the Next Level

The first step in establishing your Instagram presence is creating your brand or organization’s profile through three main tasks:

Adding a Profile Picture

Writing a Bio

Connecting a Website

Profile Picture Connected Website Brand Bio

DOING IT RIGHT:STARBUCKS

ADDING APROFILE PICTURE

The profile picture should be iconic and

representative of your organization, such

as your logo.

Over time, people start to remember your

profile picture when scanning through their

newsfeed and you want them to remember

something that is used in other mediums.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

WRITINGA BIO

You have under 200 characters to tell the world:

1. Why your Instagram page is worth following

2. What you offer as a service or product

Enhance your bio by encouraging users to

share content relevant to your brand using a

specific hashtag.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

CONNECTINGA WEBSITE

It’s important that you drive your users down the

path to purchase as much as possible and your

website should be an avenue in which that can

take place.

Ensure that your URL directs users to a mobile

friendly site, as most traffic to Instagram happens

through a mobile device.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

?22 Marketing Effectively

on Instagram

Once you’ve created a profile, identify what types of posts your target audience will be interested in. There are four main categories of successful and viral posts:

Brand Centric Content

Reactive Storytelling

Behind the Scenes Content

Inspirational & Motivational Quotes

?DOING IT RIGHT:LAYS // LULULEMON

Focusing aroundthe ideas and feelingassociated with the brand

Images and visuals covered with brand’s logo and color pallete

BRAND CENTRICCONTENT

Brands who use Instagram must understand the

importance of brand storytelling.

Whether through photos of products or photos

of the results of their product, businesses using

Instagram effectively showcase what they have

to offer.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

DOING IT RIGHT:OREO

REACTIVESTORYTELLING

Reactive storytelling leverages a human truth,

timely event or unique insight to generate

immediate feedback from their target audience.

Brands who use reactive storytelling tend to use

references that are either meme based or pop

culture based.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

REACTIVESTORYTELLING

TOP OF MIND

INTERESTING

STORY

BRAND RELEVANT

MARKETING MESSAGE

REACTIVESTORYTELLING

REACTIVESTORYTELLING

DOING IT RIGHT:TELUS // LEGO

MEME BASED:REACTIVE STORYTELLING

Meme based reactive storytelling is when brands

leverage a popular meme and use it to communi-

cate a brand relevant message.

Generate buzz and ultimately spark conversation

about your brand.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

DOING IT RIGHT:BRISK

POP CULTURE BASED:REACTIVE STORYTELLING

Pop culture is a driving force for media and consumers attention.

Share content that references pop culture and drive engagement.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

DOING IT RIGHT:STEAM WHISTLE BREWING // TECHCRUNCH

Showing the making of their product

Showing the inner workings of the organization

BEHIND THE SCENESCONTENT

People are looking for transparency and an inside look at how things are built or done within your organization.

The internet has made secrets a thing of the past. Brands are now looking at how they can be more authentic, as its what consumers are asking for.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

DOING IT RIGHT:LULULEMON // FORD

INSPIRATIONAL &MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

Sparking emotions in your customers or target audience is the most effective way to drive shares, likes, comments and any sort of connection to your brand.

The key is to recognize what quotes will reso-nate with your audience and then deliver them in a beautiful way.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

33 Taking Your Instagram to the Next Level

Now that your brand has developed a relationship with your audience, users will be more inclined to like, comment and share your images. But how can you take it to the next level?

User Generated Content

Use Hashtags

Have Call to Action on Images

DOING IT RIGHT:FRANK & OAK

On Fridays, they often run a contest called  #NecktieFridays  where they encourage guys from all over the world to upload photos in their neckties for a chance to win a Frank & Oak tie.

USER GENERATEDCONTESTS

When users create content that is associated with a brand, that content combines with other stories to develop an overarching brand story.

Contests are user generated content directly influenced by the brand, but done so in a unique, compelling way.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

DOING IT RIGHT:STARBUCKS

4 interesting hashtags

63.9 thousand likes in 4 hours.

USE HASHTAGSON INSTAGRAM

Hashtags present a great opportunity to broaden the reach of your images.

Brands need to think about what hashtags are relevant to the different images they share and how they can leverage existing hashtag trends.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

DOING IT RIGHT:BRISK // THE SCORE

HAVE A CALL TO ACTIONON IMAGES

Instead of making the call to action in the text description that is associated with the image, many brands are including the call to action directly in the visual.

Another approach for driving interaction is giving users a this or that choice and then asking them to “like” for this or “comment” for that.

STRATEGY

CONCEPT

It’s important to identify and analyze your

overarching digital plan and

determine whether or not Instagram

is a good fit for your audience.

From there, it’s time to plan.

These tips and tricks will help you in

the planning stages, but constantly push

yourself to be innovative and

think different.

Aspire to create compelling content and refuse to accept the belief that what others have done in the past must be replicated.

Strive to create your own path and

use Instagram to visually engage

and connect with your audience.

Look out for my e-book,Stand Out: A Content Marketing Guide

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

With click-through rates on online ads plummeting and the amount of competition increasing, businesses are looking for results. In a world where there is more noise than ever before, it’s important to create content worth reading, creating and sharing.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? ROSS SIMMONDS

www.rosssimmonds.com

@TheCoolestCool