Do you have a B2B Instagram strategy? Or any social media strategy for that matter?
In today’s fast-paced digital world, the message to businesses is clear: evolve or get left in the dust by your competitors. The digital push was started in the era when a web presence became a necessity for clients to research your products, services, and core values, as well as find your contact info and location. In recent years, even businesses that were slow to adopt social media have gotten on board, kicking off LinkedIn and/or Facebook accounts.
Many businesses – and particularly B2B businesses – have balked at the idea of embracing photo and video apps like Instagram. We tend to think of Instagram as the realm of selfie-taking Kardashians and other viral influencers. However, there’s an excellent opportunity for B2B businesses to use an Instagram presence to make a deeper connection with clients and leads.
Here’s what you need to know about implementing B2B Instagram in your B2B social media marketing strategy.
According to a survey carried out by eMarketer in late 2018, a whopping 75.3% of U.S. businesses had embraced Instagram as a marketing platform. In December 2019, Forbes published an article calling for businesses to step up their Instagram game as they moved into 2020. The business world was moving in an increasingly digital direction, and the coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated that movement.
In order to effectively market to other businesses, your social media marketing team must go where they are. If you don’t already have an Instagram presence, it’s time to establish one. If you have an account that’s been largely abandoned and has gone unused, it’s time to start using it regularly and actively reach out to your audience – from current clients to potential new ones.
If your business is new to Instagram, there are two main facts to know about the way it works. The first is that it’s a photo and video-based app. Unlike Twitter and Facebook posts that can be blocks of text with the optional addition of photos and links, Instagram is driven by visual content supported by captions, tags, and hashtags.
The next thing to know about Instagram is that it’s a mobile-based app. This means that in order to fully use the app, you’ll do so via a smartphone. If you don’t already have an Instagram account for your business, the app will walk you through setting one up after you download it.
Just as with other social media and blog content, it’s important to have a strategy to guide your B2B Instagram posts. First, you need to develop an understanding of your target audience. Referencing the various types of buyer personas you’d like to reach can help you build a picture of the type of marketing strategy that will be most effective.
In addition to digging into buyer personas, take a look at analytics from your other social media channels to see who follows and engages with you there. With your target audience defined, take time to have a look at your primary competitors and how they successfully engage with their followers.
Finally, set goals for your content and commit to a regular posting schedule. Create a set of social media guidelines and stick to them in order to keep your message and branding consistent. Keep in mind that while Instagram is an excellent tool to engage potential clients, it’s also a way to get creative and have a bit of fun. (Check out our profile for an example!) As you experiment with different types of posts, you’ll soon discover what falls flat and what works well to boost customer engagement and increase your bottom line.
If you need help planning your B2B Instagram Marketing Strategy or want help creating content, please contact us!