Download the PDF: https://www.demandmetric.com/content/effective-use-instagram-business Instagram is a free photo sharing application for iPhones and Android devices that enables users to take photos, apply a variety of effects to alter the photos, and share them. Instagram allows amateur photographers to create professional looking photos by choosing one of many filters to change the look of the image. Photos are then shared within the Instagram network or on popular social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare. The effective use of Instagram in a business context can provide a unique opportunity for consumers and prospects to view your brand in a different light, and perhaps evoke some new emotions that would potentially be overlooked through text alone. This How-To Guide will outline how to effectively use Instagram for your business and the benefits it can provide, followed by an action plan on how to get started with this fast-growing social networking tool.

1. EFFECTIVE
USE OF
INSTAGRAM
FOR BUSINESS
HOW-TO GUIDE

2. 2 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Instagram is a free photo sharing application for iPhones and Android devices that enables users
to take photos, apply a variety of effects to alter the photos, and share them.
Instagram allows amateur photographers to create professional looking photos by choosing one
of many filters to change the look of the image. Photos are then shared within the Instagram
network or on popular social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare. The
effective use of Instagram in a business context can provide a unique opportunity for consumers
and prospects to view your brand in a different light, and perhaps evoke some new emotions that
would potentially be overlooked through text alone.
This How-To Guide will outline how to effectively use Instagram for your business and the bene-
fits it can provide, followed by an action plan on how to get started with this fast-growing social
networking tool.
HOW-TO GUIDE
How to Effectively use Instagram for Business
Anyone can download and use the Instagram application, but how can businesses effectively use
the application to strengthen their brand? Communicating through photos allows you to connect
with your audience in a different way (new level) than the usual text methods. There are many
ways Instagram is useful to an organization when properly deployed. Below are ways to ensure
maximum effectiveness of your Instagram account.
Engage your Audience
Show your product: Offer a look at your current products and a sneak peek at what’s
to come. Not only will this offer exposure to your products, but your audience will stay
engaged if they are excited about your offerings.
Show behind the scenes: Individuals interested in your brand already know what the
product looks like. Engage your audience by showing them something they have never
seen. Look behind the scenes of your office, or your employees at work — a more relaxed
side of your business. It will allow you to connect on a deeper level with your consumers.
Show what your products can do and how they are made: Take photos of the various uses
of your product or how other customers are using your product. Be creative! You work hard
to create and develop products that customers love, so why not show that side of the story?
Be interesting: Share compelling content and align your photos with what you want your
fans and followers to notice. They will be more likely to get involved if they are interested in
the information you are sharing.
Effective Use of
Instagram for Business

3. 3 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
HOW-TO GUIDE
Frequency
Host Contests
Integrate with other social media networks
Use Hashtags
Keep content fresh and interactive: Adding new and unique photos will keep your
followers engaged. Try something new to keep your followers wanting more.
Post often: Posting frequently is key to keeping your followers engaged. If your account
becomes static, you may get lost among the other accounts they follow. If you want to stay
noticed, post frequently.
Increase brand awareness: Hosting contests are a great way to get your followers
involved and increase your brand awareness. The more people you have entering the
contest, the more you can spread the word about your brand. Contests can be very
simple.
Example: Ask your followers to use a specific hashtag to have their photos reviewed
for the contest. You can choose a winner from the photos linked to that hashtag. Many
popular brands frequently host contests of this nature.
Link them all together: Instagram allows you to upload your photos simultaneously to
other social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare. It is
important to integrate all your networks to ensure the most visibility. Although it seems
like additional social network headache, keep in mind you already have to include
photos on your other networks; therefore, you might as well use Instagram as your
main photo application.
Connect with followers: Hashtags are keywords that relate to the photo you’ve
uploaded. (For example: Redbull often links the hasthtag #givesyouwings to their
photos). Hashtags can be very effective. It is a great way to connect your followers
to your brand. You can also tag people in your photos to further connect with your
followers.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Within Instagram, users can search either by user or
by hashtag. If something is of interest to them, they will search for photos relating to
that interest. The more you use hashtags, the more likely you are to be found during
a search. It is a great way to potentially gain new customers through searching for a
particular hashtag.
Effective Use of
Instagram for Business

4. 4 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
HOW-TO GUIDE
API
B2B - Salesforce
From Mobile to Online: Instagram offers an API, so any programmer can pull photos and
aggregate them in a number of ways. Users can sign up for (download) the API on the Insta-
gram website. It allows you to integrate Instagram photos with your own website. You can
organize photos by time, place, user ,or tag. Using the Instagram API can help you create
compelling campaigns using the large volume of photos shared on Instagram every minute.
Example: A popular example of using the Instagram API is the singer Moby. To release his
new album, he built a website that displayed photos on a world map. Users were asked to
upload photos of their hometowns and tag them with a specific hashtag, which were then
displayed on his website.
Real World Example
Salesforce is a great example of a B2B company using Instagram for their business. With Insta-
gram, Salesforce promoted an event called Dreamforce X that took place in September. They
posted “7 reasons why you can’t miss Dreamforce X” in pictures to attract industry attendees.
By mentioning their celebrity speakers, they were successful in stirring up interest in the event.
You can see here in the photo that by adding only 11 photos, they already had more than 2000
followers. This is a great example of increasing brand awareness and exposure. It also shows that
Instagram can be used successfully for event marketing.
Effective Use of
Instagram for Business

5. 5 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
HOW-TO GUIDE
B2C - Starbucks
Increase Exposure and Brand Awareness
Starbucks is one of the top brands on the Instagram network boasting over 800 000 followers.
They increase brand awareness by creating an emotional connection with their followers. They
post in store experiences and allow customers to tag their coffee images and then share them on
Facebook. From the photo below, you can see that they do not limit themselves to only pictures
of their product but creatively show a different side of the company and promote their product in
a fun and engaging way.
Instagram is a huge platform for communicating your brand with over 30 million members of
the Instagram community. Instagram allows you to show a more intimate side of your brand that
perhaps users have never seen before. Using photos in a fun, unique and casual manner is a new
way to communicate the fundamentals of your brand that would not have been communicated
through text.
Contests are a great way to increase your brand awareness and connect with your current and
potential customer base. Using hashtags is also important to grow your exposure throughout the
entire Instagram community.
Benefits for Business Use
Effective Use of
Instagram for Business

6. 6 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
HOW-TO GUIDE
Increase Exposure and Brand Awareness
Using hashtags frequently is the key to generating leads. The more keywords you link to your
photos, the higher your SEO becomes on Instagram. You may gain new customers or followers
through hashtag searches that could be used as lead generation. Hosting community contests
or promotions is also a great way to gain valuable leads. Carefully monitor your new followers, as
they often are sales qualified leads.
Instagram is a creative way for businesses to gain exposure and communicate a brand to
current and potential customers. As one of the fastest growing social media channels,with over
30 million members, it represents a great opportunity for business to tap into a new pool of
customers. Although adding another social networking site may seem overwhelming, Instagram
is very simple, easy to use and connect to your existing social media networks. Give it a try, see
where photo sharing can take you; you may be surprised.
Bottom Line
Use Demand Metric’s Instagram Implementation Checklist to get started!
Effective Use of
Instagram for Business

7. 7 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
1
2
3
Set Up
Instagram
Take your First
Photo
Download the app for free on your mobile
device.
Action Plan
STEP 1 - Set Up Instagram
8 Start Sharing!
7 Search Tags
6 Follow Users
5
Connect to
Social Media
4
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Add a Filter
Get It On Instagram with
the Instragram Checklist
V I E W R E S O U R C E
Instagram Implementation Checklist

8. 8 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Take photos directly through the Instagram
app (camera icon) or import them from your
camera roll.
Action Plan
STEP 2 - Take your First Photo
1
2
Set Up
Instagram
Take your
First Photo
8
7
6
5
3
4
Start Sharing!
Search Tags
Follow Users
Connect to
Social Media
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Add a Filter
Capture Images Easily
from the App or Your
Camera Roll

9. 9 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Choose from different filters to give your
image a new look, ranging from black and
white to old fashion sepia tones. Each filter
has a different border and creates an original
look for your photo.
Action Plan
STEP 3 - Add a Filter
3 Add a Filter
8
1
7
6
5
2
4
Start Sharing!
Search Tags
Follow Users
Take your First
Photo
Connect to
Social Media
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Set Up
Instagram Choose the Right Look with
the Right Filter and Colors

10. 10 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Hashtags are very important to connect with
your audience. Adding a relevant hashtag
to your photo improves your SEO in that
category. Potential leads may search a
relevant hashtag, and can lead to your photo.
Always include a hashtag.
Not only can Instagram members search
hashtags, they facilitate business searches as
well. Look for existing hashtags to find users
or influencers that align with your brand.
Tag individuals in your photos. You can tag
friends, employees, or other organizations.
The more connected you are with others, the
better.
Action Plan
STEP 4 - Add Hashtags or Tag a Person
4 Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
8
1
7
6
5
2
3
Start Sharing!
Search Tags
Follow Users
Take your First
Photo
Connect to
Social Media
Add a Filter
Set Up
Instagram Use Descriptive Hashtags for
Searchability & Connection

11. 11 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
When you are ready to upload a photo, Insta-
gram prompts you to share it on other social
media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
The more exposure you have on your sites,
the more traffic you will have. Your other
social networking sites require photos for
visual stimulation; you might as well use Insta-
gram to link them all together.
Let your Twitter and Facebook followers know
that you are now on Instagram!
Action Plan
STEP 5 - Connect to Social Media
5 Connect to
Social Media
8
1
7
6
2
3
4
Start Sharing!
Search Tags
Follow Users
Take your First
Photo
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Add a Filter
Set Up
Instagram Leverage Social Media
to Connect Followers to
Instagram

12. 12 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Action Plan
STEP 6 - Follow Users
Start following people in your industry to let
them know you are out there.
6 Follow Users
8
1
7
5
2
3
4
Start Sharing!
Search Tags
Take your First
Photo
Connect to
Social Media
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Add a Filter
Set Up
Instagram Make Connections with
Users In Your Industry

13. 13 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Action Plan
STEP 7 - Search Tags
Search relevant #hashtags to see what
people in your industry are posting. It is also
a good way to find new people to follow and
see what popular topics are.
7
8
Search Tags
88
1
6
5
2
3
4
Start Sharing!
Follow Users
Take your First
Photo
Connect to
Social Media
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Add a Filter
Set Up
Instagram Search Specific #Hashtags
In Your Industry

14. 14 Effective Use of Instagram for Business How-to Guide
Action Plan
STEP 8 - Start Sharing!
Start sharing your photos frequently on all
social networking sites. See where it can take
you!
7
8 Start Sharing!
4
5
6
1
2
3
Search Tags
Follow Users
Take your First
Photo
Connect to
Social Media
Add Hashtags
or Tag a Person
Add a Filter
Set Up
Instagram Share Often On Every
Social Network

15. Demand Metric is a marketing research and advisory firm serving a membership community
of over 100,000 marketing professionals and consultants in 75 countries.
Offering consulting playbooks, advisory services, and 500+ premium marketing tools and
templates, Demand Metric resources and expertise help the marketing community plan
more efficiently and effectively, answer the difficult questions about their work with authority
and conviction, and complete marketing projects more quickly and with greater confidence
— thus boosting the respect of the marketing team and making it easier to justify resources
the team needs to succeed.
To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit www.demandmetric.com
About Demand Metric
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Join Linkedin Group
© Demand Metric Research Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.