By now, unless you’ve been living under a social-media-free rock, you’ve heard about Instagram’s new sponsored ads. This roll out began on November 1st with Michael Kors being one of the first brands to test the waters. Although the sponsored photo commanded more than 100,000 likes by midday, the comments did not imply the same. Though, like most social network changes, the user outrage will end and the new era of marketing strategies for brands on Instagram will begin.
Although brands and marketers now have a new challenge to take on, this brand-friendly service presents many new opportunities, not only for Instagram’s power brands but for other brands to break through and grab a portion of the pie, too.
Read on for four key strategies for using Instagram ads.
Just like sponsored tweets and posts, keeping your sponsored photos creative, original and to-the-point will better allow the post to accomplish its goals. As a brand, these sponsored posts should highlight your product and brand in a natural way, keeping your customers timelines free of traditional and bothersome advertising. In short, keep being human with your posts. Be inspiring with your imagery and perspective, which will give users a unique experience and, hopefully, capture them as new followers.
Using sponsored posts on any social channel isn’t free, so go above and beyond with your campaign and remain socially active by being responsive. Welcome new followers’ comments, suggestions and questions to show you are more than just a sponsored post. Including hashtags will help your post have a greater reach and, in turn, create more conversations and likes.
Recently, brands have been racing to be the most relevant and timely with posts during big events. Plan ahead, strategize and be unique to capitalize on those big moments. Make sure to keep your posts appropriate and avoid being too controversial; this will help keep you out of hot water. But remember, being a little bold can be a good thing sometimes, too.
Instagram is a community. Users follow brands because they enjoy that brand and, at the least, enjoy their posts’ creativity. Utilize this opportunity to build that community, not only through your photos but with engagement such as contests and replies.
Brand loyalty can easily begin with a simple shared photo on a shared social media platform. Consumers want to see the imagery of products and be inspired and mesmerized through them. According to an article by Impact, “54% of customers value the quality of a product’s image over a long description,” which helps back the importance of Instagram’s social marketing importance.
Do you have an Instagram ad strategy? We'd love to hear about it in the comment section below.
Zakir Ghazi is an Associate Technologist for Kuno Creative. He enjoys going to concerts and keeping up on all the latest social media and technology trends. Connect with Zakir on Twitter and Linkedin.
