If you aren’t already familiar with Instagram, I encourage you to check it out.  It’s a great photo-sharing site that allows amateur photographers to transform everyday snapshots into spectacular images. Instagram allows users to turn these pics into creative expressions of personality.  Quickly, the rest of the world is following suit and, as with any free marketing platform, businesses are also starting to pay attention.

Most would think the type of companies that post on Instagram would be edgy or more open-minded brands.  However, a growing number of organizations that may not rate high on the “trendy” scale are finding ways to use Instagram as part of a campaign strategy or to simply strengthen brand awareness.  It’s also helping increase the “cool” factor of some companies.  General Electric uses their account to showcase the latest technology and real employees in the field.  Obviously, GE is using Instagram to promote their various product lines, but the most important service it is performing is offering transparency.  Consumers like to know what’s going on behind the scenes.

Local companies and small businesses have also used Instagram as a means to generate buzz with customers by challenging them to upload unique, personal photos spotlighting the company’s product.

There are plenty of other approaches organizations can find value in the site.  With conference season in full bloom this time of year (I know, because DJG has been designing booths like crazy!), Instagram is a great place to post party pics to share with the membership of your association.  That’s the novel thing about the site—you don’t have to sell a product or service to use it to your advantage.  The top companies considered most effective on the photo-sharing application are succeeding because they engage their audience.  Here are a few other ways to use Instagram with your B2B audiences:

• Follow your favorite brands, partners, and employees and encourage them to follow you
• Do you have keywords and hashtags in your social media and SEO efforts? Add them to your captions and capture the value here, too
• Leverage some of the related apps like the maps and people connectors to leverage Instagram throughout your existing communications. Have multiple locations? Map them out and shoot. At a tradeshow? Use the Meetup app to push market to your booth while visually branding at the same time

So, whether you are a non-profit, B2B organization, or an association, if you have a great story to tell, Instagram is a great vehicle to do so.  And if you need help organizing your album, give us a call!

The DJG Mutterings crew keeps you up to date on the latest in tech, gadgetry and new media applications. Through the “Are You On?” series, we hope you find ways to incorporate some of these solutions into your marketing strategies. Follow us at http://davidjamesgroup.com/mutterings/ to hear more and connect with DJG online. 

Author: Sherri Key     Sherri Key on the Web Sherri Key on Facebook Sherri Key on Twitter Sherri Key RSS Feed

Sherri is the Traffic and Talent Manager at David James Group, an integrated marketing agency located outside of Chicago.  She is a certified Project Management Professional with over five years of experience in Advertising and Marketing.  A Virginia native, Sherri graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.S. in Business… View full profile