THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF INSTAGRAM MARKETING
Instagram is far from a new platform, and yet I’m constantly surprised by the number of brands that aren’t yet on the photo-sharing site. Or, worse yet, are using it like an irresponsible teenager.
For those of you who have solid, time-tested Instagram chops: This article isn’t for you. But for those of you who are only newly getting acquainted with the platform or are tasked with managing people who manage Instagram on your brand’s behalf: Read this article closely. Make sure you’re up on your Instagram marketing do’s and don’ts. Not knowing the best practices won’t always bite you in the butt in the form of an epic social media fail. But it might be biting you in the butt in terms of lost opportunities on this incredibly valuable platform.
If you adhere to these 10 commandments for marketing on Instagram, you’ll automatically find yourself in the upper echelon of brands on the platform.
Thou shalt not link directly
This is Instagram 101, but it’s a constantly neglected rule — especially among brands that try to repurpose posts across all platforms without appropriate modification. When on Instagram, you shouldn’t try to link to anything directly — because links aren’t active on Instagram. Instead, you should point users to:
1. A homepage where content can be found
2. Your Instagram description, which does have a clickable link, or
3. An easily memorized short link.
Remember that you can’t easily copy and paste text from Instagram either.
Thou shalt resist the urge to post collages
On Instagram, you need to post images that are large, clear, and readily identifiable. If you have a multi-frame collage or a cluttered image that can’t be easily identified while scrolling past it, people aren’t going to stop.
This is hard for marketers. If an image is worth a thousand words, then three images mashed together must be worth 3,000, right?
Wrong. Not on Instagram. Keep it simple, big, and pretty.
Thou shalt have no robots within your Instagram account
Instagram’s latest update has reportedly all but eliminated non-human Instagram users. So if your Instagram strategy includes bots, rethink your strategy. Some shortcuts simply aren’t worth it.
Remember thy followers’ engagement patterns and keep them wholly in mind
Post when your followers are most likely to engage. This sounds obvious, but it will require some trial and error — and a lot of social media managers (particularly those with other duties to attend to) don’t take the time to go through this process. But in a fairly short span of testing, you will get a sense of what day of the week and what time of the day performs best. As your follower number grows, this consideration will make a huge difference in “likes” and comments.
Also, if it makes sense for your brand, remember to use Instagram’s location-based posting feature. This allows your users to browse all of your posts on a map, which is a snazzy feature that is particularly useful for brands on-the-go or with location-specific features.
Honor thy tags
Some say that we’ve gotten out of control with tagging on Instagram. I’m not one of those people. You’re allowed up to 30 hashtags per post. So go crazy. It’s an excellent way to help other users discover your content, and it’s a manner of reading that experienced Instagram users have already embraced. Plus, your tags persist through to Tumblr if you push your post to a linked account.
Honor thy commenters
If possible, respond to every single comment that is directed to you on Instagram. For larger brands with larger followings, that might not be feasible. But at least be sure someone is monitoring comments and responding to direct and reasonable questions or opinions.
Remember: If a user comments on your post without tagging another user, that means he or she is talking to you. So respond. Instagram is a social network, so be social.
Thou shalt not post screen shots
For the love of Pete, use only high-resolution original photos on Instagram. These days, many users assume that a mobile phone screen shot will be an Instagram-worthy image. And it might be in certain cases — but it’s usually not. So be thoughtful about the quality of the images you post. By and large, mobile screen shots look jagged and messy. Try to find an image that is at least 800×800 pixels to be safe. Or at least crop out the screenshot junk around the edges.
Thou shalt not beg for “likes” and follows
Simply put, begging for “likes” and follows, especially on more-sophisticated platforms like Instagram, is tacky. Instagram users know what they’re supposed to do. They’ll “like” or follow you if they see fit. Putting in a not-so-subtle request won’t spark more engagement. In fact, it might do the opposite.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s images
Don’t use other people’s images as your own. Again, I’m sad that I have to give such simple advice. But based on a review of common Instagram practices, even among brands that should know better, it seems I must.
Let’s make the internet a better place by giving credit where credit is due. If you’d like to feature an image that isn’t your own, at least tag the original user or give the source account credit in your caption. Or both.
Thou shalt not feed the trolls
In my experience, Instagram is a little less sleazy of a platform than other social networks. But it still has its fair share of jerks. Instagram, just like every other social platform out there, is full of trolls. Trolls thrive on your frustration and negative responses, and they will try to spark these reactions — especially among brand managers. If you must respond to irritating trollish comments on your posts, kill them with kindness. Niceness makes trolls melt like the Wicked Witch of the West.
*Article Written by Drew Hubbard of iMediaConnection*