We check our emails, then scroll through our Facebook news feed. Once we get bored, we view the latest stories on Snapchat, then move onto Twitter and Instagram. On these sites we find photos, videos, articles, advertisements and news. We keep scrolling and scrolling, until we say to ourselves, “My thumb is getting tir…Oh! What is that?”
Something caught your attention — maybe it was a BuzzFeed quiz about who you’re most alike on that trashy Netflix show you watch, or comments from friends in a heated debate about the presidential candidates. After you look through it, you either kept scrolling or hunting for more information. The point is that you stopped.
Is your content turning heads?
It could be as simple as utilizing the right platform for your audience.
Social media can be an incredibly powerful marketing and branding tool, especially Instagram. Today, 30% of U.S. teens consider Instagram the most important social network. It can help a company establish a social media personality, attract leads and promote services. At Freestyle Creative, we are active members of #TeamFollowBack for our own company and our clients. We consider it an important move into the next frontier and a critical move to develop a business. I guess a picture is worth a thousand followers or potential customers, right?
Why is Instagram so important?
Social media platforms create a large network that allows individuals to connect with like-minded people from different cities, states and countries. You get the opportunity to creep on your friend’s brother’s girlfriend’s sister’s dog’s birthday party, with just a couple searches. Incredible! This digital platform brings pictures, campaigns and marketing to a global, but accessible level. In 2014, Instagram experienced 93% growth month-over-month from businesses starting to use the platform. Today, there are more than 500 million “instagrammers.” Within those users, 59% are checking Instagram daily. So, from those 500 million, 300 million people are scrolling their Instagram feed every single day.
So how do you make your brand’s posts engaging enough to create engagement from millions of users?
The three second rule. No, this is not the rule where you are still able to pick up food off the ground after three seconds and still eat it. Maybe it’s time for your lunch break?
This rule matters on social media. It applies to the attention span of the current generations. A dog’s birthday party is a perfect example of something that will definitely make people stop and read. All social media platforms are important in developing a brand and they are unique in how they captivate users. Instagram photos are about who had the most delicious latte (photography), Twitter is about how much wittiness you can fit into 140 characters, (copywriting) and Facebook is a balance of the two.
If you’re wanting to reach Millennials and Generation Z, their Instagram is the most popular platform for these generation. Visuals are vital in order to grab their attention, and you’ve only got three seconds to do it.
Case Study
One way we have done this for the Chickasaw Nation is by making the content relatable to our target audience through photos, videos and events in their own communities.
We recently helped Chickasaw Nation launch an initiative called Define Your Direction, which is a campaign that empowers teens and young adults to stand up against underage drinking and prescription drug abuse. Our strategy is based on encouraging a healthy lifestyle through positive choices. We are currently using all social media platforms to gain awareness, but Instagram has been our most effective outlet with 85% engagement. This campaign’s target audience is between the ages of 12-25. Compared to all of the platforms, most of our engagement from Generation Z and Millennials has been on Instagram– exactly what we were hoping for!
This is a prime example on how social media, specifically Instagram can engage a larger following while spreading a message that your audience – and their friends – relates to. If your business is trying to engage younger generations and cultivate a larger following.
I have two suggestions: host and photograph a dog’s birthday party or get on Instagram, it’s your choice.
https://www.instagram.com/press/?hl=en
How to use Instagram for Business, Hubspot & Iconosquare
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