What is Instagram?

Instagram (owned by Facebook), is an American photo and video-sharing social networking platform. Instagram has become a powerful social network platform. It captures and sustains our attention as it connects us through visual elements.

It is important to understand the common terms and their significance as a part of the Instagram social media platform:

• Hashtags: Hashtags are an important aspect of the Instagram Social media platform. Hashtags are used to draw attention, promote and organize.
• Importance of Hashtags: Helps your target audience find you. You can research by searching for specific hashtags and use hashtags that are relevant to your target audience to increase your chances of being found.
• Instagram Influencer: An Instagram Influencer is an Instagram user who has established credibility and has a large and loyal following. Your brand’s influencers are users that promote your brand/products using hashtags.
• Importance of Instagram Influencers: Since they have a large number of followers you gain an additional audience for your brand/products.
• Followers: In order to promote your brand you need a large number of followers. 
• How to get followers: You build your audience by getting creative with your hashtags, using influencers, keep an eye on trending hashtags and join these conversations to get noticed by more people. Use storytelling, use ‘call to actions’ to let people know what you want them to do with your post.

Is Instagram useful for your business?

A social media platform can make or break your marketing efforts. Hence, choosing the right social media platform is a critical aspect of every business. The rapid increase in the popularity and number of social media platforms has made it difficult for brands and businesses to find a platform that works for them. 

One of the best ways to decide on which platform to use is knowing your audience and the kind of content you want to share with them. If you look around most brands and businesses are using “visual content” to promote their business. It is one of the best methods to connect with your prospects and customers. 

With Instagram, you can:

• Build long-lasting relationships
• Generate more engagement
• Gather user-generated content
• Create brand awareness
• Create a funnel for a targeted audience (Clickable link to Instagram bio, short and simple bio description, use watermark for images)
• Increase sales
• Use powerful Instagram stories to support your brand/product

If you are looking to engage with your audience, visual content is your best option, especially when you’re using social media marketing. Instagram helps you make the most out of your shared visual content.