Marseille edit
If the Instagram application (available on mobile and at the office) is especially known for people’s use, it became the hunting ground of companies, more particularly, TPE-PME in France as a recent study Ipsos (étude Ipsos récente):
To take advantage of such opportunities, it is advisable to follow some recommendations. If Instagram shares with other social networks (réseaux sociaux) of the common characteristics, it obeys proper rules to know.
Your pictures above all
Instagram is a social network of sharing image and videos: here, more than anywhere else, it is thus IMPERATIVE to look after your publications. If, originally, Instagram was used for visual activities (beauty, mode, kitchen …), it is used by everybody today, including banks and insurances.
Even before creating your account, it is essential to provide your editorial line or create it if it is not already made. Remember that this document is your Magna Carta in which you refer to assure an on-line coherent communication. It can include a graphic standards which deals with all the concerning pictures.
When you have an idea of what you want to share, it is essential to look its display. It is out of the question to publish badly centred or vague photos. Your Instagram account is the shop window of your activity accessible to millions of users, potential clients: you thus have to appear as a professional who masters the communication. It is maybe useful to recruit a photographer or a graphic designer for this purpose.
It is up to you to use the filters which made the Instagram popular. It is maybe necessary, at first, to make some tests and see the reactions. It's the same for the functions of alteration and the external applications as VSCO or Snapseed which allow you to shape the perfect image.
Beyond the picture, it is important to tell a story and arouse feelings to attract the subscribers and commit the community.
Choose the good format at the right time
To do it, you arrange several formats. In addition to the traditional publications of photos and long-lasting videos, Instagram proposes "Stories" which disappear within 24 hours. The device is completed to communicate in spontaneous and risked way by telling about a particular event or show the scenes of your company.
You also have the opportunity to tell about a live event to your subscribers: nothing to arouse some commitment. The format is even ephemeral.
Besides, know that the images produce 31% more commitment than vidéos*. On the other hand, videos are more and more used and it is not excluded that they become the standard in the future.
As regards the frequency, it is recommended to post once or twice a day. For this purpose, it would be appropriate to wait to have enough pictures before beginning to hold the rhythm. For information, know that generally the commitment of the audience is maximal on Monday and Thursday at two, 8 am and 9 am in the morning and about 5 pm ** in the afternoon.
Hashtagologie
On Instagram, it is not obvious to get in touch with the prospects or customers, on the contrary to other social networks like Facebook. "You won’t look for them": those who come to follow you. That is the reason why, you have to master the "science" of hashtags as Twitter. The objective is that your publications affect a world maximum to federate a community.
Hashtags are these words or expressions preceded by C# (touches "alt gr" + "3") which include the publications by themes. They can be particularly useful at the beginning to know the competitors, the bloggers and other influenceurs of your activity area. Do not hesitate to follow them to increase your visibility. Use the same hashtags to win their subscribers and, why not, others.
In a commercial optics, it is also advisable to geolocate your contents so that your future clients place you.
Analyze the audience
Finally, it must be explored the results of the account to increase the efficiency of your publications. Basically, the application supplies a number of available statistics at the top right among the number of subscribers and impressions.
External tools are likely to bring an important complement. Iconosquare is a paying and effective solution to analyze the number of "likes" and comments on the work and those of the network. If you don’t have any way, SumAll allows you to measure free of charge and in a global way your fame on the social networks including Instagram.
Numerous applications suggest you finally test the services free of charge in a limited duration or a way restrained before paying. Hence, it is the case of Squarelovin or even Locowise.
After all, you arrange techniques and tools to communicate successfully on Instagram. And it works! The cases of four recent French companies show that: Y Cactus, Cuckoo Suzette, House Red Castle and Shanty Biscuits ***. The secret of their success: have launched their business on the platform. The results: thousands of followers, increase of the traffic and multiplication of the commands.
Now, it’s up to you!
Article written by Thierry Randretsa
*Isabelle MATHIEU, “10 informations importantes pour votre entreprise sur Instagram, Infographie”, Socialshaker, 10/07/2017.
**Ibid.
*** Ingrid FALQUY, “Réussir sur Instagram : les exemples de 4 jeunes instapreneurs”, Les Echos entrepreneurs, 3/06/2017