As you may remember, I’ve been in Japan these last few weeks, and I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of mobile. This week I want to talk about the social network that you can only engage in from mobile: Instagram. It’s important for businesses to find their visual voice and be original and organic on this platform. The beautiful thing about Instagram is it’s power to connect with people. So remember, don’t go for the hard sale on Instagram – instead, focus on personality, engagement, and authenticity.

[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/maximizeyoursocial/sbu_ep116.mp3″ title=”How to Refine Your Visual Voice and Engage on Instagram – Podcast Ep. 116″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_stumble=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | RSS

In This Episode:

• People in Japan use their mobile devices an incredible amount
• While Facebook and Twitter are popular, Instagram is beating both of those platforms as far as mobile views
• Instagram was made for mobile
• In September I’m doing my first Instagram for Business webinar
• When I wrote Maximize Your Social, I talked a lot about leveraging your visual voice for social, and if there’s one chapter I could rewrite, that chapter would be it, because so much has changed
• Every company needs a visual voice, and that voice is the visuals that are going to represent you
• No one wants to see a visual that is merely an advertisement
• You wouldn’t post a blatant ad on Facebook or Twitter, so why do it on Instagram?
• Your visual voice is visual content that represents your brand
• The more natural and authentic your pictures and the environment are, the better
• Instagram is about taking organic photos on a phone and posting them in real time
• Social media was made for people, not for businesses, so you’re always going to be at a slight disadvantages
• It’s ok if your photos are a little bit out of focus or at an odd angle
• The challenge is for those who don’t have a visual aspect to their product
• Some people focus on the members of the organization, the people behind the business, which may not be that engaging unless those people are engaged
• Edge rank doesn’t exist on Instagram! If people are following you, they are going to see your photos
• Quotes can work, but they have to be relevant to your brand
• Events are great to take photos of and post
• Only use Instagram if it makes sense for your brand and your demographic
• Don’t forget there’s another kind of visual: video
• For a lot of brands, Instagram is about brand awareness
• If you want to measure leads, try changing the link in your Instagram profile on a  regular basis
• When you’re posting on Instagram, you want to offer visual value, you want to engage with others
• You need a different frequency strategy for Instagram – you don’t have to post everyday, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be engaging everyday
• Instagram really has the power to connect you with people, especially if you have a visual product

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the Instagram user with these 5 marketing takeaways.
• If your business is ready to get on Instagram, it’s time to create a strategy.
• Now that you’re on the platform, make sure you’re set up for success by reading about Instagram best practices.
• Need some ideas for Instagram posts? Start with these 10 ideas.
• B2B businesses can use Instagram too!

Check Out All of My Podcasts!

[smart_podcast_player social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” social_linkedin=”true” social_stumble=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]