5 Easy Steps for “Instagramming”

In 2010, an unlikely contender emerged in the Social Media space. Centered around photo-sharing, many investors were left baffled when Facebook paid $1B to acquire the small social platform in 2012. It turns out Facebook was right. Today, Instagram boasts over 500 million monthly active users and offers a sponsored ad feature. Instagram offers a great opportunity for brands to reach a very engaged audience…but how can a marketer effectively use a photo-first platform?

To begin to unwrap this question, we must first understand who is using Instagram. According to brandwatch, 90% of users are younger than 35 and 30% of all internet users use Instagram regularly. 32% of US teens say that Instagram is their most important social network. Furthermore, 50% of Instagrammers follow brands on their account.  In summary, Instagram is a social media network that appeals mostly to millenials who have a desire to connect with their favorite brands.

So what do millenials value?  First and foremost, millenials will go to great lengths to investigate brands (source: Marketing to Millenials, Mintel 2015).  More so than ever, millenials want to know what a brand values, whether their product positioning is centered around sustainability, and what their heritage is.  Many millenials will investigate this prior to making a purchase decision at all.  This desire can be summarized as a general desire to evaluate the authenticity of a brand.

Authenticity is an expression of consumer’s self-identity  and personal principles.  When promoting authenticity, consumers want content that is primitive and transparent, with a refocus on the brand’s origins.  A millenial consumer will choose to associate with a brand based on how closely the brand aligns with their personal values (source: Authenticity: Growing Preference for “Real” Brands and Products [Electronic (February 2015)]. Datamonitor Consumer).  In most cases, customers look for brands that align with their personal values so that their use of the brand can make them the hero.  So how can you tell an “authentic” story through a square-shaped photograph?

For example.  Let’s say that you’re a marketing executive for a guitar company who needs to promote a brand new model of guitar.  Traditionally, you may consider a post like this:

This might be an effective marketing ad on many channels.  But let’s consider the Instagram audience.  We now know that Instagram users have a desire to connect with the brands they love.  They want to understand the brand’s values, and want to know how their brand contributes to the greater society. They’re curious about the brand’s heritage, and want to understand where/how the product is sourced.  They love the brand, and want to build a deeper relationship with it.  They have a desire to partner with the brand, so they can be a hero.

Instead, Aximus is providing an egocentric message that talks about how beautiful their product is.  Aximus is proclaiming themselves as the hero.  It’s like the customer is saying “I love you.” and Aximus is saying “I know!  Aren’t I amazing?”

Let’s reevaluate this abusive relationship and make sure that Aximus gives the customer what they want.

The second example puts a focus on the sourcing of the product.  Note that both the ash wood and the factory workers (luthiers) are noted as being “local” resources.  Further more, Aximus makes a slight reference to their heritage in referencing their 75 years of experience.  Lastly, Aximus subtly mentions how they are serving their hero (customer) by building them the guitar that they deserve. This post is less about Aximus and their new Aximaster, and more about how their product can help the hero customer fulfill a personal image that they aspire to live out.

To assist you with building an Instagram strategy, I have built out 5 easy steps to creating Instagram content.

1. Identify the hero. What does your Instagram customer value?  What are their aspirations?  Why do they want to connect with your brand?
2. Connect the dots. Which values does your brand/product meet?  How can you help your hero meet their goal?
3. Humanize the message. The Instagram customer wants a personal relationship.  Add a human voice to your content.  Comment back when appropriate.
4. Level the field.  Don’t post from above the customer.  Make posts that a typical instagrammer is capable of posting themselves.
5. Create relatable imagery. If you must use professional photography, apply gritty filters to make the photos look more “real”.  Leverage warm or cool seasonal tones that make your posts organically fit-in with the customers feed.

If you follow these steps, you’ll succeed in creating shareable content that tells a story…rather than simply selling a product.