 Your new post is loading...
Your new post is loading...
Reliably driving sales from social platforms like Instagram is one of the biggest challenges that digital marketers face.
And it makes sense. It’s tough to drive fleeting, generally low-intent Instagram followers all the way through your marketing or sales funnel to generate revenue.
That being said, there’s a few strategies you can employ to maximize your sales from social media. With that in mind, I present to you 15 awesome examples of Instagram posts that drive sales, featuring content from huge brands like McDonald’s, Spotify, and H&M.
Stories or still photos? That’s become an increasingly common question since Instagram introduced its Snapchat-imitating video feature. The ephemeral mobile viewing experience has grown rapidly since then–surpassing 250 million daily active users earlier this summer.
One result is that the number of badly shot mobile videos is proliferating, making it even harder to stand out and get noticed in feeds. Here are some of the things I have learned about effectively using Instagram Stories since it launched in 2016. These are tips and tricks I used while covering the nine-month battle for Mosul in Iraq for the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, and Foreign Policy, among others. Some of this material is from presentations I’ve given at Instagram and Facebook as well.
There are countless ways to use the Instagram app, and my hope is that these 12 ideas will either help get you started or spark some creativity if you’re already using it.
“However, despite both now copying each other’s features – The Great Storification, anyone? – users still engage with the platforms in different ways,” he said. And therein lie some opportunities for savvy marketers. What’s more, Havey noted that Instagram posts tend to get 10 times more engagement than Facebook posts on average....
Influencer marketing is one of the fastest growing channels in advertising, with our research estimating that $1 billion was spent on Instagram influencers alone in 2017. With brand dollars pouring into the space, social media influencers, whether established or aspiring, are vying for brand sponsorship deals. I founded Mediakix, a dedicated influencer marketing agency, in 2011. In the years since, I have witnessed a rise in these deceptive practices and wanted to draw awareness to the issue. These practices span the gamut of unscrupulousness and range from gaming Instagram’s algorithm with “pods” to purchasing fake followers and engagement to creating entirely fake personas and accounts. It’s difficult but not impossible to know whether an influencer has purchased fake followers and engagement. About a year ago, we were evaluating several accounts for potential campaigns and noted that one woman in particular had more than doubled her followers in less than a week. While rapid follower growth isn’t the only indicator of whether an influencer paid for followers, it does raise a red flag, especially if nearly every Instagram post is sponsored. We checked her rate afterwards and it had nearly tripled due to her boosted (fake) following....
Last week, we saw that both video output and engagements have increased for publishers.Instagram videos now account for 85 percent of BBC News’ monthly interactions on the platform, and engagements have grown for top publishers’ videos by 53 percent between last year and 2017. In March 2016, Instagram made a change allowing video posts as long as 60 seconds long. Previously, the limit had been 15 seconds. We decided to look at whether this change has impacted how publishers are creating video for Instagram. When we looked at video for Facebook in January, we saw that many top publishers were creating videos between 60 and 90 seconds long. This time, we wanted to dive in a little more deeply and understand what makes for a successful video on Instagram. How long are the top most liked and commented videos from Instagram publishers? Using NewsWhip Analytics, we surveyed the top 20 engaging publishers and media brands of Instagram video in June 2017. We calculated the length of their top five videos to find what length had their audiences liking and commenting. NewsWhip Analytics allows us to dig into historical social data across any niche, keyword, or region, and see how users are reacting across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more....
When it comes to total daily users, Instagram Stories, the section of the app for daily, disappearing posts, is beginning to pull farther ahead of Snapchat. According to Instagram, at least 250 million users use the app’s vertical format every day, up from 200 million just two months ago. The latest count places the Facebook-owned app’s feature at nearly 100 million more per day than Snapchat, which reported 166 million daily users for as of its first-quarter earnings results. The latest total from Instagram was announced in a blog post today, along with news that it would start allowing users to replay live video on the platform instead of it disappearing the moment the livestream is over. Instagram, which first announced Live Stories in January, began letting users save their own live videos back in March. However, it’s now bringing the app more in line with Facebook’s strategy of letting people tune in even after the broadcaster has tuned out....
User-generated content, or UGC, consists of any form of content that's created by users and consumers about a brand or product. UGC isn't paid for, and its authenticity makes the user the brand advertiser as well. UGC is particularly prevalent on Instagram, where brands can easily repost and regram UGC from users' accounts. And it's worthwhile for brands to do this -- 76% of individuals surveyed said they trusted content shared by "average" people more than by brands, and nearly 100% of consumers trust recommendations from others. In this post, we'll discuss just how successful UGC on Instagram can be -- as well as review 10 brands using it successfully....
One thing that really got me thinking is how Instagram only allows you to link to 1 website or page in your profile’s description (unless you’re paying for ads). This really changes the playing field and limits a brand’s opportunities to promote the sale – at least by traditional standards. We’ve all seen those awe-inspiring accounts where it seems like Instagrammers are raking in serious cash just by posting selfies. Unfortunately, looks can be deceiving. The reality is that it’s a gradual process. In fact, when it’s the talk of brands, 50 percent of Instagrammers follow at least 1 business, but only 5 percent of them take action (like shopping) after being inspired by a post....
Instagram has become the favorite social network of many -- and not just for teens or Millennials. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, 32% of online adults use Instagram -- up 5% from the previous year. Compare that, for example, to 24% on Twitter. Plus, folks don't just use Instagram casually -- 35% of them use it several times each day. But for those who have never used the platform before, or those who just want to take their usage to the next level, Instagram has some lesser-known tricks and features. That's why we set out to find them and list them all in one place. Whether you're a recruiter looking to showcase your company's culture, a marketer in the e-commerce industry, or an individual who's just looking to use Instagram in the best ways possible, there are tips and features here for you....
When you come across a beautiful sight -- be it a beach, a mountain, or your pet's face -- sometimes, it inspires you to think bigger about what certain sights and experiences mean. For those moments, you might consider posting a photo on Instagram with an equally inspiring quote as the caption. But you could take it even further -- and save characters -- by posting the photo with the quote. You've likely seen quotes on Instagram posts before, but you may never have created one for your brand's account. Here's a recent Instagram quote we shared here at HubSpot:See what we mean? Posting quote images on Instagram can diversify your content on the platform and humanize your brand a little, too. Everyone could use a motivational quote during a busy Monday morning or a slow Tuesday afternoon, so try out an Instagram quote for your next post with the help of these free apps....
For a while now, it's been clear that Instagram isn't just a social network for selfies and brunch pics. In fact, Instagram has a whopping 600 active monthly million users as of December 2016, the last 100 million of which joined in the prior six months. Although they're few and far between, there are some brands out there -- in every industry, and with every type of target customer -- who are doing really, really well on Instagram. Ready to get inspired? Check out this list of brands that are thriving on Instagram right now, and what about their posts sets them apart. For each of these brands, we've included examples of their best posts. For some of them, we've also included their most popular Instagram post of all time in terms of engagement...
Influencer marketing has become the hot topic on many marketer’s lips, and when you think about the potential, it’s not hard to understand why. With its community of over 400 million active users, including many incredible content creators, Instagram has become a top visual marketing platform for all kinds of businesses—start-ups and huge global brands alike. The latest algorithm update by Instagram (posts are now shown based on engagement rather than in chronological order) means that paid advertising and influencer marketing have just become more important than ever before....
Interested in generating high-quality leads for your brand? You’re probably using several social media platforms to reach out to a new audience and generate new leads. But have you tried gearing your Instagram marketing towards lead generation? You may be using the platform to engage with an existing audience but with 500 million monthly active users, Instagram could be the ideal channel for drawing in new leads.So how exactly do you entice new prospects and generate high-quality leads through Instagram? Here are some of the most effective tips to help you out...
|
Instagram is a rapidly evolving powerhouse for content creators. We look at how to make the most of the platform in our latest infographic & trends report. With more than 700 million active monthly users, Instagram has emerged as a platform that publishers and brands alike can’t ignore. New reports suggest that the sought-after Generation Z is flocking to the platform, some of them even skipping Facebook entirely. To stay ahead of the need-to-know trends on Instagram, we rolled up our newest research and insights into our “What You Need to Know for Instagram” report. Read the report for: - The top publishers on Instagram and their strategies - How Instagram stacks up against Facebook for brands - Why influencer posts are making a big difference for brands - How top creators are using photo vs. video posts. The growth of Instagram video and the perfect video length And for a quick look at what’s winning the day on Instagram, check out our handy infographic below...
On average, Instagram ads generally see 2.5 times more clicks than other social media sites, and regular Instagram posts see up to 10 times more engagement than Facebook posts. The difference lies within the app’s clutter-free layout and a user-friendly mobile experience. Instagram offers several advertisement options depending on your budget and brand image. Don’t underestimate the value of clean, consistent Instagram content and consult with your marketing team about implementing paid Instagram ads within your campaign. Given the potential to grasp thousands of loyal new followers, many brands are curious about the pricing to advertise within their intended consumer demographic. We’ve simplified the details and broke it all down for you below. ...
Instagram captions give a voice to your visual content and a chance for deeper engagement. Here’s how you can tell the best story, in just a few words. A great caption can make or break your post. While a stunning photo or video will catch your audience’s eyes, a well-written and clever caption can hold their attention. A caption is the icing on the cake that is the Instagram post. Captions add context, create a deeper connection with the content, and can encourage more engagement. But how do you create the perfect caption? We turned to NewsWhip Analytics to examine the top 25 media publishers on Instagram and their captions on their top posts. Here’s what we looked at: - Caption length - Emoji usage - Hashtag usage - Mentions and - Calls-to-action. The best practices of content are still in play here. Know your brand, your audience, and the value of the content you’re delivering them. Be authentic and consistent. These data-driven tips can add context into what works on Instagram to what you already know thrills your audience. Here’s what our data revealed around the most engaging tactics of the top publishers....
More than 15 million businesses now use Instagram worldwide and over half of those businesses are creating Stories every month. Stories are an incredible way to connect with your audience in fresh and authentic ways. Who knows, maybe they’ll even become the new News Feed. But creating attractive Instagram Stories can be challenging and time-consuming. We’d love to help with that! We’ve teamed up with the team at Adobe Spark, an awesome free design tool, to share 10 Instagram Stories templates you can use to quickly create your Instagram Stories content...
Whenever I open Instagram these days, it feels like I’m being watched. The minute I follow a new person or double tap a landscape or cat pic, the photo-sharing app—to which I’ve long been addicted—picks up on it and starts showing me remarkably similar images. It’s almost creepy. As it turns out, Instagram’s algorithms are indeed keeping an eye on me, busily drawing a complex map of my likes, follows, and other in-app behavior, and that of the people I follow as well. As the app learns, its Explore tab gets better at recommending photos and videos to me. I can’t help but take the bait. Next thing you know, I’m barreling down some new visual rabbit hole and following six more people. The Explore tab is essentially one giant recommendation engine. But the ever-evolving methodology Instagram uses to sort through one of the world’s largest networks of photographs, comments, and likes is far more complex than your standard, “If you like that, you’ll like this” logic. And, surprisingly, Instagram says that despite the image recognition capabilities of parent company Facebook, there’s no machine vision involved....
Instagram recently passed 700 million monthly active users and is currently the most popular social media platform for Generation Z with over 59% of the cohort using it. With such massive growth, this platform is hard for any brand to ignore its power. But as people and companies launch their brands on Instagram, many are struggling with getting their following established. A key tool to create your brand: Instagram If you want to achieve a massive following on Instagram, take note of Derrick Thompson (@throne) and his work building a following of over 5 million users across all of his accounts, including large some of the largest Instagram pages such as @abs. His work as a content creator has allowed him to reach massive fame and own a number of successful e-commerce businesses. After taking a moment to sit down and talk to him about his story and how he became so successful, this was his take on how to use Instagram to build a brand.
In 2017, the industry's love affair with Instagram isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Digiday recently checked in with a number of fashion and beauty social media insiders at SXSW's Decoded Fashion and Create & Cultivate events, confirming that Instagram remains a top priority in their digital marketing strategies. "Instagram is always a priority for us," Rosi Sanchez, a social media strategist at Fossil, told Digiday. "We have more reach and a larger new follower group there, so it leads to more conversions. Until we get to 1.5 million or 2 million followers, it’s going to be our number one priority." Fossil isn't alone. Social media strategists from more established brands like L’Oréal USA, Shopbop, and Murad also indicated that Instagram was their top social media priority for the foreseeable future. Brands from any industry looking to level up their visual storytelling chops should keep a close eye on fashion brands for inspiration. To help get you started, we've compiled a list of 15 fashion accounts -- both big and small -- who are crushing the Instagram game. Take a look below, and start planning your next big Instagram push. For a deeper dive on how to build a presence on Instagram, check out our complete guide to Instagram marketing.
In 2013, while sitting at a bar with a friend, Danny Nieves had a thought. He was helping a friend advertise his Cuban restaurant and told him that he would post his menus onto doors by rubber-banding them to doorknobs in his neighborhood. The idea was a hit. It garnered local attention and had business booming at his friend's restaurant. This bright idea spawned into the thought that, if it could work for his friend's Cuban restaurant, maybe other nearby restaurants would pay him to add their menus to doorknobs. Nieves got to work. Stapling together menu after menu, he began dropping them off on every single doorknob he could. The business idea saw explosive growth. Sales for those restaurants skyrocketed and he knew he was onto something. But he hated stapling together the menus and having to attach them one by one. However, it was at that bar, scrawled on a drink napkin, that he planned out his approach, detailing how he would saturate the homes with advertisements....
Wondering what your competitors are up to on Instagram? Looking for an enterprise-level tool to compare their marketing efforts to yours? Researching how your competitors market on Instagram can help you find new ways to reach your shared customer base. In this article, you’ll discover how to research your competitors on Instagram....
Instagram continues to move up the social media ladder. From a niche site for amateur photographers and a few filters to one of the top used image-sharing platforms, the advertising opportunities cannot be ignored by marketers looking to expand their audiences. And, as we continue to march toward an app-first online experience, mobile continues to outpace desktop in traffic. Mobile-first sites such as Instagram will continue to reap the benefits, meaning your ads have greater potential — and create higher ROI if you combine ads with an Instagram landing page. What is an Instagram landing page? An Instagram landing page is a standalone web page that uses persuasive elements like testimonials, benefit-oriented copy, and videos to convince its visitors to convert on an offer. And, since Instagram is primarily used as an app on mobile devices, it is important to design a mobile-friendly page. Visitors land on the page after clicking a promotional link on Instagram....
Is Instagram part of your marketing strategy? With 600 million users, Instagram’s growth is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. It’s become a prime place for brands to show off their personalities and promote their products to the world. We've put together 20 great examples of Instagram marketing from top brands like Disney, Nike, and Tesla to help give you the edge and inspire your Instagram marketing....
Have you ever struggled to captivate your audience's attention? Sometimes, it can feel like your social media posts are just shouts in the wind. Especially on a platform like Instagram. That's why I hand-curated the advice from 11 marketing experts to share some of their best tips on how to engage and delight your audience on Instagram....
|
Great examples of excellent Instagram posts you can learn from.