How can your business make more of an impact on social media with the use of Pinterest and Instagram?
It only takes one glance to capture a reader’s attention! That is the reason why newspaper and magazine editors pick the best photos for the front page of their publications, and why advertising companies spend countless hours in choosing the best images for their ad campaigns – they know that it is easier to capture the audience’s attention through strong and interesting images.
Does “a picture is worth a thousand words” ring any bell? The two biggest visual social media platforms – Pinterest and Instagram – have proven the importance of using great images to market a brand in the digital world, and that telling stories about people, products and services can be taken to a whole new level when eye-catching images accompany them.
Pinterest and Instagram’s popularity grew in 2013 and is continuing to capture audience’s attention. Pinterest now has over 70 million users, and Instagram more than 130 million, with over 5 million photos uploaded on the site every hour. A 2012 study of ROI Research indicated that 44 percent of respondents are more likely to pay closer attention to brands if they post pictures.
If a number of your target audience is spending time on Pinterest and Instagram, you simply cannot afford not to have a presence there! So how exactly can your business benefit from embracing this visual trend?
PINTEREST
Most company websites “tell” people about their products and services; but Pinterest can “show” you how.
Pinterest can give massive exposure and ample opportunity to market new products and services to both consumer-focused and business-to-business companies. When used to its full potential, this picture-pinning, video-sharing site can help businesses attract present and prospective customers.
You may ask yourself: How can I engage with other users on the site? Like any other marketing campaign, you start by planning your marketing strategy then you introduce your brand or service. Make it informative! Take that chance to put a face to your company. Then you start “pinning”.
Post visually strong and captivating images or videos to attract visitors to your page. Like in all the major social media platforms, you need appealing posts to increase user engagement on your page – the same goes with Pinterest. When you have gained enough followers, create a guest pinner board. It is a good way to getting your followers involved in your boards and this can also give you insight on the opinions and interests of your audience.
To drive traffic to your site, take advantage of Pinterest’s “link-back” action. When a user clicks on a photo, he or she is taken to the site where it was taken from. If you have just recently introduced a product or service that you want people to take notice of, you can pin an image of that on your board so a user can click on it. If users of the site are attracted to your pins, they will repin them to their boards. Make sure to combine captivating images with appealing content.
Pinterest’s “Interests” feature makes it easier for your users to find your content when you use very specific topics. The social networking site has also expanded its set of “rich pins” to include more details and other relevant information about pinned articles. If you want to measure the reach of your posts, you can use some of the tools they have on the site.
INSTAGRAM
Instagram is a social app that lets you snap photos and post videos, add creative filters and share them with your followers. Because of its increasing popularity, more and more businesses are looking into integrating this tool to build and market their brands.
To get started, you need to sign up for an Instagram account and pick your username carefully (ex. you could use the same username you’re using for Twitter so when your content is tagged and shared, the @username links to your Twitter account bio). A step-by-step guide in setting up your business page can be found on
Instagram’s Help Centre.
When you start using Instagram, always consider how an image might be used to tap into that visual audience. You could, maybe, take a good photo of your new product, write an appealing caption and share it. Without being too promotional, an eye-catching photo and an intriguing caption can already capture people’s interest and get them to start talking about your product. Instagram can help you “humanize” your company by offering a behind-the-scenes series of images for your target audience, even a video. Make sure what you share on Instagram features your brand’s personality and information about it as well as your company. Don’t just bombard your followers with a series of display ads as most people really find that a bit irritating.
TIPS ON HOW TO USE VISUAL SOCIAL MARKETING FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
1.) “Show” your prospective customers what your business is all about. Introduce your company through a series of photos or a video, instead of “telling” them.
2.) Remember: Pinterest and Instagram are social networking sites! So you need to balance “fun” photos as well as images about your business.
3.) Feature NEWSWORTHY photos or videos about your organisation.
4.) Like all other social networking sites, you need to engage with your target audience. Like, share, pin, comment – be visible!
5.) Of course, you also need to reward your followers: give freebies, sweepstakes or have a contest.
The digital world is constantly evolving with many new ways on how to attract present and prospective customers on the social media platform – at a lesser cost and a wider audience. If you are feeling overwhelmed or at a loss as to what to do next, contact us! Your Social Village has a team of
social media consultants who are EXPERTS in the field of social media marketing. Let us help you get your business moving in the right direction.
Call us now!
via:http://www.yoursocialvillage.com.au/visual-social-media-marketing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=visual-social-media-marketing
