3 Instagram Tips Confirmed by the Experts
Last night I headed to Brainstation Toronto – a tech education hub – for my first #InstaMeetTO.
The event brings together social enthusiasts from across the city, all equally eager to curate an amazing Insta feed. With a stacked panel of artists and brand managers, there was sure to be a ton of insights.
Content creator Dani Rey @daniirey moderated the panel of experts that included,
- Urban photographer @bora.vs.bora
- Founder of @elxrjuicelab, Dan Gelshteyn
- Photographer @willyverse
- @lululemon social media manager Michelina Teti and
- Photographer @Seunx.
While a lot of great advice was given, from my perspective (as an account coordinator working on the social for several consumer brands), three important Instagram tidbits were confirmed.
Instagram content MUST be visually b-e-a-u-tiful.
Reusing content for multiple platforms is cost effective for a brand, but doesn’t always translate to an amazing feed and super engaged Insta-community. Brands need to be thoughtful (strategic!) in the content they post to Instagram. Product focused shots that work on Facebook might not necessarily get the same engagement in the world of Instagram.
Michelina made clear that Lululemon’s success on the platform (they have over 1.7 million followers on their global account) is thanks to their careful curation of (mostly) non-product shots. @lululemon features images that evoke the feel of their brand through places their audience would want to explore and experiences their audience would want to share.
Bigger isn’t always better.
Audience size is a KPI that most clients want to tackle (Grow our followers please!). However, there is something to be said about a smaller but highly engaged audience versus a massive following that cares little about your brand. Follower growth isn’t something that comes quickly either. But with a clear vision, great content and a little collaboration (with partners, brand ambassadors/influencers, etc.) the following will come.
Move over Snapchat (sort of).
Brands can (and should) leverage Instagram Stories. From behind the scenes shots, to event announcements, to giveaways, to those not so great (but still good) visuals, Instagram Stories offer a more flexible space to post content that doesn’t quite fit the feed. Audiences aren’t expecting perfection on Stories, so brands can have some fun while reaching a larger audience (don’t forget those people creeping around the Explore section).
Sarah Rogers is an account coordinator at ruckus, working on social for retail, alcohol and fashion clients. Follow her on Instagram.