Social Media Lessons From Three Top Business Accounts on Instagram
With more than 400 million users, 30 billion shared photos, and 80 million photos updated daily, it’s easy to see why more and more businesses view Instagram as an essential platform for social media marketing. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, Instagram users do not rely on written content to send messages. Instead, Instagram is all about visual appeal, using images, videos, contests, and giveaways to engage users. It has proven to be an effective platform in particular for celebrities and individuals to promote their lifestyle as a brand. If your brand is highly visual or lifestyle-based, Instagram needs to be a part of your social media strategy.
As a digital agency, Studio Brand Collective devotes a lot of time and energy to social media campaigns, and we love to show off our #AgencyLife on Instagram. The beauty of Instagram is, of course, the never-ending stream of visuals as well as the helpful #hashtags, which can expose your image to a wider audience and increase your followers. Curious about how to make Instagram work for your business? We’ve stalked a few of our favorite corporate Instagram superstars to put together a few best practices for this platform. Follow their example to begin growing your business with Instagram!
National Geographic: @Natgeo
National Geographic makes the cut because it’s a magazine that has fully adapted to the digital media era. @Natgeo stays firm with what they believe in and only shares content/images that they love. They have over 60 million followers attracted by Natgeo’s reputation for great photography. Their Instagram strategy is simple. They have fun, they post content that is consistent with their well-maintained brand, they only post their best material, and, of course they have over 90 photographers who are geniuses when it comes to capturing the perfect moment.
ASOS: @asos
ASOS is a prime example of how to market products creatively on Instagram by showing the brand’s distinct personality. ASOS posts great images of their clothing and accessories, but also showcase ASOS-affiliated stylists. The stylists, similar to fashion bloggers, post about clothes, but also show their fun personalities. These brand ambassadors know what to capture and what to share. With over 5 million followers and their unique hashtag, #AsSeenOnMe, it’s easy to be an engaged user following their unique take on clothing. A large amount of their posted content has a call to action that invites the user to engage with them. For instance, “like and comment,” or “like and share to be featured.” Needless to say, this prompts the user to interact and post content using ASOS’ hashtag. Lastly, ASOS takes pride in their photos and notably targets their buyer persona by incorporating life into the images whereas most would just snap an image of clothing.
Melt Cosmetics: @meltcosmetics
It’s no surprise that Instagram has become an easy and FREE way to boost awareness for many small businesses. Makeup brands, in particular, have really succeeded with the platform. For instance, Melt Cosmetics has become one of those companies that has flourished and had a phenomenal amount of success on Instagram. Their co-founder, Lora Arellano, was found on YouTube by Rihanna, so proactive social media has worked for this first generation entrepreneur. Melt’s strategy is simple. They have fun, most importantly. Visiting their Instagram, one can’t help but be mesmerized with all their creatives. They flaunt their products (In a tasteful way), engage with their audience, and most importantly, aren’t afraid to be unique and bold with their multicolored makeup line. Before everyone thought it was cool to wear black lipstick, Melt was already on that makeup train. Melt makes it a priority to engage with nearly everyone who comments on their Instagram page. The team at @meltcosmetics gives their users a sense of who they are as people, and that’s rare. Their target audience is, of course, makeup enthusiasts and upcoming makeup artists who have ambitions to create magical makeup.
Melt Cosmetics invites you into their office life with their post. They give you a glimpse of their warehouse, and most importantly, they are consistent. Consistency is key. They stay on-brand while adding some lifestyle moments to keep the audience intrigued.
Want to create an Instagram strategy that works for your brand? Contact Studio Brand Collective today for a free social media consultation!
