Social Media Marketing:

Our Company on Instagram

Nina Ogor

January 28, 2016

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❖ Introduction

❖ Section 1

➢ Sub-section 1.1: What is Instagram?

➢ Sub-section 1.2: What does Instagram provide?

➢ Sub-section 1.3: Why has it become successful?

❖ Section 2

➢ Sub-section 2.1: How are businesses using Instagram?

➢ Sub-section 2.2: What are the Types of businesses that are using

Instagram?

➢ Sub-section 2.3: Business profitability through Instagram

➢ Sub-section 2.4: Projected success with Instagram

❖ Section 3

➢ Sub-section 3.1: Pros and Cons in posting on Instagram

➢ Subsection 3.2: Ideas when posting on Instagram for the Our Company

brand

❖ Conclusion

❖ Citations

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  Introduction

Instagram is currently one of the fastest growing social media platforms on the

Internet. Since it was acquired by Facebook on April 9, 2012, Instagram has grown in to

be one of the top social media programs for Internet users. This report will be broken

down into sections and subsections that will explain what Instagram is, what it does, and

seek to provide reasons why it has become successful. After an introduction to

Instagram, the report will them explain how businesses are using Instagram, what types

of businesses are using Instagram, what is the margin of profitability, and project Our

Company’s success with Instagram. The report will conclude with a comprehensive

analysis of the pros and cons in posting on Instagram, along with ideas on ways to post

on Instagram and get the Our Company brand recognized by non-profit marketing

people.

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Section One:

On Instagram

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  Section 1

Sub-section 1.1: What is Instagram?

The simple answer is that Instagram is a social networking app made for sharing

photos and videos from a smartphone. The entire purpose of Instagram is to connect 1

people through photo sharing, making it accessible for people who may not be educated

or are visual learners.

The set up is also very easy and accessible. As long as one has a computer or

smartphone and email/facebook account, setting up an Instagram account is very easy. It

is point-click technology, both because of the use of cameras and because of the

heart/like function.

As videos and photos are loaded onto the site, subscribers to certain accounts will

receive a steady stream of both with the option to scroll, like, or comment. User

engagement per photograph or video is recorded in milliseconds. However, Instagram

shows the impact of these quick media analysis on users.

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Section 1

Sub-section 1.2: What does Instagram provide?

Instagram provides user-community engagement. It allows its users to be part of a

bigger, global community through a visual medium. Currently this medium is almost

exclusively catering to young people, in large part because Instagram is so new.

The app is more popular among younger people, with usage at 41% among those

aged 16-24 and at 35% among 24-34s. 51% of users are male while, you guessed it, 49%

are female.

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You can see from the breakdown that social media with a visual focus is currently

leading the pack. Snapchat, Vine, Instagram, and Facebook are among the top

competitors to Google+, Twitter, and so on, due in large part to their visual elements.

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  Section 1

Sub-section 1.3: Why has it become successful?

Most people will say the same thing: Instagram is successful because of their

simple interface, ability to turn ordinary into extraordinary, and its immediacy. They will

also say that the brand Instagram has cultivated is a clean cut one. They have a specific

audience, specific content (with content limitations), they make themselves accessible.

There are plenty of photo sharing apps, but Instagram rules them because its cultivated

its brand and now been acquired by Facebook.

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Section Two:

On Business

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  Section 2

Sub-section 2.1: How are businesses using Instagram?

Business are using Instagram to visually communicate their brand, merchandise,

mission, and connectivity. They do this through stylized, printed photographs and videos.

Most photos and videos will be representations of their business, the time i.e. modernity,

nature/adventures in nature, and community.

These businesses are also starting campaigns, creating hashtags, and asking for

likes and followers on their Instagram accounts.

Here are a few of the most popular campaigns:

1. Applebee’s #Fantographer

2. Habitat for Humanity’s #Habitatephotocontest

3. Starbucks’ White cup challenge

4. Adidas & Champs #AdicolorTV

5. Kenneth Cole’s #Dressforyourselfie

6. Madewell’s #flashtagram

7. Coke’s #ShareaCoke

8. Oreo’s #OreoHorrorStories

9. Audi’s #WantAnR8

Five links to websites that have very simple, but funny or ironic charts

1. sad recruiter

2. #funnygraphs

3. Truth Facts

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Mascots that are known in Our Company

1. Ronald McDonald

2. Aflac Duck

3. Mr. Peanut

4. Mickey Mouse 

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For more brands see Starbucks, Oreo, GoPro, and Nikelab.

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  Section 2

Sub-section 2.2: What are the types of businesses that are using Instagram?

The most common types of businesses on Instagram are B2C (Business to Customer)

companies. “... Marketing on Instagram is less about selling the benefits of your [B2B]

products and services, and more about establishing deeper connections with people

including industry thought-leaders, employers, and prospective clients.” This includes

non-profits seeking donors/members, food, fashion, tech, etc. The top companies

currently being followed on Instagram are:

1. Oreo

2. Nike

3. Taco Bell

4. Audi

5. American Express

6. Pabst Blue Ribbon

7. Virgin America

8. Sephora

9. Bonobos

10. Gucci

11. Starbucks

12. Converse

13. MTV

14. Warby Parker

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15. GoPro

16. Sharpie

17. Red Bull

18. Target Style

19. Vans

20.NFL

21. Playboy

22.Forever 21

However, there are B2B businesses that are using Instagram too. While they are no

1. Mailchimp

2. WeWork

3. CBRE

4. Dolbylabs

5. General Electric

6. Intel

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  Section 2

Sub-section 2.3: Business profitability on Instagram

See Instagram business

Many companies have found posting on Instagram profitable, however, those are

also companies that have entire marketing teams and millions to shell out for marketing.

For B2C companies, there can be profit in Instagram videos and photos, however, not

enough research has been conducted into B2B companies profitability via Instagram.

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Section Three:

On Our Company

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  Section 3

Sub-section 3.1: Pros and Cons in posting on Instagram

Pro Con

User engagement Time

Garner a large following Attract the “wrong” following

Potentially bring in new clients Backlash if wrong pic or video is posted

Recognition Does not make money

There aren’t any obvious money making pros for Instagram in the short or long

run. However, Instagram is an engagement platform and if we engage the correct users

we can draw in clients who want to be part of our brand and mission.

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  Section 3

Subsection 3.2: Ideas when posting on Instagram for the Our Company brand

Our profile needs to be an ideal representation of Our Company. We need to

choose colors and effects that represent us. I suggest the Our Company color, mascot,

CMS identifiers, and tagging B-corp and Salesforce.

An inclusion of multiple languages, will also bring a global perspective to our

work. We need to also be able to show diversity in staff i.e. women, people of color, etc.

An idea is to bring visibility to other organizations. This campaign could bring more

attention to our staff as well as our work, like putting a face to the name deal.

“This campaign ” could be another visibility campaign with a lighter feel, the

mascot signifying acceptability or something like that. The purpose of these campaigns is

to show potential clients who we are and what we stand for.

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At the same time, we can be figure out a way for the picture to do double duty by

working to draw people in and help them get whatever work they need done. I think it

would be great to cross reference the newsletter’s highest click rates with photos we can

create that would target what our clients are most interested in.

For example, if we had a number of people click a link. That means finding a

part-time sys admin is something they want or need. A picture for that might be a person

running and trying to catch someone. If it’s stylized correctly, and the outfits and scene

capture our aesthetic it could make people want to find out what the picture means and

go to the description.

Reaching out to our clients is another idea. Not only including them in our

Instagram hashtags or descriptions, but physically taking pictures with them or playing

“This campaign idea” would work too. It’s a campaign that’s never been done on

Instagram and one that can involve a lot more people.

This campaign is all about inspiring others, from the old saying “give a man a fish”.

We would ask people how they inspired others, and how they’ve changed lives. It’s not

about money, it’s about change.

Using Our Mascot to start a campaign. Many companies (as you’ve seen) are

giving themselves license to be funny and different. If we use Our Mascot correctly, he

could generate the type of feel good message and branding we want. We could also link

this to his Twitter account. Below is a chart of social media users who also use other

various social media.

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  Conclusion

Instagram is a photo and video sharing platform, so if we want to be apart of that

community we have to learn the lingo. Our Company needs to create a strategy for

Instagram, hashtags and contests that represent our brand, and add a distinct style to the

videos and photos we post. Since our main focus is to help non-profits and other

companies, posting video or photo success stories about or with clients is an option.

Similarly, using trending hashtags in correlation with specific photos might work. For

example, the “#stride by” trend and hashtag could be used to our advantage if we stride

with a client, if we look like we’re striding by a nonprofit but then turn out head or move

our arms as if we’re about to stop.

Creating contests that specifically target areas the non-profits we service are

concerned about would help too. We could do a “#OurCompanystandsforsuccess”

campaign were non-profits tag us while doing power poses. We could take pictures of

the team and have them hashtagging the nonprofits they’re working with or something

like that.

Volume isn’t going to help us on Instagram, and in fact it could harm us. Posting

1-2 perfectly captured and styled photos with 30-ish hashtags could help us more than 5

tweets, but it would also take more time.

So here are the four things we need to keep in mind as we move forward: 1) time.

Instagram pictures take time to get just so. Is this time worth the investment? 2) Strategy.

We need to come up with an approach and strategy to Instagram that has to be carried

through our photos, contests, and videos that will also intersect with our brand. 3) Our

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brand. The average user will spend milliseconds looking at a photo, might not ever click

on a video, and also might not read the profile. We need to capture their attention in

those seconds as well as make it a distinct representation of our brand, so they realize

it’s Our Company before ever looking at the poster. We could do a pineapple type

scenario like in Psych or a goat scenario like in How I Met Your Mother. We could do

distinctive colors or features like the robin’s egg blue & black oreo is known for.

Now I’ll answer the questions: 1) How would Instagram make Our Company

money? and 2) What best practices have you learned that will make Our Company more

money?

Instagram is an investment in engagement. It is a storytelling, community based

platform. I’m not sure how Instagram will make us more money, but if we strategize

wisely, it could make us known on Instagram as the company people want to work with

which can draw attention and hopefully clients.

The money that has been made through Instagram is by companies like

Coca-Cola, Oreo, and Nike. They spend millions on these campaigns and strategies, and

to use the statistics I’ve received from these companies in comparison with ours wouldn’t

help. We are a B2B company with a focus to engage non-profits, and there aren’t any

popular companies I can find like ours on Our Company or any companies even similar to

ours. The best practices I’ve learned are ones targeting user engagement. As I’ve said

before, our mission, style, and brand will hopefully increase more engagement from the

users we are targeting.

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  Citations

http://webtrends.about.com/od/prof4/a/What-Is-Instagram-Wiki.htm

https://www.feverbee.com/myth/

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/2016-marketing-checklist

https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Instagram-become-so-successful

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-reasons-why-instagram-has-become-so-successful-olivi

a-trilla

http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/27/why-instagram-is-so-popular/

http://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-instagram-for-business/

https://business.instagram.com/gettingstarted

http://corp.wishpond.com/instagram-marketing-resources-for-businesses/how-to-use-inst

agram-for-business-a-beginners-guide/

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7662-instagram-business-guide.html

https://blog.bufferapp.com/instagram-for-business

https://www.shopify.com/blog/14288561-how-to-build-a-massive-following-on-instagram

https://blog.kissmetrics.com/biggest-misconceptions-about-instagram/

http://www.agorapulse.com/blog/16-instagram-statistics-infographic

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-10-most-followed-companies-on-instagram-2012-10

http://www.tintup.com/blog/7-examples-of-successful-hashtag-campaigns/

http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/11/top-25-brands-you-should-follow-on-instagram.html

https://www.distilled.net/resources/why-your-b2b-brand-needs-to-be-on-instagram/

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http://www.komarketingassociates.com/blog/12-examples-of-b2b-companies-on-instagra

m/

http://www.business2community.com/b2b-marketing/10-engaging-ways-b2b-marketers-c

an-use-instagram-0892196

https://www.distilled.net/resources/why-your-b2b-brand-needs-to-be-on-instagram/

https://business.instagram.com

http://www.business2community.com/b2b-marketing/10-engaging-ways-b2b-marketers-c

an-use-instagram-0892196#h7bkZUlbZMkjRMsc.97

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1) celebration

a) celebrate change makers

2) lifestyle

3) fun

4) knowledge

5.

http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/gain-instagram-followers

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