Thinking about marketing on Instagram? New to the social media platform?
Before you get started, here are some key facts that you should know. Some will be self-evident, others may not be, so bear with us if you’re already a veteran Instagram user, okay?
1. Instagram is a mobile app
Yeah, well good on you if you already knew that Instagram is a mobile app. Not everyone does. Yes, it is possible for users to access Instagram via the web. But, really, you wouldn’t.
Instead, most people visit Instagram via mobile.
What a typical user sees when using the Instagram app.
But wait, we hear some ask, doesn’t mobile usage limit the popularity of the app?
Not really — in New Zealand, smartphone usage is virtually universal for anyone Under 55:
2. Instagram is visual
Yeah, again, doh! Instagram is all about pictures (both still images and videos). You can and do add captions and hashtags and other words, but it’s pictures that do the heavy lifting, whether it’s food porn …
… or animals …
… or landscapes …
… or art …
… or any of a wide, wide range of pictorial possibilities.
Incidentally, we do recommend that you focus your attention (at least in the early stages of your Instagram Marketing endeavours) on pictures rather than videos. Sprout Social tells us:
What’s interesting about Instagram Video is that while video consumption has increased 40%, photos generate 36% more likes than videos. This could be due to any number of reasons. For instance, users could just watch your video then keep scrolling. Or in some cases, your videos might not drive people to take action.
3. Instagram’s user base is (currently) dominated by the Under 35s
Instagram has always tended to be more popular amongst younger audiences, at least once their elders found and started using Facebook. As the graph below (from March 2018) shows, if a significant proportion of your target market is Under 35, you should definitely use Instagram to reach them.
4. The primary currency for getting noticed on Instagram: Hashtags
Over 95 million photos are shared on Instagram daily, which means it can be hard for current and potential customers to find your posts. To make matters worse, 70% of Instagram posts simply aren’t seen by anybody but their maker.
We talk about how to build a following on Instagram in our Instagram Marketing course, but for now, take note: one of the secrets of getting found on Instagram is using the right hashtags.
FYI, the most popular hashtags in general are:
#love #instagood #photooftheday #tbt #beautiful #cute #me #selfie #tagforlikes #happy #followme #fashion #summer #picoftheday #like4likes #fun #art #friends #instadaily #girl #smile #repost
The most popular hashtags for marketing are:
#social #branding #socialmedia #success #sales #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #marketing #branding #tech #business #contestalert #sweepstakes #giveaway #discount #travel #deal #smallbiz
5. You need an Instagram Business Account
If you wish to market on Instagram, you will find that you need to pay to support strategic posts. And for that, you’ll need a Business Account.
6. Top Brands post regularly
In 2017, top brands posted 4.9 times per week on Instagram. If your maths is dodgy, just think about it as once every weekday.
Sprout Social data concluded that Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. were by far the safest days to post to maximize engagement. Here are some of their other findings:
- Thursday has the highest amount of engagement in the week
- Sunday has the weakest engagement of the week
7. Best times to post (your mileage may vary)
The best times to post, as a general rule, are when your followers are active and able to interact. That said, if you’re just starting out or have no idea when your followers are available, here are some overall averages (as reported by Inc).
Sunday: 5pm
Monday: 7pm and 10pm
Tuesday: 3am and 10pm
Wednesday: 5pm
Thursday: 7am and 11pm
Friday: 1am and 8pm
Saturday: 12am and 2am
Here’s a (slightly-confusing) graphic that tracks the best days and times:
8. Instagram is owned by Facebook
Yeah, we tossed in a bonus fact. The app is owned by Facebook (for better or for worse).
If you’re serious about promoting on Instagram, we recommend that you check out our Instagram for New Zealand Marketers online training course:
You’ll find out the details of this Instagram Marketing seven-part online training course by clicking here.
