How brands can step up their presence on Instagram

Social media may have started out as a fun way to socialise and share snippets of your life with your community of followers, but it has morphed into an important and fundamental component of any brand’s marketing strategy.

Studies indicate that more than 50 per cent of all new brand discoveries happen on Instagram, hence strengthening the case for having a robust presence on the social media platform built into a company’s marketing mix.

The ways that consumers acquire information in a digital age is completely different from what it was a decade ago. Now, consumers are constantly on their phones and on social media. In order to effectively engage with audiences, brands need to ensure a strong presence on platforms like Instagram – since this not only allows businesses to interact directly and in real-time with their customers, but it’s also now an integral part of the customer journey and sales funnel.

In the rapidly evolving world of social media, marketers have to keep integrating new and trending tactics into their digital campaigns.

With online audiences craving authenticity, uniqueness and a real connection, here are three tips that will help you fulfil all these requirements on Instagram.

Tip 1. Instagram stickers are the holy grail of engagement
Instagram stickers are a tried and tested way to boost follower engagement and engage in authentic conversations with audiences. It’s no surprise that over 60 per cent of businesses use stickers and other interactive elements on their stories. The beauty of stickers are that they can be used for both photos and video content as well. In fact videos with stickers have some of the highest engagement rates when it comes to Instagram content.

While there is a whole portfolio of stickers to choose from, some of the most popular ones to generate conversations are the ‘question’ and ‘poll’ stickers.

Tip 2. Reels are the ‘real deal’
The introduction of ‘Reels’ in the Middle East is a game changer. Essentially, Reels enables users to cut and edit up to 30-second videos with text, music, stickers and other special effects. The results can be highly-addictive short form content that attracts and engages Instagram users. They are a great way to grow your brand’s footprint by showcasing your
business’ personality, values and core differentiators in a fun and engaging way.

At the heart of it, social media is not about traditional hard-selling tactics and more about connecting with audiences and resonating on a common level. If you can show that your brand values align with your customers’ own values, then your social media followers will become your fans for life.

Tips. 3. Let’s go Live
The popularity of the Instagram ‘Live’ feature skyrocketed during Covid-19, with Instagram revealing that it had seen over 70 per cent uptick in live streaming at the beginning of the pandemic and associated lockdown period. The results, however, have had far greater ramifications with even LinkedIn jumping on the ‘Live’ bandwagon and slowly rolling out this feature.

One of the major benefits to marketers of using Instagram Live is the high levels of interaction – if executed properly. Using the feature can also help expand your company’s reach, because ‘Live’ stories appear ahead of regular stories and, hence, get more visibility.

Zaib Shadani is the managing director of Shadani Consulting