What do many of the biggest brands on Instagram have in common, including household names such as Apple with nearly 30 million followers? Here's a hint: It's not just about eye-catching imagery, although that is important. It's also not just about giving people a glimpse of upcoming products, although Apple uses Instagram to effectively build hype about new launches. Can you guess? Gaining a loyal audience through your brand on Instagram is largely about consistency.
More specifically, it's about creating a brand identity that's easily recognizable and one people can relate to. It's also about maintaining a consistent brand voice that sets the tone for all of your external communications.
Sure, Apple is an international brand on the leading edge of tech, which has helped it earn a huge army of fans. However, you do not have to be a high-profile company to attract attention. You also don’t need 30 million followers. The key is to deliver a consistent experience that speaks directly to your base.
How to pick a brand on Instagram
Is your target audience mostly a younger crowd that's plugged into everything new? Are they a light-hearted community that appreciates a humorous tone? Or are they a more serious, older professional crowd that comes to your account for actionable information?
In any case, you should consider who you're talking to before you curate your post. Your brand should reflect the thoughts and ideas of your desired followers.
Remember, a brand identity is a long-term commitment that dictates your public image. You don't want to be changing your online personality every week, as this may confuse or alienate your followers.
Also narrow down what your company's value proposition is—after all, this is what your brand on Instagram stands for, and what makes them stand out from the competition. This is an important way to attract the people you're looking to do business with. It also gives your internal team a solid direction to follow.
Don't forget to tell the world about your company's values in your Instagram bio. Make sure your profile's visitors know exactly what you're about and who you're communicating with.
Content consistency is key
Consistency comes in more than one form. For example, it means posting to Instagram regularly, so your followers don't lose interest.
While Instagram itself says there's no "set formula" to maximizing engagement, you should aim to post at least twice a week while utilizing Instagram Stories daily. Statistics show that 80% of marketers post to Instagram in their roles, and 45% post content to their feed multiple times weekly.
However, consistency also means staying true to your brand on Instagram. This is important to build trust among your existing social media followers, while speaking directly to your target audience.
One way to be consistent is to create and schedule Instagram content in advance. Once you've created a post, you can use third-party tools including HubSpot to schedule it for a specific day and time. That way you'll know a steady flow of content is reaching your followers, and you can even tie it to specific upcoming events or launches.
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