These days, a large number of small business owners across the country might have social marketing plans that include Facebook and Twitter, but might consider Instagram to be something used mainly by young people for frivolous reasons. However, it now appears as though companies that are regularly using this photo sharing service might see a boost to their bottom lines as a result.
Today, anecdotal evidence suggests that Instagram can be just as important to driving small business revenues as Facebook or Twitter marketing, and as such it’s certainly something that many experts urge entrepreneurs to at least examine, according to a report from USA Today. One of the reasons for this is that it might have a more engaged follower base overall, and the app is built so that pictures posted on it can also be automatically shared to Twitter and Facebook, essentially doing more work with a single posting. The service currently has more than 200 million users across the globe.
So what should be done?
One thing that many small businesses which make their own products do to promote them overall is to simply post pictures of them on their Instagram and other social media profiles, because this can significantly boost consumer interest by letting them see what’s on offer, the report said. Another strategy many take, though, is to mix in photos that could be associated with their “brand” overall; for instance, one California company that makes jeans and t-shirts in the U.S. posts pictures of its products, along with classic cars, highways along the West Coast, and so on, to create an evocative feel to their feed, and potentially create positive associations in customers’ minds.
Further, companies can also use the service to create discounts that could attract customers, the report said. Some have taken to offering price cuts of 20 or even 30 percent if people mention that they saw a specific photo on their Instagram. That might not only increase people’s incentive to come through the door, but also to continue following the account in question. Of course, this kind of effort can also have similar impacts for Twitter or Facebook accounts.
Owners may want to consider other ways to make their companies more likely to succeed, such as by cutting their costs overall. That could include finding more affordable small business insurance coverage – like commercial insurance – to save what could add up to thousands of dollars annually.
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