Many online stores know the potential of social media to promote both their products and their brand. That’s why some networks are becoming essential for promotion, as is the case with Instagram, considered the new platform for eCommerce.
In Spain, according to the First Omnichannel Retail Strategy Study, more than 47% of retail brands are on Instagram. These figures make clear how important it is for any brand to be present on Instagram. A good Social Commerce strategy on such a visual social network will let an online store build a network of loyal followers who share its posts and watch for every new brand update.
On Instagram, visual quality is key
Instagram’s popularity has grown in recent years, and more and more brands have chosen to share their products in a different way. If we’ve said countless times that content is king in content marketing and in an online store’s organic search rankings, we now need to be clear that on Instagram and all visual social networks, it’s the visual quality and originality of the photos that will greatly boost a brand’s social strategy.
Instagram becomes a booster of brand image through the images themselves. A promotional channel you can use to enhance your online store’s product pages, since an Instagram promotion lets you show products from a different angle.
On Instagram, the photos people share are defined by filters and editing. This can really benefit brands, as it makes images feel more personal and creates a much closer visual dialogue with followers and potential customers. Personalizing an image adds value, and showing that the brand cares about creating the best content for its followers is what really makes the difference.
Does your online store benefit from Instagram?
Since it’s a free social network, you could say you have nothing to lose by trying to build a communication strategy on Instagram. But you need to know which benefits can directly impact your brand and, above all, what actions to take to build a solid social media strategy.
- Interaction with your target audience: for fashion brands, which generally have the strongest presence on Instagram, customer-brand feedback is very valuable. Knowing first-hand which collections or products users like most, or receiving their comments, creates a unique opportunity to connect with your audience. This matters because it builds a direct, personal relationship with the brand’s followers, which helps build loyalty among the store’s most important audience: its target audience.
- Free promotion for your online store: Instagram is a free social network where you can promote all your online store’s new arrivals and promotions. It’s perfect for promotion because it’s an entirely visual network. Which brings us back to image quality: the promotion is free, but we shouldn’t waste it on poor or low-resolution images.
- Brand image: Instagram is perfect for building customer loyalty, showcasing new products or standing out from the competition in an original way, gradually creating a brand image that conveys the brand’s values to its target audience. Sharing images of your team or physical store adds value to your eCommerce.
Harness the power of Instagram for your eCommerce
We now know all the advantages that can benefit both your online store and your brand’s online presence. Now the question is: how can I get all these benefits?
Nothing comes for free. It takes some effort and a well-defined social media strategy, and not just for Instagram: every social network where your online store is present should point in the same direction. You need a joint social media strategy in which Instagram follows these criteria:
- Promote your product: A good image and a clear, direct message. That’s one of the formulas for promoting an Instagram post. What people see matters as much as the message behind it, so using hashtags is a good way to catch the attention of people searching for similar terms.
- Creativity + Engagement: to showcase your products or promotions on Instagram, creativity is your trump card, as it directly drives engagement and in turn fosters customer loyalty. Go for eye-catching, creative photos that are genuinely appealing to your target audience.
- Promotional videos: Visual power is undeniable these days, so promoting your products with short videos gives you free advertising. An original form of advertising that can be shared across all social networks, not just Instagram.
- Use geolocation: If you have a physical store as well as your online store, you can use Instagram to organize events or contests that also benefit your physical store.
Instagram has become a major social network to consider in eCommerce, as its following grows every day. And, more than Twitter or Facebook, it’s the network users access mostly from their mobile phones. A sign that mobile traffic to online stores will become increasingly important.
Still not on Instagram?
