Have you ever wondered what it would take to become one of the most followed brands on Instagram?
It might take hiring a marketing agency, spending hours a day creating content and engaging with your audience, or making social media marketing your full-time job.
Or maybe it might just take having a look at what the 3 most-followed brands on Instagram are doing.
These three brands aren't doing anything you couldn't do — seriously. Read on to learn how you can incorporate their techniques into your own Instagram marketing strategy today!
Storytelling is important
You'd think National Geographic got the top spot because it's a widely known brand, but being known around the world isn't what gets you the most followers of any brand on Instagram (just ask Coca-Cola). National Geographic earned the top spot by focusing on pairing high-quality images with engaging stories.
The brand shares upwards of 10 photos a day with their audience, which would normally be a major reason not to follow a brand for most, but they manage to keep their followers because the content they share is so compelling. Each photo is bright, vivid, and scroll-stopping, and each caption pulls readers in with details about what's captured in the photo, often in the words of the photographer him or herself.
How you can apply this to your business:
Is there a story you're not sharing with your audience? Instead of just sharing a photo of your product, pair that photo with a story about how you came up with the idea to create the product, interesting ways your customers use your product, or how your product changed someone's life. Take it a step further by sharing the story of how or why you started your business in the first place. Think about how you can engage your followers beyond a beautiful image.
Share your message
We all know the Nike brand. It's synonymous with sport and competition. But Nike is using its Instagram account for something even greater—promoting projects and people that represent their message of equality and sport for all.
Scroll through Nike's Instagram feed and you'll see encouraging posts about athletes of all backgrounds, alongside campaigns paired with hashtags like #UntilWeAllWin, #EQUALITY, and #MakersoftheGame. They still promote their gear, but they do so in a way that doesn't detract from their message.
How you can apply this to your business:
You business has a message—share it with your audience. Focus on the benefits and the feeling your products give your customers, and create content around that. Take it a step further by including your followers in the behind the scenes stuff happening in your biz. Sharing anything from the communities you support to the organizations you partner with gives your followers more insight into who you are as a business, draws them in, and creates a stronger relationship.
Showcase your products being used
Every single one of Victoria's Secret's top 9 posts of 2017 feature their pieces being worn by models. Every. Single. One.
It's not like VS doesn't share photos of their lingerie sans model, but their top 9 posts drive this point home: people want to see your products in action.
Showing your products in use, especially by people in real life, is the ultimate testimonial!
How you can apply this to your business:
Share more photos and videos of your products in action. Show us how people are using your planner, wearing your sunglasses, or enjoying dinner at your restaurant. Take it one step further by sharing user-generated content on your feed!
So there you have it.
Three actionable tips taken straight from the most followed brands on Instagram that you can incorporate into your Instagram Marketing Strategy today!
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