My favorite social media site is Instagram. Though the actual website is Statigram, the site started out as the smartphone application Instagram (available for Androids and iPhones). It is essentially Twitter, but with pictures filtered in Kelvin, Toaster or Lo-fi (among others). It may not sound relevant to promotional products until you hear that Mashable reported 40 percent of top brands are on Instagram and that Facebook just purchased it for $1 billion. The retail marketing campaigns are working (especially when linked to Facebook and Twitter). Here is why you (and your clients) should be on Instagram:
1. Get Free Advertising
For fashion magazines and companies, logos and images are everything. Instagram offers free advertising and a look into what they sell and how to wear it.
Promo Use: Show pictures of products you have sold and link to descriptions of case studies. It shows what you have done and can inspire ideas for your current clients.
2. Become a Trending Topic
Like on Twitter, you can create hashtags and encourage others to include them in their posts. This works particularly well at events.
Promo Use: Encourage your client to create a hashtag and help popularize it by Instagramming photos of the product in use. For example, using an imprinted golf towel on the golf course of your choice. Others can do the same. It shows how widespread a promotion can be.
3. Keep Up with Popular Social Media
Facebook and LinkedIn are still important with full profiles and more in-depth information on users, but social media has been moving toward newsfeed-heavy media like Twitter and Instagram, so staying up-to-date on the web is important.
Promo Use: Keep your Instagram current by posting at least once a week. Even if it is just a picture of a blank T-shirt and a caption like, “Imagine this with your logo on it!” Also, read Mashable’s advice on reaching new audiences on Instagram.
Good Feeds to Follow:
Ettika and Lucky Magazine have great feeds. They show products in use and often on consumers. They also use it to advertise sales and giveaway contests, which are great ideas for end-buyers.
Also, be sure to follow Promo Marketing. Manned by our marketing coordinator Amanda Hill, the account links to our Twitter and Facebook pages and has pictures of our style covers, trade show booths, offices and more.
