As the usage of social media continues to rise across all demographics Social media marketing has become a valuable method for businesses. However, as consumers’ preferences shift it is difficult to stay on top of the most effective platforms for your business, and even more difficult to coordinate the various strategies that are available for each.

This means that if you’re like many marketers, you’re unsure of whether to utilize Instagram. However, with more than 800 million users, Instagram could certainly be worth your time.

If you’re not sure about putting time and effort to the website, then you aren’t alone.

1. It’s visually

Being a photo-sharing platform might sound like we’re repeating the same thing here. However, unlike other social media platforms which focus on text and links, Instagram is exclusively used for posting videos and photos.

In light of the fact that visual content is more appealing than text, this represents an potential for marketers. Instead of trying to direct followers to your site to buy something, or explain your benefits of working with you, utilize photos to deliver a more compelling message.

Images give your company a opportunity to showcase its products, and videos are a great opportunity to showcase your products in action. In addition you can also utilize the platform to showcase company how it operates and other aspects of your business.

2. It has high rates of engagement

Instagram users in 2016 were able to like more than 4.2 billion posts per day. Posts that contain at least one hashtag average 12.6 percent more views than posts that don’t have any hashtags. This alone is reason enough for many marketers to make use of the platform.

With the organic reach of Facebook dropping down to as low as 2 to 3 percent So it’s not a surprise that advertisers are unhappy with how much engagement they receive. When you publish something on Instagram, more of your followers are more likely to see it. This is a huge advantage in particular when you consider the fact that a lot of marketers are now using paid advertisements on Facebook in order to get their posts noticed by their personal followers.

3. Your business could already be present

Whether you’re on Instagram or not, a few of your customers might be. This means that someone might have posted something about your company.

This is particularly true if your business has an actual location where customers frequent, such as an eatery or retail store. It is possible to add the location tag to each of their posts, so if anyone has ever posted a picture while visiting your location, it most likely has tags on Instagram.

Customers may also post photos of your merchandise and also tag the photos with your brand’s name. This is especially relevant when selling clothes, housewares, and other consumer-based products.

If you’re not considering using Instagram for your business, we suggest that you create an account on your own to follow posts that feature your local tag or your company’s name as a hashtag. This is an ideal way to be informed about the content that customers are sharing about your company.

If you decide to create a personalized account to market your products, you could use it to help encourage this behavior. When your customers interact with your business on the platform, followers will perceive it as an endorsement. It’s the current equivalent of word-of mouth advertising.

4. It’s excellent for creating your own brand

Unlike most social platforms, you can’t expect to bring traffic to your site for every post you publish on Instagram. You can’t even include links within your posts. The only link you’re allowed to have is on your bio.

This may seem like an issue, but in the event that you wanted to drive revenue directly from Instagram, it is.

But it will also mean that customers are more likely to be on board and engage with your company because they are aware that you’re not trying to sell them anything. Instead, you can make use of the platform to build your brand.

Upload user-generated content, reflect on your company’s values and upload images that reflect your values and purpose. By giving your brand a face and displaying that you are authentic, this kind of content will help to build the kind of trust that will lead to lasting customer relations.

5. It also has targeted advertising options

Like many Instagram, and similar to Instagram provides paid-for advertising options for businesses. Although you’ll be able to have a successful account for free but these options for advertising can be a powerful way to grow your account.

To learn how Instagram can help you grow as a business head on over to Go READ today.