How the second most influential social network can be a key to attract new brand fans and create an exquisite experience online?
The past year challenged many brands to find new ways to stay connected to their audience. From fashion to everyday essentials, everyone experienced the effects of the long pandemic and the cut in the connection between brand and audience. Owning only a physical store or selling only through such, makes it difficult to keep customers engaged during the long periods of lockdowns. Online stores are somewhat of a solution, however, post-Covid customers are demanding for a new way of communication.
To build a strong online community you`ve got to start somewhere and today, Instagram is the one-stop-shop all brands need. You can have good visual representation, informative texts and engaging video all at one place. The platform is not only for fashion and beauty brands anymore, but also for every brand that wants to stay connected to the audience aged between 18 and 44.
What does the customer want?
“Consumers have raised the standards for brands and expect them to have a purpose in society, to fully embody a lifestyle, and to be consistent in their messaging. This is a pathway to effectively seek out and communicate with consumers through shared values and emotions.” Says David Kim, director of customer experience at Gentle Monster for Vogue Business.
Consumers are already used to the regular types of brand content such as posts and stories. They are well aware of the common use of stock images, the photoshoots and the reshares of influencer content. They are craving something new, fresh, fun and creative. Something to stop them from scrolling and make them engage, make them interact. Here are few ways that will help you stop switching between platforms and build your brands community at one place, making it bigger and stronger in a way that is surprisingly easy, fun and even cheap!
Below you would find our top suggestions on how to squeeze the maximum out of the relatively new for the Bulgarian market Instagram features – Reels and Guides. If you don’t find those enough for your creative spirit, don’t hesitate to shoot us a message, we would love to take on your Instagram!
Short, fun videos are the way to go
Instagram Reels just launched for the Bulgarian market about a month ago and they already seem to be the next big thing! Every self-respecting influencer has already posted a couple of those and people can’t stop sharing them. It is high-time for the business to step in the game, too.
We suggest toping up your game and upgrading Stories with an occasional Reels here and there. If you don’t feel brave enough to launch on TikTok, definitely give a shot to the Instagram Reels. This gives you a new fun and interactive way to connect with your already known audience. And show a different side of your brand in 15 seconds.
It is easy, fun to make (and to watch), engaging and different. Couple of clicks, hint of music and you are good to go. For years now consumers are requiring from brands to be more human and easier to relate. One of the easiest ways to do so is by a fun and catchy video, showing part of your daily routine as Pantene did here.
Look at Reels as a way to connect with your audience. Educate them how to use your products, but make it fun, make it silly, go out of the corporate talk and show the people who’s behind the name, behind the company as Tommy Hilfiger, Alpro and Astrid&Miyu do. Or share your work process – how your team works, how are products made, distributed etc. as Tommy Hilfiger did here with one of their photoshoots and here with a Bulgarian influencer for this spring’s campaign. Make your customers part of your journey and the journey of your products before or after the moment of purchase and make them excited as Calvin Klein did with that one. And have fun with it! The key feature of a good Reel is that it is fun, so don’t stress out on it too much – make it easy, even make it silly, make it human!
Pinterest’s new home is on Instagram
However, if video is not really your thing yet, try Instagram Guides. Fun feature to create the mood for your customers and state the core brand features in a new form of a consumer journey.
Customers need to connect with the brand. As with Reels, Guides is a way to show them who you are and what you stand for. Creating kind of a mood board is a great way to tease your audience for a new product launch for example.
You can use your own content, as well as mix it with the content from influencers and other content creators. It can be content you created in collaboration with them for a campaign or simply them using your product independently in their day-to-day life. Be creative and make a journey path for your customers out of this tool. Start with something simple and build it up to a buying suggestion.
Here is a great example form Astrid & Miyu – British company for contemporary jewellery, whose most recent Instagram Guides are aimed at bringing the immersive store experience online. “We wanted people to discover what our stores were like, especially in anticipation of re-opening. You can scroll through our Guides and get a feel for what we do,” says Connie Nam, founder of the company.
Take a look at them here.
Don’t forget the KPIs
Instagram is a fun place to present your business in a different light. However, be clear on the strategy that you have and make sure that the key performance indicators (KPIs) are in place so that you’re able to track and optimise your goals. Create a good mix of channels and tactics and don’t forget that there are many more types of content that can be created.
If all of that sounds amazing but you are not quite sure where to start, we will be happy to help. More about our social media services can be found on our website.
Desislava Boyanova, Junior Account Manager, United Partners
Sources:
Why content curation rules social
The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels: What Marketers Need to Know