(image: https://www.superdream.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Has-your-business-tried….jpg alt: Instagram and YouTube for business)
**It’s not just about Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, you know. **
Here is a brief introduction to two social media platforms that are a little more visually engaging, and have the potential to be a lot more fun!
Has your business tried…Instagram
When you think of Instagram you probably think of pouting young fashionistas, artistically shot snaps of food, or proud owners showing off their pets. But with over 40 million images posted a day Instagram is an extremely lucrative platform for marketers.
Instagram is the love-child of Flickr and Photoshop. It is a platform where users upload their images with the addition of an artsy filter. Throw in a few hashtags and social sharing, and you have one powerful social network.
Strong visuals have taken over in the world of marketing, and Instagram is a ready-made visual social media platform. If you have a visual element to your business – whether you’re a clothing retailer, decorator, or food supplier – Instagram could be the one for you.
Here, are our top tips:
1. **Be creative** – Instagram is all about imagery so take photos of things that will wow your customers. Think behind-the-scenes looks at your office, sneak peeks of new products, and contests. The more creative you are, the more engagement you can build. You should also take full advantage of the filters to add more depth to images.
2. **Make the most of hashtags** – One of the most alluring things for marketers is that Instagram allows the use of hashtags. Much like Twitter, you can use these to categorise your images and help increase your reach.
3. **Focus on two-way engagement** – The best thing about social media is that it’s social, and Instagram is no different. Why not search for your brand on there, and see what people have posted? If you see images of your products, give them a like. Likewise, you should run competitions and feature your customers’ images on your profile to keep the two-way conversation flowing.
4. **Integrate your social media** – Instagram can be linked up to your Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and other social media profiles. This makes cross-channel promotion and integration extremely simple. Not only can this increase your Instagram following, but it ensures that you include all of your customers, even if they’re not on Instagram themselves.
Instagram is a hugely powerful and fast-growing social network with vast marketing capabilities. And with new online profiles, all of your customers can access your profile and share your images. In terms of marketing, this is certainly something to keep your eye on.
Has your business tried…YouTube
If pictures tell 1,000 words, imagine what videos say about your business.
YouTube is one of the biggest and most popular video sharing websites and is so much more than videos of animals doing funny things. From a marketing perspective, YouTube opens up a wealth of opportunities for promoting your products, and spreading the word about your brand.
With monthly viewing figures surpassing 1 billion earlier this year, it’s about time you started getting visual. Here, are our top tips for marketing with YouTube:
1. **Make content, not adverts** – Just because YouTube is a video sharing site, that doesn’t mean you should be over ‘salesy’. The secret to successful YouTube marketing – and increasing your chances of going viral – is to focus on creating sharable content. Traditional advertising doesn’t work so well on YouTube, so spend your time working on unique campaigns.
2. **Give your business a personality** – In an Internet age, it can be very easy for your business to become ‘faceless’. By marketing your brand on YouTube, you can show the real face of your company. This instantly helps you become more human, approachable, and trustworthy.
3. **Leverage YouTube for SEO** – Did you know that a properly optimised YouTube video (complete with meta data) can rank higher in Google than a blog post? Your videos will also appear with a thumb nail image, encouraging click-throughs. So make videos that your audience will want to see, embed them in your site, and share across other social networks to really make the most of YouTube for SEO.
4. **Keep communicating** – As with all social media profiles, you need to make sure you’re constantly communicating with your audience. Reply to comments left on your videos, see what other YouTube users are saying about your brand, and hold contests. This all works to help you become a visible, approachable company.
YouTube is an often underestimated social network, but one that can be hugely beneficial for brands and businesses. If you have a visual element to your business, now is a great time to invest in YouTube marketing. Just be sure to upload high-quality videos that have been professionally shot to increase your chances of success.