Has your company explored incorporating Instagram into your social media strategy? Consider this: 25% of the Fortune 500 have Instagram accounts, so if you haven’t, it’s definitely worth a second thought.
As mentioned in my last couple of blog posts, our marketing team recently attended the Mixwest Conference, an annual two-day event that focuses on marketing, social media, design and tech. One of the sessions we attended was Instagram 101, presented by Leah Beatty, Marketing Communications Lead at Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP. Leah was a great presenter, and we left with some helpful stats and best practices to incorporate into our social media strategy and share with our readers.
Fun facts:
- Selfies with faces increase chances of likes and comments by 30%.
- Willow is the most popular selfie filter on Instagram.
- The average brand has 1.5 million followers.
- The Ellen Show is the most followed account. As I write this blog, there are 5,659,906 followers!
- Nike is the most popular brand on Instagram.
Tools and tips:
- You can add up to 30 hashtags to a post. Using 30 for every post could get annoying and probably isn’t necessary. Leah recommended using 4-11, which can increase interaction by 77%!
- Make your followers feel famous and do things such as mentioning them by name in comments.
- If you’re on an iPhone, you can use apps like Regram to share photos from other accounts.
Overall, Leah emphasized that companies should consider using Instagram to show authenticity, provide engagement and tell their brand story. Employers are certainly catching on – check out some of these great articles about using Instagram for recruiting and employer branding:
- How To Use Instagram To Recruit: 5 Easy Steps [Infographic]
- The 8 Best Employer Brands on Instagram
- Software Advice report: Should You Use Instagram to Recruit?
Exercise Caution:
It’s important for companies to remain aware of employment law issues, such as disparate impact and discrimination, in addition to accessibility for people with disabilities. Lastly, if you plan on sharing any photos of employees, keep a signed copy of photo release forms on file.
Examples:
Here’s a sampling of some Member companies currently on Instagram:
- Amtrak: http://instagram.com/amtrakcareers
- Allstate: http://instagram.com/allstate_careers
- BASF: http://instagram.com/basf_careersna
- T-Mobile: http://instagram.com/tmobilecareers
- Unilever: http://instagram.com/unilevercareersmiddleamericas
Are you currently using or considering Instagram? Do you think it’s an effective platform for employers or job seekers? Let us know by commenting below!