Instagram has quickly become one of the most important social media platforms in social media marketing. It’s helping brands achieve awareness and identity simply through posting photos. However, you will find that the most successful business-related Instagram accounts have eye-pleasing profiles with consistent imagery. It’s almost guaranteed that each image has been carefully curated and thought-out prior to posting.
What many businesses don’t understand is the amount of work that goes into creating an Instagram account to represent your company or business. Rather than posting images you quickly take, or screenshotting and reposting images…it’s important to tailor your images to reflect the environment you work in.
Here are some tips for creating your Instagram identity
- Your username should be the name of the company
This is probably the most important tip. Don’t use a name (i.e. the CEO’s name) or a clever nickname. The main purpose of Instagram is to gain awareness for your brand. If no one can find you by your business name, it’s going to be very difficult for people to find and follow you. Using the name of the company is what will help users get to you.
- Choose a color scheme and stick with it
It’s the little things that matter. Coming up with a specific color scheme or assigning 1-2 filters to your photos may seem over the top, but it’s not. Choose the color of your branding and stick with that color scheme. Try to include the main colors in each of your posts. Whether you include it in the lettering for graphics, or an object in the photo. Having this strategy in place will lure people to your profile. It’s also much more eye-pleasing.
- Create quotes and content that is unique and relevant
Quotes will never go out of trend and can be applied to pretty much any industry. But there’s a catch to making them better: If you find a quote you like on someone else’s profile, resist reposting it. You want to ensure the best quality. Recreate the image and make it relevant to your brand. Choose a font and lettering colour, background etc. and stick with it throughout your profile. This will keep your profile from looking like a cookie cutter account, and gives opportunity for users to repost your unique content. Be sure to include your brand’s name in the image as well.
- Keep it authentic
Your business is unique, your branding is unique – and you should reflect this in your social media as well. If eating doughnuts is a big deal at your company, post doughnut day each week. If you have a weekly company meeting, capture that and post it. Do what you can to reflect the authenticity of your brand.
- Put a face to the brand
Putting a face to the brand is another great way to add authenticity to your account, but it also creates an emotional connector to your users. Seeing photos of other people is relate-able, and allows others to connect with you. Taking images of people from the office, tagging them or even reposting work-related images they have posted on their own profiles is a great way to show your followers what’s behind your brand.
You don’t have to be a professional photographer to get your profile to stand out. Taking Instagram photos does take practice. But take the time to create quality photos, create an identity and consistency before getting started. A strategy for your identity will help ensure you have excellent photos and you’re providing value to your followers.