Recently we reported that Instagram surpassed Twitter last year to become the second-largest social network in the U.S (see PR News, March 16, 2015). Brands and organizations of all stripes are starting to embrace the photo- and video-sharing social network, whose youthful user base grew to 64.2 million last year and is expected to top 100 million by 2018. Now it is apparent Instagram is working wonders for retailers’ social media presence.
The retail sector’s social engagement grew 24%, from Jan. 1 through March 15, 2015, compared with the same period in 2014, according to an exclusive study conducted by social media analytics company Shareablee.
The reason? A 92 percent increase in engagement on, you guessed it, Instagram. Use of Instagram among major retailers isn’t much of a stretch. They have an endless amount of pictures and videos featuring living rooms, dining rooms and other interiors that consumers, particularly home buyers, love to peruse.
HomeGoods, for example, moved from a product-marketing approach to offering more home-design inspirations across its social platforms.
On Instagram, the retailer’s #HomeGoodsHappy campaign encouraged audience engagement by reposting user-generated content of home interiors.
Nordstrom also has seen massive success posting editorially driven images of shoes and outfits, with links to buy the products on Instagram (and Facebook), said Tania Yuki, CEO of Shareablee.
While many retail brands focused their social efforts on Instagram, Target increased posting on Facebook by 2275%, Yuki said.
This article originally appeared in the March 30, 2015 issue of PR News. Read more subscriber-only content by becoming a PR News subscriber today.