You want engagement? Instagram's got it.
The photo-sharing (and video-sharing) platform might just be the top choice for getting people to like, watch and comment on your posts. Average engagement per Instagram post has grown by 416% over the last two years and more than half of millennials are users, to name just one demographic.
But, at the risk of sounding obvious, you need to have strong visuals to have a good Instagram presence. This is not something that comes naturally to some brands, especially nonprofits and B2Bs. With a little help from some communicators at the top of their game, however, anyone can put a strategy in place that will make their Instagram feed more engagement-friendly.
With this in mind, we spoke to Lindsay Kaplan, global vice president of communications at Casper, in advance of her appearance at the PR News Social Media Conference on October 20. Casper's Instagram presence is a good model for what PR pros can aim for with their own efforts, so Kaplan supplied us with these four brief tips:
1. Plan out your grid—Mock up a grid in photoshop to make sure the images work together visually as a whole. Below is a screenshot of Casper's Instagram grid; notice how there is a lack of clutter and generally three colors: blue, white and beige/brown/gold.
2. Vary your content—Feature a delicate balance between campaign, lifestyle and product assets, as well a good mix of photo and video. Not too much of one, and not too much of the other.
Register for PR News' Social Media Conference & Crisis Management Workshop in NYC, Oct. 19-20, for more in-depth advice from speakers representing Shutterstock, Viacom, Vanguard, The Coca-Cola Company and many more top brands.
3. A great image isn’t enough—The pawfect caption along with that adorable puppy photo is a must. Don't forget to include industry-relevant hashtags if you're trying to grow your brand, and when it comes to influencer posts, definitely don't forget to have them include sponsorship disclosure or you could wind up in trouble.
4. Don’t forget about your DM inbox—Casper has grown many meaningful relationships by interacting with its followers. Just because the world can't see it doesn't mean it isn't good PR!
Follow Lindsay Kaplan: @lindsaykap
Follow Ian Wright: @ianwright0101