Do you believe that a social media platform like Instagram, where all people do is post pictures, couldn’t possibly be an effective marketing tool for the serious business of technology? Then you probably didn’t know that 86% consumers who buy IT products use social media to make purchasing decisions or that Instagram is the second most popular social media network, only after Facebook. What about the fact that as of January 2020, the platform had more than one billion active monthly users, with 500 million Instagram Stories being uploaded every day?
The fact is that 90% Insta users follow at least one business, while 83% users say that the network has helped them learn about new products and services. No wonder then that social media witnesses a 100% higher lead-to-close rate, as compared to outbound marketing, while 40% B2B salespeople say that they have been able to close between two and five deals through social media marketing.
Not moved by such statistics? Here are some more reasons why Instagram marketing can help your tech business.
1. Boost Visibility & Engage Your Target Customer
Did you know that many smaller businesses have been able to complete rewrite their story by leveraging the power of Instagram to promote their brand? Given the number of users you could potentially reach via this platform, enhanced brand visibility is a given. Of course, to take it one step further and engage your target audience, you will need to get creative with your content.
For tech companies, millennials and Gen Zers form a bulk of their target population. Instagram is where you will find 67% of the 18-24 year olds, 60% of the 25-34 year olds and 49% of the 35-44 year olds. You don’t need an expensive marketing campaign to engage with them. Just make your stories relatable, address their pain points and show them you understand them. This is a great way to start a two-way conversation and build trust.
2. Harness the Power of Visual Marketing
Visual posts have been found to lead to 650% higher engagement than text-only posts. Also, visual content is 40 time more likely to be shared on social media than any other type of content. The reason why Instagram has gained such popularity is that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Our brain not only processes images faster, it also tends to remember them for longer than they do text.
Video has also gained huge significance as a marketing tool in recent years. If you tell your story right via video, you connect with your audience on an emotional level, which is the most important level for your business. In fact, you can use Instagram to test what visual content works best with your target customer and use it to fine tune your branding across the board.
3. Keep an Eye on the Competition
Your competitors are already using Instagram to boost their business. So, make sure you use the platform to keep a close watch on how they are interacting with their target audience. Check what they post and when. Also check the response of their followers to these posts. This can help you determine your own marketing strategy.
Apart from connecting with customers, Instagram is a great networking tool too. So, don’t miss out on the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with like-minded people or businesses, potential partners and vendors. This is also where you will be able to attract new talent too. In fact, you get a behind-the-scenes peek at what they are like and whether they will be a good fit with your organization.
