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A lot of B2B companies have been using Instagram (IG) to expand their network, improve brand visibility, and stay relevant. According to statistics, there are currently over 25 million Instagram business profiles worldwide. That number continues to rise with the introduction and constant improvement of Instagram Stories – an innovative and entertaining feature that Instagram users love.
Instagram Stories is not only considered a social media trend that’s continuously growing in popularity. It is also a powerful platform that B2Bs can optimize to achieve their business goals. Take a look at these ideas on how brands can use it effectively:
Introduce Your Company / Showcase Your Culture
Let the whole (IG) world know about your business through a series of photos and videos that they can easily see and click on at the top of their feeds. With Instagram Stories, you can post content that serves as an overview about your brand for potential followers and connections.
You can also post behind-the-scenes photos and videos showcasing your company culture, including your staff at work and play, interesting events, and other experiences. This way, users or other businesses can get to know your brand on a deeper level.
Promote Your Product or Service
There are more than 2 million monthly active advertisers on Instagram, making it an effective business platform for product marketing and promotion. It also greatly helps that Instagram Stories mostly show visual content. You can use it to post teasers of a new product or service you’re planning to launch.
Upload a photo or video about your product or service, use the filter feature, add some text and emojis, insert location and hashtags, and post it as Your Story. One post may only last for 24 hours, but it will have a lasting effect on your brand. Anyway, you can always post new content anytime you wish.
Build Episodic Content
Although Instagram Stories have a short lifespan, it promotes the sense of immediacy. Your Story allows your viewers to engage in real-time. Stories are also linked together, so you can use this function to create episodic or serialized content. Consider it as long-form storytelling, where you can upload simple tutorials, demonstrate how your product works, explain complex concepts, and others.
Collaborate with Influencers
A report revealed that nearly 80% of influencers prefer Instagram for brand collaboration, and this is definitely good news for you. Optimize your Instagram Stories by collaborating with influencers to increase brand awareness, engagement, leads, and conversions. Don’t forget to tag the influencer and include location, hashtags, and links to increase call-to-action (CTA) opportunities.
Run Contests, Special Offers, and Polls
Instagram Stories’ tagging and linking capabilities also make it a fantastic tool for delivering special offers and running contests and polls. You can post about a discount offer with a CTA and a link that directs your viewers to your landing page. There, they can discover how to redeem their discount.
You can also find out what your viewers think about your product or service by creating a poll or survey. Again, it boosts engagement and at the same time allows you to learn what you need to do to improve your brand.
Instagram Stories has a huge potential in the B2B industry. Learn more about and follow the strategies above so you can start utilizing this Instagram feature for your business. It could be one of the keys to increasing your brand awareness, marketing effectiveness, and overall business success!
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