5 Reasons Why Your Business Should Be On Instagram

As social media consultants, we get asked all the time by brands: “Which social media platforms should we be on?” And every time our answer includes “Instagram.” Nearly 500 million people use Instagram daily and 71% of US businesses use Instagram, and if you’re not one of them…you should definitely consider it. PinkDear is a company founded by millennials, so we often find ourselves explaining the importance of Instagram as if that stat doesn’t already give it away.

If you’re wondering whether or not you should take the plunge by joining Instagram, and don’t want to outright take our word for it — here are 5 reasons why your business should:

5. Get in with the young demographic early

If you are a truly successful brand, you have to interact with all age groups. But if you haven’t been able to capture this audience yet, this is the way to do it. 71% of Instagram users are under the age of 35. Millennials and Generation Z want to engage with the brands they buy. They are always looking to see what the brands they truly trust are doing on social, as they’re trying to make a personal connection. Not only that, these demographics actually have MONEY. The average age of first-time homeowners is 32 years old. If they’re paying for a house, they sure have money to spend on your brand.

4. Unlock a bigger or new audience

Sponsored Instagram posts get me all the time. I’m mostly thankful for it, but my wallet says otherwise sometimes. It opens my eyes to brands I might not have never known about, and honestly I’m okay with it. Millennials partially expect that being introduced to new brands and products is part of the platform’s experience. 60% of people say they discover new products on Instagram (per Instagram’s website).

3. Engage directly with your fans

Before the age of social media, complaining about your flight being 5 hours delayed was a difficult task. Now, it’s simple. I can just DM United to let them know they’ve delayed my flight 4 hours or they lost my bag (true story about the bag unfortunately). Brands have the ability to engage directly with their fans and followers. They’re able to right some of the company wrongs, get feedback that may never have gotten before, and assist their customers or soon-to-be customers directly.

Nordstrom is one of America’s most successful department stores and is a great example of a major corporation utilizing the ability to directly communicate with their customers on social media. They’ve got over 3 million followers, and yet, they respond to EVERY question on their Instagram. It helps to reinforce their brand loyalty and capitalizes on the fact that their fans are paying attention to their content on a regular basis.

2. Share your brand’s values

These days, a brand’s values can make or break whether or not a consumer buys and stays with you. Instagram’s a way to show that. When the LA Dodgers made it to the World Series, the Lakers and other LA teams posted their support on social media. If your brand is eco-friendly, participating in Earth Day would not only join the mainstream conversation, but potentially create new partnerships with companies and powerful influencers to pair with your brand. Taking a stand on a value doesn’t mean you need to stand on the soap box and say, “I DO NOT SUPPORT MUSTARD.” Because that’s probably what I would say. You can sympathize or support by doing a little or a lot. But, make no mistake, actively standing for a value will get you noticed and potentially draw your fans in closer.

1. Reach the most active place for consumers

Forget traditional marketing. You have to be where the people are. As more and more people are cutting cords and transitioning to digital platforms, companies can no longer rely on TV commercials to only market their products. On average, 1 billion people are using Instagram monthly. Only Facebook and YouTube are attracting that much attention in the marketplace. Today, there’s room for growth and room for the next best thing. You just have to make sure you’d there and prepared to capitalize.

The only caveat to all these points — executing your Instagram in a way that best represents your brand. We’ve helped to create brands and work with brands to bring them to life in engaging ways. To learn more about PinkDear and our services, contact us now.