Internet Marketing with Instagram

It can be difficult, sometimes, to keep up with the changes in internet marketing and social media marketing in the Bay Area.  It takes time to learn how to get good results. There are a lot of options available in social media, one of which is Instagram. Instagram was started in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, who developed it and launched it in San Francisco.
Instagram was made for photo sharing but combines that with social networking. Facebook bought it out in early 2012, and that expanded its user base to over 80 million worldwide. It started out supporting only Apple products (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), but now is available on Android 2.2 and newer. As a photo app, it is among the most popular of its kind. How can this be used for marketing?
Plan to fit Instagram into your marketing strategy. Even though it seems to be wildly popular, remember that it is not wise to put all your effort into one platform. Use it as a part of an overall strategy, and not as the whole strategy. Traditional marketing, as well as search engines and social media, need to be part of the strategy as well. Link it with pages on Facebook, Pinterest, and Tumblr for greater exposure.
Get employees involved. Have them link to company pages, follow the company and add photos (with clear guidelines for acceptability). This will help the company appear more user-friendly and accessible to the general public.
Use hashtags. Already established hashtags can be used but consider creating new ones, especially using the company name or brand. Be sure to also monitor them. If hashtags are a new idea to the company, more information is available from Bay Area Online Marketing or other internet marketing companies.
A mobile catalog can give users a list of company products or services. Instagram is an excellent resource for this sort of sharing. Display creatively, encouraging users to enjoy the photos and hopefully share them.
If the company is a manufacturer, get photos of the process, as well as the finished product. This can increase interest in both viewing and sharing. Perhaps consumers can be encouraged to upload photos of them with the product or how they use the products (encourage them to use hashtags with the company name on their photos). Use some customer photos on the company feed occasionally; people will often share the company feed with their friends if their own photos appear there.
The key to using Instagram for social media marketing in the Bay Area or anywhere is to be creative. Do not be afraid to ask questions of experts in online marketing to learn more about how companies can benefit from social media – including Instagram – for marketing.