Seven Ways To Leverage Instagram For Small Business Success

There is a common misconception among the business world that video content marketing is an expensive and time-consuming endeavour. Yet with a little know-how and Instagram’s free video capabilities, you can produce fascinating, informative and entertaining videos for next to nothing and share them instantly on your social media networks.

Instagram started life as a photo sharing service, but incorporated video in the middle of 2013. The fully loaded video service allows users to record, upload and share 15-second video clips. They can also be edited on Instagram and have filters applied to give normal cell phone quality footage an epic cinematic quality.

When you’ve got a new product coming out, shoot a little sneak preview to whet the audience’s appetite. It’ll help create a sense of excitement and expectation. You may even generate some pre-orders!

Here are a few tips to help you capitalize your business presence on Instagram:

1) Film video testimonials - satisfied customers are among the most powerful marketing tools so ask some of yours to film short video testimonials. Positive reviews are marketing gold that will encourage others to buy. You can shoot the short video yourself on a phone or tablet computer or ask your customers to film their own testimonials. Once you have them, upload to Instagram and share with your crowd

2) Compile portfolios of your work - no matter what industry you’re in, whether you’re a gardener creating a new landscaping plan or a bakery showing off your latest cake creations, film the best examples of your work. Send them to your followers and upload them to your main website.

3) Show comparisons - is your product head and shoulders better than your nearest rivals or the industry standard? If so, prove it by pitting them against each other.

4) Be more visible - customers love to see who’s behind their favourite brands. Shoot a series of  behind-the-scenes videos that show your staff at work Try using a short weekly or monthly message where you highlight some of the exciting things you think your customers need to know. You could also spotlight your team members and some of the great projects they’re working on.

5) Create quick tutorials and DIY videos - 15 seconds may not be a lot of time, but that doesn’t have to stop you from creating short, punchy videos that resonate with your followers. Perhaps you could turn your FAQs into short video explanations. You could even ask the audience to send their videos of how they use your products, and post and share the best ones.

6) Don't forget Facebook - videos and photos inspire the most comments, likes and shares on Facebook so make sure you share your Instagram videos with your Facebook followers.

7) Be creative - don't be afraid to break out of your zone. Try something new. Get inspired!

What do you think? Do you see a tip that will make a difference in your marketing? Tweet m3 your thoughts at @misstrendchaser or leave them below.

Four Ways To Get Foot Traffic To Your Retail Store

As the online landscape continually changes, retailers are getting more creative to drive store traffic and keep customers coming back. 

There are a variety of ways to connect with customers through social media, but not all strategies are created equal. The most important thing to keep in mind when driving traffic from social media is that you should target people who are interested in what you have to sell.

Here are some smart ways to connect with your customers and bring them in:

1) Facebook Likes

Start by offering incentives for customers to ‘like’ your store’s Facebook page. Offering a fan only special is one of the most effective ways for business to drive traffic with social media. Make the offer truly valuable and then build a sense of immediacy by imposing a reasonable deadline. Upon liking your page, all of your customer’s friends will be notified through their newsfeed, highlighting your store.

For example, while customers are in-store, encourage them to ‘like’ your page and get a discount. Or you can send out an email offer to claim a free store item or discount for responding within 3 days. With a web-based point of sale, you can track who likes your page in the same browser you use to ring sales.

2) Twitter Targeting

Sometimes, business owners have to go out and find their new customers. Twitter is a great place to find customers whose preferences are in line with what you have to offer. Use the Advanced Search function is a great way to help you narrow your communication to customers who are geographically close.  You can even layer a little behavioural targeting to search for those who have tweeted about you or your competitors.

Upon finding these potential customers, start putting relevant content out there to motivate them to visit your store.

3) Word-of-mouth Interactions

As the first form of real advertising, Word-of-mouth (WOM) promotions should not be undervalued as part of a social strategy.  Although it may seem intangible, it can be quantified to build store loyalty. Offering incentives to write reviews on outlets like Google Places is a great place to start. For example, “Love [brand/store name]? Share your thoughts on our Google Places page and get 10% off your next purchase.” It can be a very easy, honest approach if you already have a loyal customer base. Simply, increase loyalty within and have them share the love online to open doors to new customers.

4) Building Loyalty

A great deal of using social media to drive traffic involves incentives. With multiple variations, there are big retailers out there who do it right and reap the benefits. 

For example, if a store that provided services or products aligned with your interests offers 15% birthday discount, wouldn’t you want to take advantage of it? Or for example, if you buy flowers every Friday, wouldn’t it be great to choose the store that gave you a free bouquet with every 5 that you buy?

There are lots of channels to bring people into your store. Social media is just one out of many that will contribute to both your existing and future customers.  

Which social media strategies have you tried before? What worked, what didn't? Share your thoughts with me in comments.