4 Instagram Branding Tips That Will Viral Up Your Brand
By Julia Koh & Syira Junaidi
February 2020
We should know by now what Instagram (IG) is, what it does and how it is similar and different than other social media sites. We’ve covered basic questions on IG marketing and how marketers B2B and B2C and utilise it. So now, let’s look at Instagram branding with more depth.
Anyone with a phone can sell and promote their stuff on Instagram, but can they brand themselves against 2 million++ other competitors vying for the same target audience?
Branding on a social media platform as popular as Instagram is not just about posting pictures of your products and services. Similar to your brand strategy, your Instagram branding should also have a plan, a reason, and a goal.
Why Start an Instagram Branding?
- People Love Pictures
Visuals and photos are the bread and butter of Instagram. Millions of photos and videos are posted on the site every single day, ranging from cats to climate change. As humans with eyeballs, we process visuals better than mere texts. And Instagram is all about pictures. The nicer and better crafted your pictures are, the more likely your brand will get noticed. - Higher Engagement
With immersive visuals, you’ll create better posts that lead to better audience engagement. Especially on Instagram where the engagement is encouraged, you can things like quizzes, questions, meter slider, polls, and build your audience connection. Metrics are also easier to track on the platform as Instagram makes their analytics accessible to business accounts. - Faster Responses
No longer would a customer need to go through your websites for a phone number or worse, an email address. With so many competitors, switching to another brand is as easy as a flick of the finger. Instagram allows you to be more responsive and answer any inquiry fast through Direct Messenger (DM) and comments. - Boost Brand Image
An Instagram page can complement your online branding by giving it more personality. It’s advantageous for your brand to have a friendlier and approachable side. Here, you can flaunt your good side and boost PR and social presence.
4 Tips for a Viral Brand on Instagram
- Establish a Consistent Pattern
Consistency is the essence of branding, which implies that your Instagram branding need a plan. What are your colour schemes, mood and lighting, tone of voice, layout, and the message behind the posts? Popular brands such as Canva usually have a pattern and a consistent message behind quirky or attractive images. - Strut Your Stuff
Don’t leave out the cool things your brand is doing. Showcase your portfolio as visually-pleasing as your brand allows. Remember, Instagram is all about pictures and visuals. And as a social media site, you can also share events, launches, even company breakfast. For Zeitguised, an art studio, Instagram is the perfect site to show off their eccentric projects. - Tell Your Story
Oh, we love a good brand story on social media. It is fittingly named Instagram ‘Stories’ so that users and brands can share their narrative. Put it over on Highlights to make your stories more permanent. Authenticity wins in many cases when it comes to story-telling. So ensure your stories are about real things you do or about real people, like how Redbull does it. - Engage, Engage, Engage
That’s what Instagram is for! Create buzz for your brand through creative engagement the platform provides. ‘Stories’ is full of features and stickers to encourage engagement such as quizzes, polls, and sliders. You can look at how Lego use Stories to get engagement and buzz.
