In an age where visual content captures the most attention, Instagram is becoming a leading contender in the battle for most loved social site. Since launching a mere five years ago, the platform’s user base has grown to more than 300 million with the majority of users originating from countries outside of the United States. It’s a truly global social environment that overcomes language barriers to communicate directly to people at an innate, human level.

The power of Instagram engagement is evident in research. In a study conducted by Forrester, Instagram posts published by brands receive 4.21% user interaction whereas posts on Facebook and Twitter receive 0.07% and 0.03% respectively. Clearly, Instagram wins. If your brand would benefit from putting effective Instagram marketing strategies in place, learn how to make your company a hit on Instagram. In this post we will share three effective ways you can increase or launch your instagram presence.

1) Share with Your Email Subscribers

This one is easy. When thinking about your brand, who are your most valuable customers and where can you find them online? The answer is simple – email subscribers. Whether a paying customer or interested lead, email subscribers are likely familiar with your brand and want to hear more. Publishing content about your Instagram campaign or adding a link within e-mail messages is an effective way to pique your subscriber’s curiosity. Keep these essentials in mind:

• Create mobile-friendly email. Mobile is dominating as the preferred method of internet searches, inbox checks, and social media use. Design your email messages to load quickly and completely on any mobile device.

• Include clickable links or icons. Whether you’re running a contest or sharing the latest company news, use clickable links or icons to ensure your subscriber has quick access to your Instagram and other social profiles.

• Track email metrics. Email metrics are an invaluable tool when testing placement and design of email calls-to-action. Review open and click-through rates to determine if your technique needs to be adjusted.

2) Launch an Instagram Photo Contest

As an image-rich platform, Instagram’s appeal lies in visual content. An Instagram photo contest may be the link your brand is missing if follower engagement rates are low. A refreshing twist to the traditional brand post on Instagram, a photo contest invites users to further connect with your brand. Consider the following when creating contests for Instagram:

• Vary contest type. On social platforms of Instagram’s magnitude, you have to switch up your approach to keep attention. Alternate between submit-to-win, like-to-win, and popularity-based promotions to encourage participation.

• Gather user generated content. People love to see other people’s pictures, and Instagram’s fame is solid proof. Ask viewers for images of their space, from offices to kitchens, provided it coincides with your brand or theme.

• Make it interactive. When viewers see the contest, should they share, vote, or like it for extra incentives? A little bit of interaction goes a long way when running a photo contest on Instagram.

How Kiwi Collection Did it

In the fall of 2014, Kiwi Collection, the largest independent collection of international luxury hotels, had launched an Instagram account and was looking to grow its follower base.

Kiwi Collection ran a hashtag-based Instagram contest called #KiwiMoments to encourage users to share their best travel photos from Kiwi Collection hotels around the world. Entrants were encouraged to follow Kiwi Collection on Instagram, and to post their best photos with the hashtag #KiwiMoments.

The results. The contest succeeded in growing Kiwi Collection’s Instagram account by 50% during the promotion, and another 100% in the month following the contest. To learn more, check out our Kiwi Collection Case Study.

3) Cross Promote Your Campaign

According to Pew Research Center, 94% of people using Instagram also use Facebook. Cross-promotion of an Instagram photo contest, sweepstakes, or call-to-action on Facebook is one of the best ways to engage your followers. In addition to increasing brand awareness, posts published on both Facebook and Instagram reach diverse audiences, encourage participation, and boost conversion rates. Use these tips to promote your brand and marketing campaign on Instagram:

• Connect posts with hashtags. When it comes to web presence, hashtags take the cake. Develop custom hashtags that align with your brand and campaign. By doing so, you can weave hashtags into blog content, social media posts, and press releases to enhance visibility online.

• Selectively promote posts. Increase your post’s visibility by promoting it on Instagram and other social media sites; however, first clearly define your target audience and demographics to ensure it reaches the right people.

• Reach out to influencers. The best promotion occurs when others do it for you; it’s an endorsement for your brand. Connect with influencers, from celebrities to Instagram users with a strong following, to help promote your content.

Simplify Follower Engagement and Boost Results

For brands, it can be difficult to integrate all three strategies into an Instagram marketing campaign and still get positive results; that’s where Strutta comes in. As an easy-to-use Instagram contest app, Strutta simplifies the process of project and account management, cross-platform promotion, and custom campaign design. Unlike other content management programs, our Instagram contest app is designed to fit your brand’s needs. Learn how our innovative tools can elevate your brand on Instagram.

Are you using Instagram to engage your followers? Share what strategies and tactics have worked for you in the comments below!

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