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What began as a trendy, photo-based app has evolved into one of the largest social powerhouses in the digital world. If used correctly, this free platform can be an incredibly strong and influential marketing tool for brands to potentially connect with millions of monthly active Instagrammers. The numbers don’t lie: Instagram has a total of 75 million daily users, with a staggering 20 billion total photos shared. So how do you take advantage of this ever-growing channel? Let’s take a look.

The Beginner Basics

When setting up your account, make sure you include a link back to your site in your bio. This is the only place in the Insta world where you can include a clickable link, so it’s imperative to utilize the feature to make your site more accessible to followers.

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Tell Visual Stories

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This dazzling Michael Kors photo showcasing a fashion watch is elegantly simple, with a caption stating only “5:15 PM. Pampered in Paris.” The description is short and simple, and lets the photo tell the story.

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This snapshot from a scene in South by Southwest by Nordstorm is another fantastic example of using visuals to spark a conversation and resonate on an emotional level with its followers, even though there isn’t a single product highlighted. Not every photo has to be promotional — creating a personal bond through imagery will only strengthen your connection with fans, making your brand relatable rather than a product pusher.

#Hashtags are Key

In the Insta world, hashtags are a social necessity to increase your reach and visibility, especially for a relatively new or unknown brand. Make sure your hashtags are relevant, and use relatively popular or searchable words. Experts say the best numbers of hashtags per posts lies in the 10-15 range, but use your best judgment on a photo to photo basis.

Special Promotions

With the high amount of daily traffic, Instagram is an ideal platform for fostering a promotion or contest. Encourage users to check back regularly, tag their friends or use a specific hashtag.

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Red Bull

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Nordstrom

The Power of Words

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Use text to your advantage – text overlays provide additional depth to your images, and can be a perfect vessel to further express your personality. It’s this intimate connection that makes Instagram such an incredible tool to reach your customer.