I love Instagram. What it's done for me and my brands/company is just incredible. Social Media has leveraged the playing field for business, and no longer do you have to spend millions -- or even thousands -- on advertising to be in the game. One of my brands, @Motivescosmetics, grew to two million followers in just a couple of short years. More importantly, sales grew tremendously, and best of all, it didn't cost a dime. Instagram is a fantastic way to connect with customers -- new, old and potential ones. So, how can you do the same?
According to Statista, Instagram's global advertising revenues are expected to climb to over 2.8 billion dollars by 2017. When you realize their revenues were expected to be only 600 million in 2015, you understand the massive marketing reach of Instagram.
Whether you're a seasoned Instagram veteran or a newbie considering dipping your marketer's toes in the Instagram pool, there are a number of tantalizing tools you can investigate for your visual outreach strategy. Not only do you have the Instagram app itself, but you also have a myriad of resources available that integrate with this powerful visual content creation tool. Review the following roundup of Instagram resources to see which ones can help turn your business into a customer magnet in 2016.
Stribr
If you're looking for one platform to manage all your Instagram activities, you'll be thrilled to discover Stribr. Currently in the beta testing stage, Stribr lets you manage conversations on Instagram, create streams of content based upon location or hashtag, set notification alerts, and measure your performance. If you only add one Instagram tool to your brand growth strategy in 2016, Stribr just might be your best bet.
Minter
Minter offers Instagram analytics. Discover which video filters produce the most engagement amongst your followers. Track your brand's followers by day, city, or by country. You can even uncover delicious data on which times of the day your followers are most engaged with your business. If you want to use real-time data to maximize your Instagram ROI, discovering Minter is a must.
Social Rank
Social Rank is another Instagram analytics platform worth investigating. Find details on your followers based upon their location or their engagement rate. Sort followers according to activities they're interested in or whether they have a verified account or not. Social Rank even offers geographic distance filtering so you can uncover data on followers within a 1-100 mile radius.
Instagress
Instagress offers Instagram automation tools. Automate hashtag liking, geo-location account following, and even comments on relevant images or videos. Instagress integrates with FourSquare to enable automated social interactions with popular coffee shops or tourist spots in your area. Whether you're managing one Instagram account or many, this handy tool makes short work of your social media engagement tasks.
Huntgram
If you're looking for a discovery tool to help speed your social outreach efforts on Instagram, check out the iOS Huntgram app. This nifty download helps you find intriguing users based upon location or image subject. Connect with users who post nature shots, animal images, or fashion finds. Huntgram also offers influencer data, so you'll know which users might be profitable connections for your brand.
Latergramme
Latergramme offers a powerful brand management tool. Schedule your posts, upload images to Instagram in advance, and find fellow users to engage with via Latergramme's helpful search function. You can manage multiple accounts and allow multiple users to manage your business' account.
Cards for Instagram
If you like Tinder's functionality of swiping through images, Cards for Instagram is worth discovering. This eye-catching iOS app lets you flip through photos on Instagram just like you do on Tinder. Search for images by keyword and engage with posts relevant to your brand's market.
Statsiv
Currently accepting early-access requests, Statsiv offers numerous analytics tools to Instagram users. Compare engagement rates by day, week, and hour. Track comments, likes, and followers. Receive recommendations on actions you can take to improve your audience interaction scores and discover Instagram influencers you might want to connect with to network with their fan base. If you want to become an Instagram master in 2016, you'll want to add your name to their early access list now!
Picpack
To bridge your social media marketing efforts with your offline growth efforts, consider adding Picpack to your outreach arsenal. PicPack lets you turn your favorite Instagram images into magnets. Give your brand's magnets out at trade shows, add them to swag bags at conferences, or offer them as a free gift with each purchase.
KeyFeed
The iOS KeyFeed app integrates your Instagram feed into your smartphone's keyboard. Instead of only add text and emojis to the messages and emails you send, simply tap your keyboard to automatically insert your Instagram photos into your communications. Sharing your visual media has never been so simple and straightforward. If you want to boost your follower count through real-time correspondence, KeyFeed is definitely worth investigating.
As you can see from the above list, there is a cornucopia of creative Instagram tools at your disposal. Taking advantage of this exploding platform is made easier when you know which resources can have the biggest impact on your brand growth efforts.
Will you be doubling-down in Instagram in 2016 to connect with customers and grow your online network?
Follow me on Instagram @LorenRidinger
xoxo Loren Ridinger