Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Nick Blenkarne, Creative Strategist at Imagination
Social media platform Instagram recently introduced a new, personalised channel called “Videos You Might Like” in the explore tab of a user’s Instagram account. Instagram has been investing heavily in video recently, increasing the amount of footage that can be uploaded to customised event feeds.
Not all updates have been popular. New ad formats and numerous algorithm updates have increased the amount of sponsored posts. What was once a relatively unbranded environment has changed and users are less likely to notice branded content, even when it’s beautifully produced. It’s more important than ever for brands to move away from treating Instagram as a mechanism for broadcasting content and explore opportunities to use it as a platform for building interactive brand experiences.
According to a recent study by Harris Group, 72 per cent of Millennials, the target of many marketing briefs in 2016, value experiences above anything else. And, while Facebook and Twitter continue to fight for supremacy with live content, Instagram aims to define itself by highly engaging, longer-lasting content. It’s clear on both fronts that it’s the most creative that wins.
Now that editing software is readily available and more and more apps are being launched that allow users to use their creativity, everyone’s a semi-professional photographer / videographer / art director. Within this competitive landscape brands are starting to see the value in experimenting with the functionality of the app rather than the content itself, creating interactive, more memorable experiences for their followers.
Here are some recent ways brands are using Instagram to offer experiences that result in real business benefit.
Reaching new, more relevant audiences
The popularity of user-generated content, preferred because of its apparent authenticity, is forcing brands to ‘up their game’. Brands are no longer in control of the conversation, consumers are.
With changes to Instagram’s algorithm, recommendations from known influencers now apparently carry 22% more weight than a recommendation from an ordinary user. The need to influence the influencers is encouraging brands to invest in higher quality experiences that speak to fewer people but appeal to those who count.
Recently, automotive brand Mercedes targeted influencers to help them reach a new generation of buyer. Five of Instagram’s best photographers were invited to spend five days each driving the Mercedes-Benz CLA. The photographers documented their trips, shared six photos a day on both their and the Mercedes-Benz Instagram accounts. And the motivation was impressive. The photographer who achieved the most likes, kept the car.
The results for Mercedes were 87 million organic impressions and, most importantly, saw an increase in the young people that bought CLAs. CLA owners are “one of the youngest age groups in the history of the brand,” according to Mercedes digital marketing manager Mark Aikman.
Taking an offline experience online
Make the Future London was the UK’s largest branded festival in 2016. Shell needed a way to showcase all the action happening across four different festival zones.
According to Instagram analytics, users spend on average 30% viewing content in grid format. It proved the ideal place to create the first interactive festival map using Instagram.
Global creative agency, Imagination designed an ultra high-res 3D map making use of the top nine images of @shell Instagram for the duration of the event. Users could select different sections of the grid to navigate to the four tagged accounts, each one showcasing live action in each of the festival zones.
The Instagram map was a success with the @shell account achieving a 9% uptake in followers during the four-day festival. And, as a bonus, it was a way for Shell to increase the reach of the festival experience to those who couldn’t make it in person, as well as building a buzz for those who could.
Improving engagement through creativity
Research specialist Forrester reviewed 2,500 posts across seven social networks and discovered that engagement on Instagram was roughly 60 times higher than Facebook. That was more than enough evidence to convince Ted Baker to use Instagram to push the boundaries with its #Pinch_Me campaign. Specially-processed campaign images containing hidden messages were used to promote their Spring/Summer collection. Users could only get to see the messages by using certain filters within the app. Users were encouraged to screenshot and repost what they found using Instagram.
Converting the audience: be more targeted
Instagram has the highest browser-to-shopper conversion rate of all social networks, according to L2.
Retail giant, IKEA built a fully functional website linked Instagram to launch an entirely new collection.
The Instagram account functions just like a regular website. The 12 image tabs display different product categories, like a virtual catalogue. Users can click on a category and view items within that category (34 in total), all of which have their own Instagram accounts. The IKEA Instagram acquired over 20,000 followers in a matter of days.
Burberry, and a host of other fashion brands are also looking at organic Instagram content as a way to commercialise the catwalk experience, allowing customers to use it to purchase what they see at the fashion shows.
What next?
Full screen image and video social platforms are growing in user numbers daily, outstripping the rate of growth on Facebook or Twitter. And, as is proven with the popularity of branded games like Pokémon Go, users want experiences they can interact with.
More and more brands are realising that Instagram can open up opportunities for adventure, building richer experiences for the users and becoming part of their daily lives.