Following on from this week’s Instagram story, we look at the 4 key things Instagram can teach you about social media.
As one of the biggest and popular social media platforms, it has over one billion active users – it is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with. While being a marketing medium that affiliates shouldn’t be ignoring, the latest Instagram report released by HubSpot summarises what the key points are to take away.
Video posts generate the most engagement
When comparing the types of posts on Instagram, videos tend to get far more engagement than regular image uploads. In 2018, video uploads were seen to have received more than double the amount of comments that regular posts received.
On average, there are 150 comments per video post. With this in mind, the main thing to take away from this for affiliates is to ensure that there is a significant focus on video content; This could be done via creating permanent videos, Instagram stories – and taking advantage of the highlights section of your profile. Video creation doesn’t have to be expensive either – using easily accessible apps such as Ripl on your smartphone can help create simple animations and videos that can be easily tailored to your brand.
It’s quality not quantity when it comes to hashtags
There is a common myth that with the more hashtags you post on your upload, the more engagement your post will receive. The reality is, it’s is all about relevance. Although you can fit in up to 30 hashtags, that’s not necessarily the recipe for success.
When you are selecting your hashtags, make sure you compare your hashtags to the ones of your competitors, while also keeping an eye on the respected influencers of the platform too.
It can also be a good idea to create a hashtag that you can consistently use, one that is unique to your brand and portal. The best practice of this is to use four or five hashtags and see which ones are the most popular via your site traffic and daily insights.
Tag other users strategically
Through tagging other users and brands in your post, it can allow you to receive better brand exposure, and will also increase your engagement levels and expand your Instagram community. But to get the best results, you must have a clear strategy surrounding it.
For example, if you are hosting a competition, part of the terms and conditions could be that the user needs to tag a photo featuring your brand. If you use content from an influencer, make sure they are tagged. This ensures that the brand knows you enjoy their content and could be an excellent way to start a relationship.
You should also encourage any team members you may have, or broader community to tag you when they can.
Try Influencer Marketing – it doesn’t cost a lot
Influencer marketing shows no signs of stopping. Currently, it is a little more difficult to find influencers in the iGaming space, but if done effectively, it could have a significant effect on brand awareness.
At our last Digital Marketing Forum – Goat Agency guru’s explain exactly how to utilise influencer marketing for brand building and end user engagement offering key insights for affiliates and operators as a way to benefit from this new form of marketing.
If you find an influencer that is not as well known, it can be a low-risk way to test out your brand to a specific audience. You can find influencers by searching hashtags and see who is posting about them. If it’s something you want to invest in, there’s also influencer tools you can use to find the right person to push your brand.
These are some great things to bear in mind for your Instagram or social media content strategy. Affiliates and operators can see fantastic returns from the time spent on this channel. If the strategy is implemented correctly, it does not cost a lot to engage.
