Millions more brands are jumping on board – and with good reason
The potential of Instagram’s 700 million-odd monthly userbase has long been a topic of interest here on Content Desk.
But the platform’s status as a B2C hub has been a head-scratcher. Can content which is so inherently visual-heavy and information-light really carve out a niche in a B2B context? It’s never had quite the same traction among businesses as its typically youthful userbase – despite Instagram’s functionality, its effectiveness has long been uncertain.
Until now! Instagram has reported a rise in its community of businesses to 25 million. This on its own is an impressive figure, but it’s the speed of growth that is most remarkable – numbers are up by 15 million from July alone.
It looks like Instagram is the new go-to place for hip and happening firms. The implications for B2B marketers could be wide-ranging.
Picture perfect
This spike in traffic from businesses is puzzling. What’s underpinning the sudden boom?
Developmental advancements could be having an impact. Sponsored posts are now a mainstay on the platform and Instagram has taken more strident steps in recent months to make these more transparent.
With stories, location-based content and tagging, Instagram is taking bold steps to incorporate the innovations of its competitors into a single social media behemoth.
But perhaps most crucial is Instagram’s unparalleled ability to engage. TrackMaven’s B2B social media report makes for interesting reading in this area. Some of the findings are as expected – LinkedIn emerges as the biggest platform by size across nearly every industry surveyed.
However, in other areas Instagram sees some unexpected successes. It works out in the top two most engaging B2B social networks across the board (topping rankings in all cases but two). There are some other interesting discoveries – Pinterest comes out second, while LinkedIn, with its ostensibly authoritative audience, is second from bottom.
Reaching clients
Taking these insights together, there’s a lot of scope for B2B firms to use Instagram as a springboard to reach out to clients.
It’s growing quickly, working hard behind the scenes to improve advertising facilities for new entrants and trumps all its rivals for engagement. See also our primers on live videos and branded content via Instagram – there are lots of options for impactful B2B content creation on the platform, many of which are lying unused.
Whatever’s going on, Instagram has become a home for millions of new firms overnight, eagerly using its visual charms to ensnare potential patrons and reach new heights. B2B content creators should take note.
