While Instagram is still in the early stages of rolling out advertising options, it’s still important to be in the know on what features early adopters are seeing. The platform has been running experimental campaigns with companies like General Electric and Levis, but has not yet opened this feature to all users.
They recently gave an inside look at what real-time tools advertisers on the platform can expect to find.
· Account insights
These insights offer information on impressions, reach, and engagement, which give a big picture of overall brand awareness.
· Ad insights
Here you’ll find detailed statistics on how your advertising campaigns are working in regard to impressions, reach, and frequency.
· Ad staging
In this area, you can create and collaborate on an advertising campaign to make sure everything is just right before it’s launched.
With this information, you can get a better grasp on the ROI of your Instagram ad campaigns and find out what works (and what doesn’t) for your audience.
But until Instagram ads are fully open to businesses, there are a few best practices you can follow to ensure the content you’re sharing on this platform is resonating.
1. Curate
All of your images should have a unified look and feel. Use a standard filter for all images and be sure the content works with your other images to communicate a brand persona.
2. Quality over quantity
You may be tempted to post more frequently in hopes of getting more likes and followers, but try to focus on crafting a gallery of selective images rather than posting around the clock.
3. Lifestyle, not product placement
It’s tempting to showcase your products in a typical product shot way—but use this platform to express your inner photographer. Show products in use (think lookbook or editorial-type photos) rather than just saying, “Hey, here’s my product.”
4. It’s not about your logo
You don’t need to showcase your logo in your images. Instead, let your products speak louder than your brand. When your content is strong, looks uniform, and communicates your brand persona—your audience won’t need to see your logo to know it’s you.
What are some of your favorite brand Instagram accounts? Tweet your favorites to @wearelumen.