Instagram is widely recognised for its use in the B2C sector, especially by small and medium sized businesses pushing their products through direct engagement with potential customers. However, can B2B businesses replicate the successes of B2C brands through use of Instagram?
How it works
Instagram is entirely centred on visuals, namely photos and videos. Naturally this frames the app as being a particularly effective medium for businesses whose offering is centred on consumer products.
However, with such a visually led channel, both B2B and B2C companies can harness the power of telling stories through imagery to influence customer behaviour: herein lies the potential for B2B success.
The Unique Selling Point of Instagram: B2B Perspective
As the old adage states: a picture is worth a thousand words, and in no other channel is this more apparent. In practical terms, Instagram can be used to document the everyday happenings of your company, both providing insights into your company culture and showcasing it to help solidify the brand.
Through showing the way your employees interact with each other and the internal culture of the business, you can provide a “sneak-peak” into the level of service clients can expect to receive. No matter where your company falls on the continuum between formal and unconventional, you can leverage Instagram to paint a picture of your business that will represent it in the best possible light, increasing the likelihood of mutually beneficial business relationships with clients that you are compatible with. In short, you can humanise your brand.
The Added Benefit To Your B2B Business
If you have a tangible product to offer, you can go wild and reveal examples of it in action – using the app as a platform through which to demonstrate your collective capabilities as a company.
Remember, you can link your Instagram feed with your Facebook account so that all of the beautifully formatted pictures can be automatically posted to the social platform in real time, supporting the other elements of a well-rounded and carefully considered wider campaign.
It is vital to invest time in understanding the various benefits offered to B2B companies through use of specific channels – remember, Instagram’s power lies not in lead generation, but in building and maintaining your brand and culture. Use it to paint your story, to create a movement and to inspire – not to directly sell.
So go ahead, document and create some history! It just might be invaluable 20 years down the line.
Read more: How to use Instagram effectively