Facebook, the parent company that owns Instagram recently published a post on its blog offering key insights to marketers on how to connect with new audiences via the popular photo-sharing social media platform.
Why is it Difficult for Brands to build their Audience Base on Instagram?
Instagram is the most popular social media platform, right now, not just for individual users – but also for social media influencers and brands. However, businesses and influencers find it challenging to grow their audience base on Insta compared to other platforms.
This is because Instagram users are highly selective and they don’t want their feed to be peppered with posts that they don’t enjoy or connect with. On the other hand, once a user connects with a brand on Instagram, they are far more likely to become customers.
Facebook tries to Understand User Behavior on Insta
Facebook IQ recently commissioned two studies to find out why people choose to follow brands on Instagram and the type of content they desire from their preferred brands. The studies tracked the behaviour of users who use Instagram several times a day, across nine countries – US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Korea, Japan, France, and Brazil.
Here are a Few Key Findings from the Studies
Users prefer connecting with Brands on Insta – 2 in 3 people surveyed stated that Instagram is their preferred platform to connect and engage with brands.
Instagram usage is on the rise – 57% of the people who took part in the survey responded that they use Insta more than they did a year ago. 44% of respondents stated that their Insta usage is likely to increase in this year. Facebook IQ attributes the huge growth of Insta among users of all ages to several new features like Instagram Stories and IGTV.
The reason for the increase in Insta usage varies from country to country – For instance, in the US most people used Instagram to connect with friends and family. While in Japan, the primary reason for Insta usage was to stay on top of trends. Additionally, users across all countries use Instagram to connect with celebrities and influencers.
38% of respondents believe that ads on the platform are relevant to their interests.
Instagrammers surveyed use the platform multiple times each day, and Instagram usage is distributed across all age groups.
Non-TV viewers (people who don’t watch TV regularly) are more likely to see ads on Instagram. This is a crucial marketing opportunity for businesses. By advertising on Insta, they can reach out to audiences who are not available on regular marketing channels like TV. However, 16% of Instagrammers responded that they prefer to see ads tailored for the platform and not just regular ads that were available across channels.
The Takeaways of the Studies by Facebook IQ: What it means for Marketers?
These studies reveal that Instagram usage is definitely on the rise and it isn’t just restricted to a group of people. With the right marketing strategies, brands can reach out to a niche and hard-to-reach audience via Instagram. Make use of the Audience Insights tool to target a specific audience group.
Generate content that is mobile-friendly. The maximum Instagram usage occurs via smartphones. So any content you should create should be short, relevant and custom-made for Instagram.
Explore all the features of Instagram– like Stories, IGTV, polls via stories, and more – to reach out to hard-to-reach audiences.
