Why Even B2B Companies Need To Be On Instagram Companies simply can't afford to ignore the potential of the Instagram for B2B marketing. Here's why.
By Carla Saliba
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When you think of Instagram, you probably think of holiday snaps, motivational quotes and avocados (about 6.8 million of them, give or take!). But with over 700 million active users a month -many of them your potential clients and employees- companies simply can't afford to ignore the potential of the "gram for B2B marketing. Here's why:
1. It showcases the work you do
Sure, you have a website with a portfolio on it, but what are you doing to get people to see the great work that you do? Instagram is a great way to increase brand awareness and get your work in front of an entirely new audience. And though you might not get immediate sales like when people search for your services on Google, it's all about building connections: Rome wasn't built day, and neither will be your sales pipeline.
We love the Emaar Dubai feed, which includes stunning photos of its latest projects (such as the imposing Burj Khalifa) and behind-the-scenes shots. Note there is no hard sell here, and the focus is always on the architecture and the aesthetics of the photo- after all, people use Instagram to see great photos, not be sold to!
A post shared by Emaar Dubai (@emaardubai) on Oct 30, 2017 at 6:24am PDT
2. It tells your brand story
As people look to engage with more meaningful brands, it's not just what you do but why you do it that counts. Instagram provides a great way to tell your story and build brand affinity by demonstrating shared values and interests, which can be all the difference between winning and losing that all-important contract.
The Boston Consulting Group is a good example of a company that does this through its feed of employee, client and inspirational quotes on innovation, leadership and growth. As management consultants brought in to transform clients' businesses, this reflects their people and values, demonstrates thought leadership and, importantly, builds trust by showcasing who some of their high profile clients are.
A post shared by The Boston Consulting Group (@bcg) on Jan 4, 2017 at 10:51am PST
3. It helps you attract new employees
To be the best, you have to hire the best, but the fact is that employers face a lot more competition in today's evolving digital workplace. Potential employees are not just looking at salary but also culture, benefits and career development, so it's important that you can demonstrate what it is that makes you such a great place to work.
We think McKinsey & Co is a great example of a B2B company doing a stellar job of demonstrating itself as being an open, diverse and supportive workplace that values individualism through its employee stories. If we didn't already love working at Infographic.ly so much, we'd be seriously tempted!
A post shared by McKinsey & Company (@mckinseyco) on Nov 29, 2017 at 2:13pm PST
As B2B marketing evolves, it's important that companies start to embrace traditionally consumer platforms like Instagram as a means of building deeper connections with prospective clients, employees, and thought leaders within their industry. Of course, Instagram is all about the visuals so to help you get the best out of it, take a look at our tips on creating a good visual strategy for social media.
Related: Marketing To Millennials: Building A Communications Strategy
