While U.S. companies may not use Instagram in the same way they use sites like Facebook and Twitter, there’s value to having a presence on the photo-taking and sharing network. At first glance, Instagram looks like the ideal platform for showcasing corporate culture in an edgy manner, but brands can also use the network to drive referral traffic back to their ecommerce hubs and increase product visibility.
Pew Internet Research ran a survey to give marketers a clearer picture of who they can expect to reach on Instagram. According to the source, Instagram resonates with Millennial consumers more than any other age bracket. Twenty-eight percent of U.S. internet users aged 18 to 29 snapped and posted photos on the network in December 2012. Fourteen percent of those aged 30 to 49 did the same, and very few users older than 50 participated in any activity on Instagram.
This data should come as no surprise to the savvy marketer. Immature and youthful social networks often attract younger markets first, as these people are most likely to try new social hubs and then tell their parents or other connections about the service. Even more recent than Instagram, photo-sharing application SnapChat grabbed the attention of younger internet users most. It’s important for content marketing campaigns to spread across the networks where a brand’s audience is most active, but companies should also be on the look out for emerging platforms.
Brafton reported on Simply Measured’s Instagram data, which showed that Instagram membership has grown 9 percent since November 2012. Major name brands like MTV, J.Crew and Starbucks have stellar accounts, using Instagram to promote the brand’s personality to impressionable internet users. As more users flock to Instagram, the more powerful of a social media marketing asset the service will become for brands of any size.
