Most B2B companies have Instagram accounts, but they simply don’t post enough to leave an impression on users. Or, if their accounts are active, the content they post is bland.
If that sounds like you, stop putting Instagram on the back burner. It’s the perfect platform to get in front of your target audience on the reg, keeping your B2B brand top of mind come awareness marketing.
As we hinted, any old Instagram post won’t do. To remain in consumers’ consideration sets, your content has to be eye-catching, engaging, and just plain shareable.
Here are our best tips to spice up your B2B brand’s Instagram and get more customers to convert.
Vary the Types of Content on Your B2B Brand’s Instagram
Images are Instagram’s bread and butter. Remember, they started as a social media platform for users to post images of their dogs, lunches, manicures — you name it. Please continue to post images to your B2B brand’s Instagram feed.
But images can’t be the only thing you post.
Today’s internet users (read: everyone) are bombarded with content day in and day out. In fact, the average person uses four to six different social media platforms per day! You’re going to need to mix up the content in your feed to keep it interesting and win any Instagrammer’s divided, vied-for attention.
That should be enough to convince you content forms beyond images deserve your attention. If not, consider the fact that Instagram itself seemingly values video content over static images. Their recent algorithms appear to favor videos, which means your video content has a better chance of getting in front of Instagram users than your images.
How can you break your habit of posting images of your product and nothing else? Add in some video clips or graphics. Or create a graphic to promote a promotion you may have going on.
Reels — Instagram’s answer to TikTok — is another fantastic alternative to images. In fact, it’s so fantastic it gets its own section in this article. Stay tuned.
Prioritize Quality Photographs for the Freshest Instagram Feed
As we said, images are still going to be an important part of your B2B brand’s content mix on Instagram. When you do post images, make sure they’re good.
Look, quality images are arguably always important on Instagram since it’s a visually-driven platform. But B2B brands have to care even more about image quality. Why? Because we live in a visual first world. No one wants to buy product that is unappealing — yep, even in an Instagram post.
So your images need to be good. That doesn’t necessarily mean every photo has to be taken by a professional photographer in a studio or out on a job site . We know that’s not realistic, especially since you’re trying to post on Instagram more often.
What it does mean is you’ll have to spend meaningful time taking photos yourself. If you plan to photograph new product, tell the product manager ahead of time so he prepare accordingly. Additionally, natural lighting and a newer smart phone go a long way toward shooting enticing photos.
You can also ensure your Instagram images — and entire feed — are appealing by playing with how and where you take photos. Varying the angle you photograph your B2B equipment can go a long way in attracting your followers’ attention in a sea of straight on, non-dynamic product shots. Similarly, changing the setting of your photography can catch wandering eyes on Instagram.
Oh, and photograph things that are not product, too. Capture a crew hard at work. At the end of the day, it is a human who’s deciding whether or not to purchase your B2B equipment. Resonate with them given the ins and outs of a day on a job site.
Our brains are trained to ignore overly-familiar stimuli. That includes the same old, sub-par images. Do your B2B brand a favor by making your Instagram-ready images unique and appealing.
Get Ahead of Most B2B Companies — Jump on the Reels Bandwagon
We promised you an entire section about Reels. Let’s do it.
Reels is relatively new to Instagram, but it’s gaining popularity at an impressive clip. Importantly, Reels often shows up in users’ ‘Discover’ feeds, not just their personal feeds. That means you have a decent chance of getting your reel in front of all sorts of people — not just people who follow your B2B brand directly.
To start your B2B brand’s Reels journey, monitor existing Reels. If you see a song or a trend that fits with your B2B’s brand, try creating a reel incorporating that same trend. Bonus: Instagram’s algorithm often features content that hops on a trend (like a certain Reels dance) before the crowd does. This is yet another reason monitoring Reels can help your B2B company get noticed — or even go viral.
By creating reels that align with your B2B’ s brand, you can really bring your brand to life. And by the way, a lot of B2B brands aren’t leveraging Reels yet. Be one of the first and capture more attention.
Okay, last thing: We’ve been stressing that your reels should make sense for your B2B company’s brand and personality. So don’t jump on just any trend. Consumers will see through your ploy to get noticed if it’s not authentic. That can do more harm for your reputation than good.
Participate in Current Conversations to Catch Instagram Users’ Attention
No matter the form your Instagram content takes, users are more likely to engage with timely posts. To that end, take a look at what’s going on in the world and create Instagram content that allows your B2B brand to participate in current conversations.
Participating in cultural and current events with your Instagram content shows your B2B brand is plugged in and relatable. It’s yet another way to mix up your Instagram feed and reach your existing followers as well as new prospective customers.
