Research shows that 40 percent of the workforce is now made up of millennials, which is expected to grow to 75 percent by 2027. With over one billion monthly active users on Instagram and half of all millennials actively using the social media platform to stay connected, Instagram is a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with the newest generation of B2B food ingredient customers. But it’s not as easy as simply copying and pasting what you’re doing on other platforms.
Instagram is a key resource
Every social media network has a different tone that works best. For example, what works for LinkedIn or Twitter may not perform as well on Instagram. To get the most out of your Instagram channel, consider the following tips:
- Be clear and concise — Most people scroll through their Instagram feeds quickly, so it makes sense to keep your captions short and to the point. Brief copy is easier to digest and doesn’t get cut off with ellipses — Instagram uses these to truncate messages after a couple of lines of copy. Focus on one specific message rather than trying to communicate multiple things in a post.
- Show your lighthearted side — Instagram is naturally known for its lighthearted tone. To show your audience a fresh, authentic view of your company, try highlighting your company’s culture and employee advocacy efforts on Instagram. You can do this by posting original photos of your staff, inspiring quotes or easily digestible industry-related stats. For example, throughout March, we invited our staff to bring their pets to work and we posted the photos on our company’s Instagram feed.
- Keep it conversational — Add a brief, informal caption that gives outsiders an inside glimpse of the real-life experiences that take place at your company every day or that helps explain the significance of the information you’re sharing.
- Incorporate hashtags— On Instagram, a hashtag behaves the same way as it does on Twitter and Facebook, meaning it ties the conversations of different users into one stream (as long as the accounts are public). Instagram posts can also have up to 30 hashtags, making it tempting to stuff each caption with as many as possible, but using more hashtags won’t necessarily yield higher visibility. Instead, consider focusing on about two to four strategic keywords.
- Use emojis — Emojis are cartoon-like emoticons that are available to most smartphone users and can add some personality to Instagram captions. Many brands use emojis in their captions — even the more “serious” B2B brands. Still, you want to keep your emoji selections appropriate at all times.
- Stay consistent — Being relatively consistent in your Instagram voice can help you build your brand on the channel. Showcasing the true experiences and values of your company can help differentiate your brand and promote transparency, which in turn builds trust with your audience.
Content is king
As B2B food ingredient marketing continues to evolve, it’s important to embrace traditionally consumer-centric platforms like Instagram. Instagram can be successful for building deeper connections with prospective customers, employees and thought leaders. Posting compelling content and visuals on Instagram can help you make meaningful connections with other food industry professionals, including younger generations with increasing buying power.
Need help optimizing your social media content to increase brand awareness or generate more leads? Contact us to learn how we can help you develop and implement an effective B2B social media marketing strategy. You can also download our report, Finding Your Food Ingredient Brand’s Voice on Social Media, to learn more about tailoring your B2B marketing content for different platforms.