For far too long, Instagram has been misunderstood as a social platform that’s a haven reserved only for B2C businesses. However, savvy B2B brands are slowly but surely starting to capitalise on the benefits of connecting with Instagram’s captive audience, some of which happen to be B2B decision-makers! After all, we’d put money on the fact that the Chief Technology Officer of a FTSE 100 company, doesn't spend their evenings solely perusing LinkedIn. They’re scrolling “the ‘Gram” too, of course!
With that being said, the types of content that you’ve found to work well on LinkedIn won’t necessarily translate on Instagram, which is a highly visual platform. So, what should B2B brands be posting on Instagram to make the biggest impact possible? We’ve broken it down into four different “content pillars” that you can use to build a varied and engaging Instagram content plan, which work well for both stories and grid posts.
1. Aspirational Content
On Instagram, aspiration is probably the number one word to keep in mind when it comes to crafting compelling content.
Instagram’s one billion plus active monthly users tap into the app seeking content that speaks to an ideal that they wish to achieve and how they wish to be perceived, whether that be personally or professionally.
In the B2B world, think of this as your golden opportunity to showcase customer success stories. Featuring a customer who has resolved the same pain points that your prospects are experiencing is bound to capture attention while using social proof to build a strong case for choosing your solution.
Think about who your prospects would like to become professionally and think of the heroes and heroines in your case studies as role models for your prospects. Let them be the focus, rather than pitching your solution directly all the time.
2. Educational Content
Another reason people flock to Instagram is to be inspired by educational content that adds value to their lives.
In a B2B context, if your content marketing strategy is already in action, Instagram can be a great way to boost its visibility. All you need is a little adaptation and some creativity!
Here are just a few educational content ideas based on content you probably already have on your website:
Tutorials - a series of images that explain how to do something related to your solution/industry
Statistics and analysis - visually impactful infographics that are useful for your prospects to know
Quotes - soundbites from senior figures in your company, demonstrating expertise and thought leadership
Videos - quick tips presented in video format that directly address a pain point your prospects are experiencing
3. Informational Content
Every so often, you’ll want to promote a new product, service, feature or event. While promotional content does have its place, it is better defined as informational content, as the softer approach tends to work best on Instagram.
So how can you position your promotional content on Instagram in a way that won’t turn users off? The answer: it’s all about the tone and presentation! Let’s take a look at some examples:
Promoting a product? - Create a series of content based on each feature and focus on the benefits each of them brings to your target audience. How will it make your prospect do better in their job?
Promoting a service? - How could someone’s working day look completely different with your service vs without it? Create a short explainer video that tells the two sides of this story.
Promoting an event? - Think about what your prospect would gain from coming to your event. Who could they rub shoulders with? Showcase each of your speakers with some teaser content that will give your prospects a tantalising taste of what’s to come if they attend the event.
4. Cultural Content
At the end of the day, whether B2B or B2C, business is conducted between people and showcasing cultural content is a great way to inject some humanity into your Instagram presence.
If you’re looking to attract top talent, Instagram is the perfect place to show off your company culture. Here are a few simple ideas to get you started:
Give people a glimpse behind the scenes and let them see your office space and its perks.
Let an employee “takeover” the account for a day to show what working for your company is like.
Welcome prominent new hires with an introductory post that showcases their personal and professional qualities
On the other side of the coin, Instagram can also be used to showcase your culture in ways that will appeal to potential clients. Why not try out some of these ideas?
Snap a photo at the end of a positive client meeting to demonstrate the calibre of clientele you have and the results of collaboration.
Showcase your rich heritage with a throwback photo linked to a success story.
Highlight your company values by sharing the results of a recent CSR initiative.
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Do you want to leverage Instagram to build more brand awareness, nurture prospects and attract top talent? Get in touch with Philip Martin to discover how DMA Partners can help: philip.martin@dma-partners.com.
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