Instagram for B2B brands? You betcha!

Instagram is killing it right now. And advertising on Instagram is one of the most effective ad platforms in digital. Aside from finding pictures of your friends, fashionistas and bro heroes, Instagram is also a fantastic spot for your B2B company. Why? A recent study by Forrester Research, found that Instagram users were 58 times more likely to like, comment, or share a brand’s post than Facebook users and 120 times more likely than Twitter users.

There are some excellent examples of companies that are sharing compelling, interesting photos that showcase their thought leadership and culture. Here are two B2B companies with some excellent Instagram Accounts.

IBM

Why We Love It: IBM’s Instagram is really really cool. Their pictures are interesting, innovative and non-traditional. It also gives you a sneak peek at what’s going on behind the scenes at IBM and who’s making it happen. If you’re going to do Instagram for a tech company, this is the way to go.

CISCO

Why We Love It: Cisco does thought leadership on Instagram like no other. Great quotes overlaid on compelling images and infographics describing the future of connectivity. And it shows in their metrics. Over 39,000 followers and at least 500 likes per post, Cisco is doing it right.

If these two accounts have piqued your interest, here are few things to consider before getting started.

Set an Objective

Depending on your business objectives, determine the primary purpose of your Instagram. Is it for recruitment purposes? Are you communicating thought leadership? Are you just trying to showcase cool things you are working on? Determine your objective before getting started.

Put an Instagram Team Together

Instagram is a big deal with the potential to reach thousands of employees and customers. Take this seriously. Don’t leave it to an intern to manage. Our advice? Find 2 to 3 leaders in your company with great creative skills. Set a goal for posts per week and have them find opportunities to highlight your stated objective. Don’t squash their creativity. Instagram is about unique and interesting photos from creative folks.

Make it a Creative Outlet

Let’s face it, many employees lack an opportunity to be creative at work. We ask for innovation and creativity, but then we also need people to get paperwork done, create reports and complete spreadsheets. Instagram provides an opportunity for employees to connect emotionally to their employer and customers. Don’t just leave it to marketing. A picture is not just worth a thousand words, it’s a pathway to being more creative.