#168: Social Media | How to Make Instagram Work for B2B with Jenn Herman
Aug 19, 2024
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Jenn Herman, an Instagram marketing expert with over a decade of experience, reveals the platform's hidden potential for B2B marketers. She discusses how Instagram's 2 billion users can be leveraged for brand awareness. Jenn emphasizes the importance of tailored and educational content to build trust and engagement. She dives into effective strategies like using carousels and highlights, aligning brand image with social media presence, and maximizing reach through consistent posting and analysis. Learn to turn Instagram into a vital tool for B2B success!
Instagram is a powerful yet underutilized tool for B2B marketers, enabling brand awareness and community engagement through tailored, authentic content.
Establishing realistic goals and continuously analyzing engagement metrics are vital for optimizing Instagram strategies and ensuring long-term marketing success.
Deep dives
Embracing Instagram for B2B Marketing
Instagram, often perceived as a platform primarily for B2C brands, holds significant potential for B2B marketing as well. The first step in leveraging Instagram is to clarify your goals, whether for brand awareness, sales, or community engagement. Understanding the platform's evolution, particularly its shift to video content while still maintaining its photo-based roots, is essential for crafting relevant strategies. Many B2B marketers are hesitant about Instagram due to the perception that their business isn’t visually captivating; however, identifying ways to creatively showcase operations, such as behind-the-scenes content, can bridge that gap.
Creating Effective Content on Instagram
Successful B2B content on Instagram revolves around understanding the various formats available, including photos, carousels, stories, and reels. Authenticity is key; users prefer genuine images over stock photos, and posts featuring people tend to resonate more with audiences. Carousels serve as an effective means to deliver detailed information without overwhelming followers, while stories offer a raw, unedited look that can foster greater engagement. Overall, pre-planned or even spontaneous content that highlights your business's human side can significantly boost interaction and brand loyalty.
Measuring Success and Setting Realistic Goals
When embarking on an Instagram marketing journey, setting realistic and measurable goals is crucial for long-term success. Instead of focusing solely on follower counts or immediate sales conversions, establishing metrics around brand awareness, engagement, or relationship building can provide meaningful insights into performance. A consistent posting strategy, maintained over several weeks, allows businesses to analyze reach and engagement data effectively, identify successful content types, and understand audience preferences. This iterative approach enables brands to adapt their strategies in response to data trends rather than prematurely abandoning the platform.
The Importance of Tailored Strategies for Instagram
Crafting a tailored social media strategy for Instagram requires an understanding of the platform’s unique dynamics, especially in comparison to competitors like TikTok or LinkedIn. Emphasizing Instagram's extensive user base, particularly among decision-makers in the 25-45 demographic, underscores its relevance for B2B brands looking to connect with their target audience. Successful engagement on Instagram necessitates creating content that aligns with user intent, ensuring that messaging resonates with how users typically consume information on the platform. Ultimately, cultivating a distinctive brand voice that feels authentic on Instagram can set a business apart, even in saturated markets.
Dave sits down with Jenn Herman, an expert in Instagram marketing, who shares the untapped potential of Instagram for B2B marketers. With over a decade of experience, Jenn has become a go-to resource for brands looking to leverage Instagram's vast user base to build brand awareness and foster long-term customer relationships.
Jenn and Dave cover:
Why Instagram is a goldmine for B2B marketers and how to capitalize on its 2 billion monthly active users
How to create educational content for Instagram to build trust
Why you need to tailor your content for Instagram and your audience specifically
Timestamps
(00:00) - - Intro to Jenn
(06:27) - - Setting Goals for B2B Brands for Instagram
(10:04) - - Adapting Content Strategy for Instagram
(11:58) - - Focusing on Quality Over Quantity
(15:04) - - Using Educational Content to Build Your Brand
(19:56) - - TikTok Experts vs Short Form Video Experts
(24:53) - - TikTok, Instagram, and Content Unique to Platforms
(27:51) - - How to Use Instagram Carousels
(31:17) - - How to Use Instagram Highlights
(33:48) - - Strategies to Find Underpriced Attention
(36:06) - - Aligning Brand Image with Social Media Presence
(40:05) - - Understanding Reach Metrics
(42:44) - - Revisiting and Optimizing LinkedIn and Instagram Strategies
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Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.
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