Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media channels. And that’s exactly what makes it such a popular platform for influencer marketing. The global Instagram influencer market, worth $0.8 billion in 2017 is expected to grow by a whopping $1.5 billion by the end of 2020.
With over a billion active users, it’s not quite as big as Facebook yet, but it is definitely outperforming channels like Snapchat. And, with over a billion users, and a 50% annual growth rate, it’s a great platform for influencers.
Source: Statista
It’s popular with the younger generation, which makes it popular with marketers as well. But is it the right channel for your brand?
Who Is Your Target Audience?
Instagram is considered a favorite haunt for Millennials, but Gen X and Gen Z also enjoy using the channel. If your audience is well-represented and active on the channel, it is worth considering Instagram for your campaign.
Do You Need a Visual Medium?
The next thing to consider is that Instagram is a highly visual medium. Will your content be a good fit? Can you find creative ways to shoot your product, or represent the service you offer? You’ll have a lot of competition on the site, so if you want your campaign to pop, you’ll have to put in some serious time perfecting it.
On that note, there are a few different options when it comes to content that you post. Choose videos, photos, and Stories to get the message across. Just bear in mind that your ability to put in links is limited. It’s only possible to add a link in the Stories feature. Even then, users have to swipe up to see it – it’s not displayed front and center with your post.
Is There a Good Influencer Match for Your Business?
The next thing to consider is choosing the right influencer for your brand. Ideally, you will find someone who is a good match for both your products and your company values. Nothing can kill your new campaign quite as fast as matching with the wrong influencer.
Instagram is not just about numbers. It is relatively simple to build a following on instagram, but Instagram users are notoriously fickle. If the influencer doesn’t actively engage with their followers, they are going to see a drop in popularity over time.
This might not affect their number of followers – their fans won’t necessarily unfollow them. But, it will mean that your campaigns don’t have quite as much reach as you might have expected them to have. You will want them to work out a good balance between influence and engagement to get the best value out of the deal.
Finally, do you need an influencer with staying power, or will a one-hit-wonder do? If you’re planning a one-off promotion, the latter is fine, but if you’re planning for something more long-term, you’ll need someone that will be around for a while.
