Scott is Chief Storyteller for 123Print UK, an online print company who are determined to help British Businesses grow. He regularly writes content on social media, branding and public relations and has achieved coverage in many publications.
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On the 9th April 2012, the then 13 person startup Instagram was sold to Facebook for a whopping 1 billion dollars (well, $300 million in cash, the rest in Facebook shares!). Since then the world’s most popular photo sharing app has gone from strength to strength, with over 100 million people actively using Instagram in the present day.
Instagram is used all over the world for both personal and business use. Here are the best times to post to Instagram if you want to get the maximum amount of engagement for your photograph:
Apps to help you get the most out of Instagram
Although Instagram is a fantastic app to use just on its own, there are a variety of different apps that you can use to help you to get the most out of your Instagram experience. Whether you want to edit your photos in a different way, or simply want to jazz up your Insta Feed, there is an app (or several) that can help!
Instapad
If you are looking for a relatively simple extension for your Instagram app then Instapad is a brilliant place to start.
Not only does it provide you with larger versions of your images but it also gives you the rather unique option to send your photos to other people in the form of a postcard.; a great way to keep in contact with your customers and provide that personal touch that so many brands lack these days.
Pic Joiner
In the world of Instagram, there are few things more annoying than a brand that posts more than a couple of photos at once, especially if they are of similar things such as product colour variations. This is where Pic Joiner really comes into its own!
It is very simple to use and gives you a range of different pic-joining options, so you can even pull off joining an odd number of photographs without having the dreaded gap! A must have for those who just can’t get enough of posting new products on Instagram.
Padgram
If you are looking for a slightly more organised way of browsing Instagram then Padgram is just the app for you!
This app gives you the option to browse photographs by different categories as well as allowing you to keep up with photographs that you have ‘liked’. Padgram is especially useful for brands looking for some Insta inspiration!
Afterlight
Afterlight is a fantastic little photo editing app that allows you to give your photos a little bit more of an edge than the basic Instagram filters.
It’s a great app if you are quite new to editing photographs and allows you to have a play around with things like the saturation, exposure and contrast of your photograph, to name a few!
Lensflare
This handy photo editing app focuses mainly on light manipulation so you can make you images look even more professional.
You can also add multiple effects to your photograph along with various light filters, meaning that you can really tweak your image until it is just right!
Dealing with negative comments on Instagram
As a brand on Instagram, or any social media platform actually, you will more than likely at some point come across a customer who is less than happy with either the photograph you have posted or a product or service that you have provided to them. How you respond and deal with the situation is paramount to how your brand is viewed, not only by the customer in question, but by other Instagram users that can see the comments being made. Here are three things that you should not do:
Ignore them: Ignoring a negative comment, regardless of its accuracy, is one of the worst things that you can do in this type of situation. Ignoring the post not only lets the angry customer think that you simply don’t care about their issue, but also lets other potential customers draw their own conclusions about the situation without the added knowledge that you have rectified the problem. Here is an example of one well known car brand ignoring a host of negative comments about their recent photo uploads:
Delete them: The only thing worse that ignoring the negative comment is to delete it. Yes, doing this might provide a quick and pain-free relief from the negativity impacting your Instagram page. However, you are running two pretty serious risks: 1) the author of the negative post could see that you have deleted it which will probably only serve to make them more determined to spread the word about their negative experience with your brand and 2) other Instagram users could have already seen the post, which would allow them to draw their own conclusions about the kind of company that treats its customers with an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality. A popular cosmetics company had an issue with its website security. However, instead of responding to the Instagram complaints that followed, they simply proceeded to blame other companies and then delete the comments. Customers soon took to discussion boards to complain. This was one of the responses on popular website Reddit.
Retaliate in the same fashion: Never under any circumstances, even if the customer’s comment is uncalled for and inaccurate, retaliate in an angry manner. Posting a response that lets them have it with both barrels will simply make you look unprofessional and downright unhinged, as well as serving to alienate existing and potential customers. Just don’t do it.
So… that’s the bad stuff out of the way, but what should you actually do if you come across a negative Instagram comment (Or a bunch of them)? Well, the answer to this actually depends entirely on the nature of the comment.
If the customer is angry due to being offended by the photograph that you have posted for whatever reason, my advice to you would be to remove it as soon as possible. If it offends one person, chances are it will/already has offended many more.
If the customer is complaining about a product or service that you have (or perhaps haven’t) provided to them, then you need to respond promptly with an apology and a solution that will benefit the customer in this particular situation. Don’t just respond with a message that sounds automated. For example, if the customer posts a comment that details their annoyance with your main website being slow, a discount code probably won’t really help them!
The 7 deadly sins of Instagram
Want a quick rundown on what not to do if you’re running an Instagram account for your brand? Here are the 7 deadly sins of Instagram:
Do you have any more tips for using Instagram as a business? Spread the word in the comments section!
On October 6th 2010, two friends launched a social media platform to be used specifically for uploading beautiful photographs and sharing them with friends, and so Instagram was born. Instagram, derived from a combination of the words ‘instant camera’ and ‘telegram’, now has an astronomical 300 million active users, with 75 million using the site every single day. It has long surpassed social media giant Twitter who lags behind with just 288 million active users (pfft!), and is available in 25 languages across the globe. Instagram users love the site so much that they spend, on average, 257 hours per month on the site (which is pretty impressive considering they are pretty much just browsing through photos!).
After looking at statistics like these, it would be difficult for any small business owner to think of a reason not to join Instagram! This beginner’s manual will guide you through the ins and outs of creating an Instagram business account, as well as providing you with some useful hints and tips to make sure that you get the best out of your Insta-perience (did that work? I’m just going to leave it in regardless…).
Anyway, without further ado, here is the ultimate guide to running an Instagram account for business! (Beginner’s edition).
1. Setting up your account
You can download the Instagram app for free from the Apple App Store (or ‘Google Play Store’ if you are one of those Android users).
With Instagram, like any other social media platform, you have to set up an account in order to use it. Even if you already have a personal Instagram account (and if you do you will already know quite a lot of what is in this beginner’s guide already), it is strongly advisable to open a separate account purely for your business. Not only will this avoid customer confusion, it will also reduce any chances of personal photos affecting your brand’s image (which, believe me, is more common than you think).
When choosing your username, simplicity is key. Avoid the temptation to create a crazy username (save this for your personal account), and simply go with your company name. So, if your company is called ‘Susan’s Florist’, your username should be ‘susansflorist’. If, for whatever reason, that username has been taken, try different but still professional variations. In this instance; ‘susansfloristuk’, ‘susans_florist and ‘susansfloristmcr’ (or another location abbreviation) would all be suitable alternatives. It’s just so that your customers will be able to find your company quickly and easily. If you have a company Twitter account, it is a good idea to have your Instagram username the same as your Twitter handle.
Adding your company profile picture & bio
Once you have created your account you will be prompted to add a profile picture and description, or ‘bio’, to your profile. Once you have written your company bio, it’s time to upload a profile picture. As is the case with other social media platforms, this is really important as it is no secret that users with a profile photo get up to ten times more engagement than those without one. When choosing your profile picture, avoid a selfie of yourself (again, this should be saved for your personal account). Instead, have a photograph of something relevant to your business (so if you are a florist, a photo of your nicest bouquet should do the trick!) or even your company logo.
The temptation may be to just whack in your company website address and have done with it which, in fairness, would be a lot easier and less hassle than thinking of a short and snappy way to capture your brand’s message. It would also more than likely fail to capture the interest of the nice folk that view your page. Your company bio is the first thing that Instagram users are going to notice when they tap onto your profile, and they want to see that you have put some thought into how you welcome them to your brand!
So, what makes a good Instagram bio? First and foremost, you want to make sure that it captures your company’s culture and ethics. This might seem like a bit of a pipe dream considering you only have 150 characters to make your mark. Don’t despair, however, just look at these fabulous bios from designer Kate Spade and insanely popular sports brand Adidas Originals:
Try not to think of the 150 character limit as a negative, and start to think of it as your friend, a friend that allows you to keep your introduction clear and to the point, and stops you from waffling on. Instagram is about having fun and giving your followers an insight into what life is like in the world of your brand. Don’t be afraid to let your followers know that, if they follow you, they will have the inside scoop on what goes on behind the scenes and might even grab some special offers as they browse your photos!
2. Taking & uploading your first photos
Okay, so now for the fun part! The reason that you have decided to join Instagram in the first place; taking some snaps! But the pressure mounts when you start to think about what you type of photograph you should upload first. Well, the rules are, there are no rules (just keep it clean!), so the Instagram world really is your oyster with this one. However, if you want to come out on top, here are some tips to help you along the way to Instagram greatness!
Avoid the hard sell. Nobody wants to engage with a brand that is continuously bombarding its followers with boring imagery of its products. Don’t get me wrong, uploading photographs of products is fine every now and again, as long as they are photographed in an artistic way. However, for your first post, try to stick to something a little bit more imaginative.
Keep it relevant. It is important for your first photo upload to be creative, but it is equally important for it to be relevant. If you run a small boutique clothing store and your first Instagram post is of your Yorkshire terrier asleep in front of your fireplace, you run the risk of confusing your viewers. Instead, try posting a photo of said dog looking cute inside your shop. That way, you remain true to your brand, whilst also taking advantage of the cuteness factor! (Always a sure fire winner with Instagram users).
Give users an idea of what is to come. Even if it is just inkling that you have lots more photos in the pipeline, or that your creative juices are flowing, it is always a good idea to post a picture that holds a promise of what to expect from your Instagram.
Once you have decided on a photo to upload, simply press the blue camera icon in the bottom centre of your Instagram home screen, and select the photo you wish to upload by pressing the square on the bottom left hand side of that screen. You should then be greeted with a screen that looks like this:
The three icons underneath your photograph allow you to select if you want to add a filter or adjust the brightness and other settings. The squares at the bottom with the odd words underneath them are your filters. Now, this is where the fun really starts…
Filters
Being able to filter your photos is one of the main reasons that many social media users choose Instagram as their main photo sharing platform. Choosing the right filter can really enhance the features of your photograph, making it look effortlessly professional. Good news for you, on 12th May, Instagram introduced three brand new filters. Lark, Reyes and Juno are now available to use. On these screenshots taken directly from the Instagram app, the thin blue line at the bottom of the screen indicates which filter is being shown:
Lark: This filter desaturates reds and brighten blues, making it perfect for photographs of landscapes and scenery.
Reyes: A dusty filter that creates a vintage feel for your photographs. Great for photos of antiques or anything that would benefit from looking a little faded.
Juno: Brightens the entire image and increases contrast. A great choice for photographs of people.
Worry not; however, Instagram still has all the old filters so you have a huge selection to choose from:
The choice of which filter you use for your photographs really is yours, it’s just a case of whichever one you think is the most effective. Different filters have different moods. For example, for a vibrant, happy photograph of a colourful bunch of flowers; a colour brightening filter such as X-pro II or Lo-fi is your best bet. However, if it is a more moody style that you are looking for then the creamy but sharp filters Crema and Brannan are bang on for creating those edgy photographs we all love.
Just in case you don’t trust yourself to choose your Instagram filter all on your own, here is a quick, honest and easy breakdown to help:
Normal/No filter: This one is exactly what it says on the tin. Allows you to simply upload your photo without filtering it. Surprisingly, this is the most popular ‘filter’ on Instagram.
Slumber: Introduced at the beginning of the year, Slumber is a warm filter that gives your photographs a honeyed, golden hue spread across them. It’s a great choice for warming up rainy days and creating a homely atmosphere in an otherwise dull world.
Crema: A slightly edgy, creamy filter. Great for landscapes. Even better for selfies (if you like that kind of thing).
Ludwig: This filter darkens colours whilst enhancing light, leaving you with a wonderfully dusky feel perfect for those shots that contain less activity.
Aden: A warm filter that makes everything look rather autumnal. Great for portrait and outside photographs, not much good for anything else.
Perpetua: An unusual filter that brings out blue and green tones. Great for photographs of metal-based scenes (for example, trains or computers).
Amaro: Adds a lot of light and slight exposure to your image. Basically the rule with this one is, the darker the image the higher chance that Amaro will have a positive effect.
Mayfair: The second most popular Instagram filter (after ‘normal’), it brightens the centre of the photograph and has a warm pink tone that looks great on warmer images.
Rise: Gives your photographs a yellowy tone and shows them in a more forgiving light. Great for portrait photos.
Hudson: A very cold filter that is not used very often. The only photographs that look half decent with this one are ones focusing on architecture. It just makes everything else look rather chilly.
Valencia: One of the most popular filters. Has a warm tone that softly brightens up your photographs. A great filter for beginners. If in doubt, use Valencia!
X-Pro II: Adds a juicy, pop-art style burst of colours to your photographs. Fantastic for any image that involves lots of colour.
Sierra: It’s low contrast and high exposure makes this filter add a daydream element to your photographs. However, use with caution as it can make photos look washed out if you’re not careful.
Willow: A black and white filter with a soft edge. Very forgiving as black and white hides a lot of flaws. Great for anything that isn’t quite camera ready, or creating an old-fashioned edge to your photograph.
Lo-Fi: Similar to X-Pro II, but even more extreme. Using this filter on your photographs can either make them look amazing or horrific. Use with caution.
Earlybird: A flattering filter with a hint of sepia, it’s no surprise that it is one of the most popular and celebrated filters on Instagram. Great for pretty much any photograph.
Brannan: A high contrast filter with a metallic base. Perfect for creating a bit of drama. Gives your photo a bit of a mood swing.
Inkwell: A no fuss black and white version of your original photograph.
Hefe: Very similar to Lo-fi and X-pro II, but with slightly less exposure. Great for warming up bright colours.
Nashville: A popular filter with high exposure that adds a pastel effect to your photos. Great for romantic, spring style photos. Perfect for pink flowers.
3. Hashtags
Ahh the hashtag. Used by many. Understood by… not as many. Lots of people don’t even know what they are. If you are one of those people then don’t worry! This guide is here to help you understand hashtags and soon you’ll wonder how you ever used social media without them.
So, what is a hashtag? A hashtag is basically a word preceded with the hash symbol and is used to make it easier for users to find a piece of content that is related to a specific theme. For example, look at the hashtags that have been used on the photograph below:
As you can see, this user has used #californiabound in her caption. This means that anyone who has searched the #californiabound hashtag has a chance of seeing this post, which is great as the user is using the hashtag to ask advice from other travellers. If you were to click on the hashtag, you would see other posts that have used it, with the most recent ones at the top of the page, like this (you can see the above photo is the second of the top row):
Many brands opt to create their own hashtags which become associated with them, such as #justdoit from Nike, which many Instagrammers use as a motivational community.
Other brands use hashtags in different ways. Popular clothing brand Zara uses #zaradaily to make their fashion-conscious followers aware of new items that are available. Motor company Ford uses the ever popular #ThrowbackThursday hashtag to create a sense of nostalgia for their car loving followers whilst also encouraging them to post photos of their own using the #FordTBT hashtag.
In case you’re curious, here is a list of some of the most popular hashtags on Instagram at the moment (taken from top-hashtags.com):
#love
893,829,534 posts
#instagood
407,396,838 posts
#me
366,849,334 posts
#tbt
343,388,046 posts
#cute
329,171,430 posts
#follow
327,653,106 posts
#followme
316,056,563 posts
#photooftheday
309,735,074 posts
Why not try and come up with some hashtags for your brand?
4. Engagement
So, you’re pretty much all set to start using Instagram to promote your business. Just one more thing: what is the most effective way to guarantee engagement from followers? Well, there’s no direct answer to this I’m afraid, but I can give you some helpful tips to help!
Introduce new products over Instagram. As you saw earlier with the #zaradaily hashtag, many brands choose to debut some or all of their products over Instagram, and for good reason! This is a particularly effective method that drives customer engagement as your followers feel that they are being given special treatment (and everyone loves to feel special!). Take the lead from fashion brand I love Stone Fox and give your followers that all important sneak peek!
Give your followers exclusive offers off your ecommerce products. Again, this makes your followers feel as though you are giving them special treatment. Plus, it will lead them directly to your online store so that they will spend their money on your products. Kaaaaching!
Interact with other Instagram users: Whether it’s your followers (you should definitely interact with them regularly) or people who use similar hashtags to your brand, interacting with other Instagram users on a regular basis is important to you creating a strong Insta-presence. So get liking and commenting, and watch your customer engagement soar!
5. Set yourself a target.
Well, actually, I’m going to set you one. Create your Instagram profile for your business and, using the information from this guide, upload four photos using relevant hashtags (or even one of your own!) and see if you can gain 20 quality followers. Happy Instagramming!
Look out for part 2: The Advanced Guide to Using Instagram for Business – Coming soon!
On Thursday 7th May, the general election will take place in the UK, and it is set to be one of the tightest results of all time.
In the midst of all this election ‘madness’, 123 Print UK conducted a survey to see how young people really see the political parties of today, and we were blown away by the response! Many young people in the UK today feel ignored by the political system, to the point where many refuse to vote as they see it as a waste of time and effort. One person stated that ‘Young people are less likely to vote, less likely to join a political party, less likely to write a letter to their MP and, as a result, we are courted less by political parties and our voices go largely ignored.’ This is also reflected in the lack of young people who are actively involved in politics, with just 24% claiming that they are a member of a political party.
In the media recently, there has been a huge hype surrounding whether or not political leaders can be trusted. An article in The Guardian recently stated that trust is a precious commodity, once it’s gone it’s gone. This is definitely reflected in the results of our survey, with 47% of young people saying that they only trust one or some political leaders, and 33% responding that they do not think that any political leaders can be trusted at all. “I believe politicians cannot be trusted because their policies are idealist and can never be fulfilled without a detrimental effect on either the economy or the people” says one participant.
Others are less empathetic:
“They will say they are going to do something and not stick to it. For instance – student tuition fees increasing”
“They are overpaid and don’t live in the regions they are elected to represent. They were all born with silver spoons in their mouths; as such they don’t understand the issues that the “common folk” have to deal with. They are primarily concerned with trying to “show up” their opponents and are less interested in actually getting the country in a better position.”
It is no secret that there are some political parties that seem to be more popular with young people than others, with a massive 80% of our survey participants claiming that they are fiercely against at least one political group. Many of our participants feel strongly against voting for controversial political party UKIP, with comments including:
“I am against UKIP because they believe that being inhumane and backwards is the way to go forward. They do not see the benefits of multiculturalism and pre on people who do not understand the EU.”
“UKIP due to their xenophobic attitudes to immigration, homophobic and sexist members, their policies and attitude towards welfare, the NHS and privatisation.”
However, there were some young people who were opposed to other parties. One participant stated that “The Conservative Party is founded on a failed ideology; the ‘trickle down’ economic experiment has been the mainstay of the British economy for the last century or so. The only result has been an expansion of the super wealthy and a larger divide between rich and poor. The initiatives that actually improve people’s lives, education, welfare, healthcare, job training and the minimum wage have all originated from social democracy when people stand up and demand fairer treatment.”
It must be a tough job, being a political leader. It would be difficult for the ordinary person on the street to understand that pressure and intensity of such a high profile position. However, many people believe that this does not give politicians the right to simply shove certain issues to the side, and ignore promises that they have made previously. What do you think about the political leaders of today? Let us know in the comments!
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you will know that using Twitter is essential for today’s modern businesses. Not only does it allow you to engage with your existing customers on a more informal basis, it is also a fantastic way to discover new customers! Twitter really is a social media shaped marketing wonder; however, incorrect use of Twitter can result in a brand alienating and even losing customers! To help stop that happening to you, here are some general do’s and don’ts to help you on the way to becoming a top tweeter!
Do…
Have a relevant profile/cover picture. This is the first thing that you should do once you have set up your company Twitter account. Accounts that do not have a profile picture and stay with the default twitter picture of an egg have a much lower chance of gaining followers and you could even run the risk of being reported as a spam account! Having a relevant profile picture (for example, your company logo or a photo of the people in your office) will look more professional to the Twitter community, increase your follower count and increase engagement with your brand. This also applies to your cover picture.
Follow relevant companies/bloggers/customers etc. Twitter is a community and it is important to get to know your neighbours! Not only will following people/companies that are relevant to your industry (such as fashion bloggers if you are an apparel based business) possibly get you a follow in return, but it will also boost your activity in the relevant social media circles.
Schedule your tweets. As a company, you want to be tweeting at least twice a day. If you are busy with other engagements throughout the day it is a good idea to use a piece of software such as Tweetdeck to schedule in your tweets for the day. You could always try and remember to do this on your own but you would be surprised how easy it is to get side-tracked and forget (and nobody wants to follow an inactive Twitter account). However, it is sometimes essential to be tweeting in real time, as the next point will explain.
Keep up to date with trending tweets. Once you are on Twitter, you will see a ‘trends’ section on the left hand side of your home page. This is basically showing you what people are tweeting about the most at that time of day. It is a good idea to try and tweet occasionally using these trending hash tags as there is a higher chance of more people seeing it. Obviously you can’t really schedule these sorts of tweets as they change as the day goes on. However, make sure that your tweet is still relevant to the hash tag (see more about this in the don’ts section!).
Respond to criticism. Social media is a wonderful tool that is used by millions of consumers to share their opinions and experiences. However, not all of these experiences are positive and it is important to deal with tweets criticising your business in a professional and timely manner. The temptation might be there to simply remove the criticising comment and use an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality. However, this will most likely only infuriate the customer further. Plus, unless you have noticed the comment within seconds of it being posted, chances are a lot of other Twitter users have already seen it, so deleting it will alienate those people as well as the comment’s author.
Remember which account you are tweeting from! Many of the most offensive and harmful tweets from company Twitters have been put there by accident, with the offending tweeters claiming that it was supposed to be from their personal account and not the company one. This is no excuse and you could seriously harm your company’s reputation if you make this mistake. Get into the habit of just double checking which account you are logged into before you tweet!
Don’t…
Use irrelevant hash tags. Back in 2009, a popular furniture store committed one of the cardinal sins of Twitter; they wrote vast amounts of tweets using trending hash tags that were irrelevant to what they were tweeting about. It was blindingly obvious what they were doing and they received a massive amount abuse from Twitter users as well as losing a lot of followers. Why did they receive abuse? Because hash tags should be used when you are tweeting about that specific subject (or you can at least link back to it). Using irrelevant hash tags just to widen your audience can result in your account being labelled as spam.
Use a trending hash tag without double checking what it is actually about. All too often, companies find themselves in the firing line of the Twitter community due to using hash tags to market their brand. You may think that this is an innocent enough act. However, in 2014, a leading pizza company used the #WhyIStayed hash tag to advertise their products without realising that the hash tag was related to domestic violence. The tweet was quickly deleted and the company apologised, but the damage was already done and the company lost a lot of followers and received abuse from angry Twitter users. Always double check a hash tag before tweeting!
Get into arguments over Twitter. As mentioned earlier in the post, you will most likely at one point or another have to deal with a less than satisfied customer on Twitter. Now, repeat after me: ‘I will never ever, even if the angry customer is throwing insults around, get involved in an argument over Twitter’. Repeat that five times. Got it? Good. By all means respond to criticism in a healthy, professional manner (we encourage this), but do not get sucked into an argument. Doing this will only serve to make your company look unprofessional and badly managed.
Tweet your personal opinions. Remember that your company Twitter account is representative of the company and not you personally. Whilst it is great if you can relate your company tweets to what people are talking about (reminding people of a nearing election, for example), it is not so great (and quite often offensive) for you to tweet your own personal opinions on the topic (your political views, for example). This is especially relevant if you have some extreme views. If you absolutely must share your views with the Twitter community, tweet from your personal account, not your business one!
If you follow these do’s and don’ts you should be able to prevent yourself making avoidable mistakes. Before tweeting always ask yourself: ‘is this the kind of tweet I would expect to see from a professional company?’ If the answer is no you should probably bin the tweet altogether!
