5 Ways to Make Your Business Instagram-Friendly
By Anne Leonard
Making your business Instagram-friendly is more important now than ever. One study found that ages 18–35 spend nearly five entire days annually looking at photos of food on Instagram. In addition, a large percentage of that group would detour from a restaurant completely if they weren’t active on Instagram. Whether you’re a restaurant or other small business, ensuring that you’re active on Instagram and that your space is photogenic is crucial for its success.
Here are five ways that you can make your business more Instagram-friendly:
1. Host special events.
By hosting special events at your business, this is often one of the best tactics for attracting customers via Instagram. Special events could include everything from fundraisers to parties for VIP customers. When you host special events, this also opens up more opportunities to increase sharing across other social media platforms.
2. Market limited-time products on Instagram.
Remember Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino? The cotton-candy colored beverage was only available for five days, but it went viral on Instagram because of the hashtag #unicornfrappuccino. When users see that you have limited-time products available—that are of course photogenic for Instagram—there will be more excitement built up and more interest for them to visit your business, capture this exclusive moment and flaunt their purchase.
3. Incorporate rotating exhibits within your store.
There’s no easier way to make your business more photogenic for Instagram than by making it a space for art exhibits. Cafes, hotels and even malls have had great success by opening up their businesses for artists to display their works. This is a beneficial strategy because you’re giving artists exposure while also adding a fresh component to your business. Plus, what’s more Instagrammable than a fun backdrop?
4. Don’t forget about the lighting.
To take a great photograph, one needs the perfect lighting. Not only does lighting contribute to an aesthetically pleasing photo, but it also sets the tone for the atmosphere you’re hoping to convey to your customer.
5. Continue to prioritize customer experience.
At the end of the day, your business will be remembered through your customers’ overall experiences. While each of these aforementioned strategies can certainly increase your exposure across Instagram, providing excellent service seals the deal.
