Now that marketers have learned Instagram is a potent force in social media — it beat Facebook, Twitter and the now-defunct Google+. (Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion in 2012.)

You might want to learn how to capitalize on it for revenue, too.

If you have a business that would benefit from visuals in marketing — pictures and video-sharing opportunities —  Instagram is probably a good tool to use as a center of influence.

Many restaurants have been using it for great success in marketing.

Instagram is much preferable to Groupon and other daily deal sites.

Telling your story

It’s one thing to talk about the high points of your products.

But it’s better to show your offerings.

Instagram’s definitely an opportunity for growth.

Instagram is beneficial in five ways:

1. It’s easy to post pictures. For further enhancement, like Twitter, you can use hashtags.

2. You can use Instagram to connect with centers of influence privately. This is possible with its direct messaging feature.

3. You can give added value. You can enhance your social-media following if you share ideas. For example, you can share how to use the social medium. 

Plus, so far, fans on Instagram are loyal and act as you request when they’re asked to do so.

4. It enhances visually appealing businesses. You can optimize interest in your business with stylish pictures.

5. You can leverage Instagram in a variety of ways for transactions. For example, you can provide discounts or coupons to users if they share information about you.

You can also launch polls or contests using a hashtag. Again, that’s for transactions via Instagram.

From the Coach’s Corner, related content: 

UCLA Psychologists Tell What Triggers People to Share on Social Media — Buzz. Marketers, senior managers, business owners, and consultants crave it for revenue. Career-minded individuals engaged in self-promotion also want it. Another term for buzz is the “salesperson effect.” For the first time, we learn how ideas are spread, what messages go viral on social media, and how to predict it.

Energize Your Customer-Loyalty Program with 6 Steps — The quickest way for established businesses to optimize revenue is to have a stellar customer-loyalty program — there are six steps you can take for repeat sales and referrals. If you’re not a great steward of your current book of business, it’s futile to look for new customers. 

Make Your Blogging, Social Media and PR Work to Attract Fans — Businesspeople have discovered social media is a work in progress. It takes huge amounts of time, not only to implement innovations, but to succeed.        

“You are what you share.” 
-Charles Leadbeater

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Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.