Instagram: Content Marketing for the younger generation

It’s no secret, young professionals are a booming new demographic of social media users. Attracting this subsection of the population can give an edge to your business and bridge the generational communication gap. This starts with the use and understanding of their mass media platforms.

Instagram is one of the most popular millennial social sites out there. It’s a cross between Facebook and Twitter, but it’s more streamlined with easier to consume content.

The key to using Instagram is having the ability to be clever and concise in the promotion of your message. Each caption should contain only the necessary explanation for the photo it accompanies. It should also be engaging enough that it is liked, revisited, or leads to a search of your business’s other social media platforms.

Instagram is a site that is more personal than Facebook or LinkedIn. This is a platform that you can use to showcase your personal achievements as well as your business ones. Diversified content keeps followers interested. People are naturally curious, and the more they know about a person, the more likely they are to trust their business.

Aesthetics on Instagram are everything. This might seem shallow, but content that is produced artfully or with a common theme is appreciated by the average Instagram user, and contributes to memorability of your page.

Link your website and add a location. These are features offered by Instagram that allow followers to easily find out more information about the services your business offers.

Use hashtags. If someone is searching for specific content, the use of keywords in hashtags will help them find it quickly and efficiently.

Having a social presence is important, but having one that reaches all ages and all different types of potential consumers is integral to any business trying to market itself.

Maybe by the end of my internship I can even convince Jim to add an Instagram account for his business

Regan O’Hara is a senior communication major at Queens University of Charlotte. She runs cross country and track for the university, and enjoys roller blading in her spare time.