Instagram Direct has been available for brands for quite some time now and bloggers and brands everywhere are making sure to take advantage of the feature to increase engagement with followers and customers! However, not all brands are aware of the potential of this Instagram feature and how they can make the most out of this photo sharing opportunity.
Almost a year ago, Instagram, our beloved photo-sharing app, announced a new feature – Instagram Direct. With the new app update, Instagram users now have the option to share photos and videos with just one person or a select group of friends (up to 15 at a time), rather than to all their followers. After sending a photo, the user will be able to find out who’s seen the photo or video, see who’s liked it, and watch the recipients commenting in real time as the conversation unfolds.
How Brands Can Take Advantage of Instagram Direct:
- Contests and Special Deals – Since Instagram Direct will give brands the opportunity to reach out to their followers on a more personal level, it makes it more simple to notify a contest winner or offer a select group of followers a special deal or message. Being part of a smaller group or individual messages has the power to make their followers feel special (wouldn’t you?) and could lead to higher sales conversions for their business.
- Exclusive Content – With this new feature, brands can message customers and followers that are active on Instagram with exclusive content for them to utilize for themselves or share with their friends and family. It’s a great way to network with those who are helping you build your brand! Brands can also send bloggers and customers behind-the-scene photos of events or even a private thank-you messages. It’s a great opportunity to deepen the relationship with customers and followers – especially with new members. This will also be greatly beneficial to increase brand loyalty.
- Customer Service – If brands promote their business on social media, they already understand that a big portion of their job is to listen to customers and followers and provide answers to their inquiries. Instagram Direct gives brands the ability to reach out and communicate with followers directly and ask them how they can help make their purchases online or offline an easier transaction.
Have any of you used Instagram direct for personal or business? How do you think brands and companies can leverage from using this tool?