Instagram had 10,000 downloads within hours of its 2010 launch, and it just kept growing from there.
Although it was originally created as an easy way for people to share personal visual snippets of their lives, it was soon targeted by marketers that wanted a piece of the popularity.
They’re certainly getting it, with this tool distributing visual content to an enormous audience within seconds. More than 60 million Americans use the free smartphone app, which comes complete with photo editing options such as frames, filters and photo effects.
Pros
Facebook paid $1 billion for Instagram back in 2012, making it easy to combine Facebook and Instagram marketing.
If your business has a Facebook page, you can incorporate the InstaTab feature, which lets visitors to your Facebook page view and interact with your Instagram content. The 60 million American users constitute a huge audience on their own, but the audience is even bigger on a global scale.
The app boasts more than 300 million active monthly users across the world. The bulk of those users are in the coveted 18-to-29 year-old demographic. The laid-back vibe and interactive nature of the app is another bonus.
Companies can engage with audiences in a more casual and humorous way than other channels allow. Engagement is encouraged with options for viewers to like, share or comment on your posted content.
Cons
The app was built for and remains an app most easily used on a smartphone, a drawback for folks used to managing and posting content from a computer.
The tool also lacks any built-in analytics, which means you won’t be privy to any campaign distribution statistics unless you’re willing to download a potentially cumbersome third-party solution for help.
You’ll also have a tough time getting Instagram viewers onto your website, or any other online location, as the app lacks any clickable links.
Although the overall Instagram audience may be huge, targeting your desired audience segment can be difficult. Hashtags can help, but they can also be tricky to predict, plunging you into a lengthy trial-and-error process.
You’ll also spend a lot of time moderating comments if your posts end up targeted for criticism and spam.