7 Creative Ways Brands Use Instagram for B2B Marketing

It’s inevitable that most social media platforms ultimately become a great place for B2B marketing. So, if you thought Instagram was just about influencers sharing photos and collecting likes, then it’s time for a refresh. Instagram has now become incredibly popular among B2B companies, especially within B2B marketing, for the simple reason that so many people check their Instagram feed daily. So, if you’re a B2B company not using Instagram, now is the time to get familiar with it.

Instagram has over a billion users. Of those billion Instagram users, you can assume that a huge chunk of them own small businesses, work in businesses, or might be freelance graphic designers. So, the argument that a B2B marketer’s audience isn’t on Instagram just doesn’t stack up. Here are 7 ways you can get creative and use Instagram for B2B marketing.

1. Become a Master of Hashtags

If you’ve used social media or done any form of digital marketing, you probably know what hashtags are. They’re a way to categorise your Instagram posts and get them showing up on relevant searches. Of course, this will also increase your Instagram presence, so you’ll need to take the time to learn about hashtags and make sure you use the right amount of hashtags. You can use as many as you like on a single post; we recommend now more than 11 – 15 per posts and make sure they’re relevant to your business.

You may also want to find out what’s trending on Instagram each day and find a way to create posts that showcase your business while also being relevant to that hashtag. You can track trending hashtags or get analytics on your own hashtags from various online tools and platforms such as Hubspot, Hootsuite or Buffer. 

Also, consider a specific branded hashtag that you use on all posts. This identifies B2B businesses but also encourages others to use it when sharing content.

2. Get Creative with Your Bio

The Instagram profile bio is important, especially in B2B marketing. Business customers are more likely to check your bio because it’s the only place on Instagram to put a website link. So, take the opportunity to use your branded hashtag, a fun tagline, and some brief info about what your business stands for.

3. Share Your Company Culture

Businesses love connecting with other businesses that have a great culture. Instagram marketing is a great way to show the fun side of your business, whether it be regular fun snaps of your team or even posts about your office space. Of course, you can use platforms like LinkedIn for your more serious type of content but take the chance to show your brand’s human side on Instagram.

4. User-Generated Content on Social Media

If you get active with Instagram marketing, you might find that other users share content about your business. For example, it might be a picture of your products or venue, and you can leverage this by re-sharing. You can also comment on those posts and build B2B brand loyalty by connecting with potential customers through their own content. This is also a great way for your brand to get testimonials and social proof direct from your customers. This is another reason branded hashtags are so crucial on social media. If sharing user content, though, make sure you always ask permission.

5. Share Events and Company Activities

If your company attends events like trade shows, conferences, seminars, make sure you let the world know. Instagram is a great place to share high-quality photos of B2B companies’ experiences, especially if it shows a connection with customers or other B2B brands. Again, this is a chance to show a more human side and increase brand awareness.

6. Showcase your Brand on Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are only visible for 24 hours, but they let you add some flair to your visual content marketing. You can use GIFs, stickers, filters, video content and more to highlight certain posts. Try using highlights, questions or polls to engage your audience, and you’ll also probably find some valuable information in the process. Stories are another way to show the fun side of your business profile and make more genuine connections with customers.

7. Consider Paid Campaigns

Finally, you might want to consider paid Instagram campaigns. Of course, like other social media marketing, this works best when you also have a lot of interesting organic content to go with it. However, the paid advertising helps grow your audience for your Mailchimp marketing strategy or showcase certain events and launch new products or offers. Again, like most social media advertising, it’s a great chance to reach a target audience by location or industry.