by Kashem Miah and Nick Burd with Doug Platts, iCrossing

ICROSSING POV:

Facebook’s recent acquisition of Instagram for $1 billion highlights the

importance of visual storytelling for marketers looking to build connected

brands with social and mobile. Text, links, and video have long been the gold

standard for awareness, visibility, and engagement. But the ubiquity of camera

phones and the enduring popularity of photo-friendly social platforms such as

Facebook and Twitter have allowed images to become some of the most engaging

and shareable content on the web. To build close relationships with their audiences, brands need visual

strategies, and Instagram is arguably the current leader in visually representing brand identities.

In this POV, we’ll highlight the key takeaways, recommend next steps for marketers looking to visually

share their brand story using Instagram, and give an update on Facebook’s acquisition of the platform and

discuss what’s next in terms of advertising opportunities on the platform.

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

WHAT IS INSTAGRAM?Instagram is a free photo sharing application that allows users to take a photo, apply a digital filter, and then share it instantly.

Sharing is enabled for a variety of social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr and Foursquare, as well

as Instagram's own network. It is also the biggest mobile social media network; the majority of its activities and community exist

solely within iOS and Android mobile apps.

The fact that Instagram is primarily a mobile platform is particularly important, given the fact that people are increasingly

accessing the Internet via a mobile device. According to a recent study by the International Telecommunication Union (ICT),

there are almost 6 billion active mobile subscriptions in the world, easily surpassing other access methods such as broadband

and dial-up. In fact, mobile usage has grown 45% annually over the last four years, ushering in what some are already calling

the Mobile Age.

As with most social networks, Instagram allows users to follow each other; they can also tag other users, use hashtags, and like

uploaded pictures that are shared within their stream from people they follow, which is now integrated with Facebook for greater

visibility and engagement.

Instagram’s popularity is mostly due to the instant shareability, but also its ability to make photos taken with a mobile device look

more professional and stylized.

The application is compatible with any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch running iOS 3.1.2 or above, and any mobile phone running

Android 2.2 or above. It is a free app on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

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OCTOBER 2013

Instagram is extremely popular, with more than 5 million photos uploaded every day and 40 million plus accounts created since

Instagram launched in October of 2010. As Instagram continues to grow, competitors such as Path and Dailybooth are hoping

to cut into the overall marketshare with their own mobile photo sharing apps.

Of course, Pinterest is also a wildly popular site that brands are embracing as part of their visual content strategies. What makes

Instagram different and also vital is its mobile experience. The Instagram ecosystem lives on mobile, which is increasingly

becoming the consumption of choice for consumers. While Pinterest has a mobile presence with apps on Android and iOS,

its desktop experience far exceeds that of the mobile apps. If brands want to target the always-on visual consumer, Instagram

currently offers the best mobile experience.

WHY YOUR BRAND SHOULD BE ON INSTAGRAM

VISUAL STORYTELLING At its core, Instagram is about taking pictures, adding cool, professional looking filters, and sharing them across the Internet. But

something else is also happening: Instagram is creating an active community of visual storytellers, unlike any other social platform.

Brands should be on Instagram to tell the stories of their products and allow fans to see their inner workings but also allow their

customers and followers to share their own brand perspective with the rest of the community. Customer personalities can be a

powerful tool for brands, and allowing them to express themselves visually can fuel advocacy and propel a brand’s image in a

positive direction.

USER GENERATED “COMMUNICATION”The amount of user-generated content a brand can create is a great metric for measuring activity and engagement of a brand

community. Instagram provides brands the unique opportunity to solicit user-generated content through an activity they’re already

performing every day: taking and sharing pictures.

Brands like Starbucks and The Today Show regularly ask users to submit pictures from their daily activities to specific events

they attend. In doing so, those brands provide great examples of crowdsourcing, where consumers share ideas with a brand for

campaigns or social activity. Connecting with users through a visual aid helps brands create a strong bond with their audience, one

that separates Instagram from other social networks, where brand publishing approaches sometimes feel like a one-way street.

SOCIAL SHARING = SEO BENEFITS Instagram has the ability to share pictures across multiple social networking sites such as Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare.

Now, due to increased consumption of visual imagery on social networks, Facebook and Twitter no longer only include links on the

wall to individual Instagram photos – they show the entire image, heightening Instagram’s visibility even more.

Another social capability that Instagram boasts is hashtag functionality. Brands can use hashtags in connection to a specific

campaign or contest. Brisk Iced Tea was one of the first brands to use hashtags for an Instagram campaign. At SXSW 2011, they

asked fans to tag their pics with #briskpic for a chance to get their faces on a Brisk Iced Tea can. Brisk received thousands of

pictures within a day. Finally, Instagram also allows you to tag friends and followers using the @ symbol, a feature most commonly

found on Twitter and Facebook.

Instagram’s social sharing capability is also a great facilitator in providing SEO benefits through amplification of the images, captions

and hashtags. As images get pushed across multiple social networks, the amplification of this content will also reach authoritative

influencers, who can then further share with their audiences to increase visibility and awareness for any brand. Doing so can drive

further links and social signals to a brand’s website, therefore building a stronger equity for the site and aid in it ranking more

competitively in search.

Granted, Instagram is popular with consumers. But why should brands be on Instagram? Here are a few reasons to join the largest

mobile social network on the planet.

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

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OCTOBER 2013

INSTAGRAM BEST PRACTICES

SHARE INTERESTING IMAGESEvery brand will need to decide on its own whether its Instagram strategy should focus on product-related images or photos

that convey the ‘brand lifestyle’. No matter what they choose, brands should keep in mind that Instagram is first and foremost a

creative platform where the unexpected and authentic are equally encouraged. Photos that only showcase products or corporate

messaging may feel out of place among photos of users’ friends Instagramming their fun weekend activities.

Brands should also remember to address relevant topics other than explicit mentions or images of their brands and products,

whenever posting on any of their social properties, including Instagram. Every post in the Starbucks feed doesn’t necessarily have

to be about coffee; and the Gucci or Marc Jacobs feeds can feature much more than shots of clothes or accessories. Why not

feature a photo of a gorgeous summer sunset? Or the adorable corgi that an employee brought into the office?

If highlighting products is indeed a priority, consider General Electric’s approach: sharing pictures of their jet engines in an artistic,

visually appealing fashion that is appropriate to Instagram’s sensibilities.

POST OFTEN AND CONSISTENTLYSimilarly to most social networks, followers will abandon a brand if updates aren’t frequent, but brands also shouldn’t clog an

audience member’s feed by sharing too many images within a short period of time. There needs to be a consistent balance.

For example, Good Morning America shares pictures during the morning hours of the show. The regularity of the posting schedule

gives followers rich content to look forward to every morning.

Getting started on Instagram is easy, but sustaining long-term engagement takes dedication. Here are a few best practices for brands

to keep in mind when engaging with a new audience on a new platform through a unique approach to social media publishing.

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

4© ICROSSING, INC., A HEARST COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

OCTOBER 2013

On the other hand, Lipton’s Brisk ice tea channel stopped sharing images on Instagram for a month and followed up with 13 in one

day, which annoyed many users. To sustain relationships with its audience, brands should create a publishing plan that establishes

reasonable expectations for consistent post timing and quality.

CREATE THEMES AND HASHTAGSConsistency is key when it comes to finding success on Instagram. Brands need to create themes to let followers know what to

expect and crave more images. Hashtags are a powerful way to keep the themes streamlined and searchable, and with Instagram’s

new Explore tab, it’s now easier than ever to search for hashtags.

Kate Spade NY does a great job of sharing images with a splash of color in them, by using the #popofcolor hashtag.

GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEDLike most social networks, in order to be successful, the network needs for a community to feel involved. And the best way

to involve the community is through user generated content. Use a themed hashtag and re-publish images back to the public

audience. Doing so lets the community know that you are looking at what they’re submitting, sharing content that aligns with the

brand goals and willing to celebrate brand advocates for their contributions.

GETTING STARTED ON INSTAGRAM+ Download the Instagram App and create your free profile.

+ Secure your brand as the username on the platform (many brands have yet to do this).

+ Develop a publishing plan, based on brand and marketing objectives, as well as an understanding of audience sensibilities, to tell your brand story in new and interesting ways.

+ Post photos of your products, events, any behind-the-scenes photos of your business or other photos, based on your publishing plan.

+ Post regularly and monitor your account.

+ Share your Instagram profile and posted photos with fans and followers on your other social sharing channels.

+ Ask for feedback, listen to your followers, but most importantly, interact with your followers.

+ Use hashtags to determine how to drive increased engagement.

+ Reward influencers - Early brand evangelists are the key to higher reach and visibility. They’ll spread the word if you continue to reward them with recognition. Even a simple “thank you” can go a long way.

+ Optimize

o Build engagement mechanisms - Users need a reason to share, like or comment on your images.

o Test different types of content - Monitor what type of images the community reacts to best (i.e., lifestyle, product-focused, behind the scenes, and so on) and adjust your strategy accordingly for higher engagement.

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

5© ICROSSING, INC., A HEARST COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

OCTOBER 2013

BRANDS EFFECTIVELY USING INSTAGRAMLifestyle publications, beverage makers, newspapers, fashion labels, and television networks are using Instagram to convey

their personalities and values through images. Since it is such a straightforward, intuitive platform, there aren’t a tremendous

amount of rules as to how brands should use it. If brands simply focus on being engaging and interesting, they will probably find

success on the platform. Below are some brands that are currently incorporating Instagram into their digital strategy ways that

feel organic and effective.

NEWSABC World News, NBC News, CNN iReport, NPR

News agencies are using Instagram to report on breaking news, show behind-the-scenes footage, and collect newsworthy

user-generated content by inviting citizen journalists to submit photos with hashtags. Some content gives users smaller bites of

information that in turn encourages them to visit CNN.com or tune into the actual network for a more in-depth analysis.

@NPR @DatelineNBC @CNNiReport

FASHIONBurberry, Gucci, Bergdorf, Red Wing, Marc Jacobs

Instagram has proven to be the perfect app for the image-obsessed world of fashion. Many fashion brands are using their Instagram

streams to showcase street style and capture the bustling energy of fashion events. Some brands, like Marc Jacobs and Red Wing,

use the platform to give visual tours of their factories and offices. By doing this, users get an idea of the work and culture that goes

into to some of their favorite products, thereby creating a deeper bond between the consumer and the product.

@gucci @redwingheritage @marcjacobsintl

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

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OCTOBER 2013

@complexmag @billboard @MTV

ENTERTAINMENTMTV, Billboard.com, Complex

Music and entertainment outlets are using Instagram to generate buzz for offline content such as magazines and award shows.

Followers can catch curated glimpses of their favorite stars, along with behind-the-scenes footage at major events sponsored by

these brands. Many entertainment brands are also, in essence, lifestyle brands, giving them the editorial freedom to publish a wide

range of content.

Complex is a good example of such a brand. Their Instagram stream features everything from hip-hop portraits to snapshots of

limited edition sneakers.

CONSUMER BRANDSPepsi, Red Bull, Starbucks

Many consumer brands are taking a cue from entertainment brands and using Instagram to more fully illustrate the lifestyle

associated with their product. For instance, the Red Bull Instagram feed focuses on living life “with wings,” an outlook that allows

them to capture a wide range of topics including from travel, extreme sports, inspirational quotes, and hipster exotica. Such

brands are finding success on Instagram by adhering to one of the most important behaviors for brands in social: they talk about

things other than themselves. By doing so, they convey what’s important to the brand, as well as move nimbly among trending

conversations without being shut out or seeming out of place.

@redbull @starbucks @pepsimax

THE CMO'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM: WHY BRANDS MUST BE VISUAL TO GAIN VISIBILITY

7© ICROSSING, INC., A HEARST COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

OCTOBER 2013

CONCLUSIONBrands need to remember that Instagram is a simple platform. They will find the most success on the platform by being straightforward

and creative and engaging with their community through ritualized content and regular conversation. Anything that complicates the

experience should be avoided at all costs.

The fact that Instagram is a wholly mobile-based platform is also significant. Facebook and other popular sites are quickly realizing

that mobile is the future of the Internet, something that Instagram recognized right off the bat. In the coming years, social platforms

will increasingly be accessed through mobile devices. It stands to reason that many social offerings will look to Instagram for

guidelines on how to do mobile right.

If Instagram’s massive popularity, low barrier to entry, and inherently social DNA didn’t yet convince brands that it is an essential

platform in the content marketing mix, its $1 billion purchase by Facebook should. This purchase shows a distinct interest in visual

content by the media giant and hints at where the web is likely to go in the future in terms of content. In addition, if the Instagram

community continues to grow on Facebook, brands can look forward to eventually having a vast collection of beautiful tagged

content on the Pages they are already investing in developing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

STAY CONNECTEDFind out more at www.icrossing.com

Call us toll-free at 866.620.3780

Follow us on twitter @icrossing and @thecontentlab

Become a fan at facebook.com/icrossing

FURTHER READING:No More Secrets: Twitter IPO filing is now public – CNBC, October 3, 2013

Instagram to Start Showing In-Feed Video and Image Ads to US Users – Techcrunch, October 3, 2013

Why Brands Like Puma and GE Are Flocking To Instagram – AdAge, January 17, 2012

Facebook Buys Instagram for $1 Billion: Mobile is the Future – Forbes, April 9, 2012

Facebook Meets Instagram: What It Means For Your Brand – Mashable, April 17, 2012

4 Ways Facebook’s Instagram Acquisition Works for Brands – Forbes, May 5, 2012

Instagram updates to 2.5 with 'visual improvements' – CNet, June 25, 2012

+ Be Authentic: Develop a strong, authentic voice for your brand. It’s the golden rule for developing a robust community.

+ Let Photos Tell the Story: Creative, relevant photos with the right filters can tell your brand story unlike any text based

status update.

+ Integrate Instagram with other Social Media Efforts: Let consumers know that Instagram is part of your full suite of social

media channels. The more visible it is, the more opportunities there for consumers to connect with your brand.

WHAT’S NEXT?On October 3, 2013, Instagram announced that it would be rolling out native advertising in its feed over the next few months. The

ads, which will take the form of "high-quality photos and videos," will be placed in the feeds of users who don’t currently follow that

brand. Instagram is emphasizing that the ad content be "beautiful, high-quality" so it doesn’t disrupt the user experience. Initially,

only select brands will be chosen to participate, but it is expected to open to more brands in the future.