Quality Instagram Content Over Vanity Metrics
If you run a business or work in marketing you've no doubt heard the news - Instagram has removed visible 'likes' in Australia, in a new trial to combat mental health issues, making the sharing of high quality Instagram content more important than ever.
What does this Instagram change mean for business?
Don't worry, it's not the game changer you may think it is. Take a step back and remember why you're marketing your business on social media. Is it so that others can see how many likes you have? No, of course it's not! It's to promote your brand, and achieve your business objectives, such as driving traffic to your website, sharing your company's culture, and selling your product and/or service.
Instagram content is still king.
When it comes to digital strategy, we always encourage our clients to focus on high quality, engaging content, over chasing vanity metrics such as cheap likes or follows.
Yes, your stats may look like they've gone down a little this month. We have seen a bit of a drop-off in engagement across the board following this platform change. But that being said, we're still seeing strong conversions across our portfolio of clients. The things that really matter, such as taps through to website, purchases on shoppable products, story views and more are as strong as they've always been.
Is removing visible ‘likes’ actually a positive for business?
It may be too early to tell, but the general consensus at Melbourne Social Co HQ is that there are some serious positives we can take from this move, particularly for small business. By removing the ability for people to see how many likes a post has achieved, smaller accounts will be able to better compete with established accounts that have built up large followings already. The focus will now shift back towards the quality of your Instagram content, and the real conversations you create with your community. Your business will now no longer have to compete with businesses who buy ‘fake’ likes for appearances sake, and you'll be able to request more transparency with the influencers you engage with, by potentially having access to their back-end analytics.
Want to chat to our team about the latest social media trends and what they mean for your business? Get in touch with our team today.
Want to learn how to master social media marketing from the comfort of your couch? Check out our social media masterclass here.
Why Content Is King
You’d have to be living under a rock, or a very full shopping bag, to not have seen the rise of the art of content marketing.
Whether it be a blog, beautiful imagery for Instagram and Pinterest, or engaging copy for your social media channels – by now you’ve no doubt heard that content is king!
But why is creating good quality content important for your business? Here are our top three reasons why content creation is a vital part of your marketing strategy.
- It gives your brand personality and sets you apart from the crowd. If you want to create a point of difference for your business in a crowded market place, developing your brand’s personality is a great place to start and the best way to do this is through content marketing. Use blog posts, images, videos and social media interaction to connect with your customers and share your passion, knowledge and skills in a way that people want to connect with.
- It aids Search Engine Optimisation. Not only does great content give businesses a way to connect with consumers online and share information about the business and it’s services, it can also be a fantastic SEO tool and can work to improve your Google ranking.
- It provides you with engaging material to share on social media. For maximum reach on social media, we recommend businesses post online at least 2-3 times per day. This may seem like a lot of work, but when it comes to social media marketing, consistency is key. You can assume that each time you post online only 20-30% of your following will see your content – so now you see why it’s important to have a presence throughout the day to ensure visibility. By consistently creating quality content for your brand, you will have plenty of engaging material to share out to your audience online, putting your brand one step closer to social media success!
Here at Melbourne Social Co, we understand that when you’re running a business, finding time to create engaging content and consistently manage your social media presence can be stressful and time consuming.
That’s where we come in.
Melbourne Social Co has a team of highly experienced content creators at our fingertips. From bloggers, to photographers and stylists – we have the right content creator to suit your business.
We will customise a content creation package to suit your business. Contact us today to find out more!