Are you looking for ways to increase your social media impact? Instagram might just be the answer, especially for brands that target Millennials. As a Millennial myself, I can tell you that Instagram is my favorite social platform for a few reasons. First, all of my friends have one and we use it to keep up with each other’s lives (and we tag each other in hilarious posts by notorious Instagrammers). Second, I can follow brands and companies that I love to stay up-to-date with their latest products or see what they’ve been up to in general. Last, their ads actually don’t bother me because they look exactly like all the other aesthetically appealing photos in my feed — to me, they’re completely unobtrusive and actually targeted pretty well (I usually get ads for clothing lines or stores I’d really want to go to).

Most demographic studies show that Instagrammers tend to be between 18 and 34, with many users falling into the category of young, urban women (yep, that’s all me). However, as the popularity of this platform continues to increase and foster high rates of engagement, Instagram will soon become an effective platform for reaching even more diverse demographics.

Below are four ways that this social media channel can help your company make a big impact and build stronger relationships with consumers.

1. Your customers are using Instagram to research and connect with your brand.

Putting your brand on Instagram helps you connect with people who are looking for your company or the products/services that you offer. In fact, 70% of Instagram users have already looked up a brand on Instagram, and 37% follow between 1 and 5 brand accounts.

Not only are consumers using this popular social media channel to find new brands, but they are also finding ways to connect with their favorite brands on Instagram. I follow my favorite clothing stores, magazines and restaurants because I’m genuinely interested in the photos they post and the updates that the captions provide. This gives companies an important opportunity to increase their exposure and connect with their brand advocates. Which brings us to the next important point…

2. Instagram users are more likely to engage with brands.

The most effective way to make a significant social media impact is through engagement. Research reveals that Instagrammers are more likely to engage with brands on this channel than any other. A 2014 Forrester Research Report showed that on average, brands on Instagram have a 4.21% engagement rate, as compared to .07% on Facebook and .03% on Twitter. Personally, I feel more comfortable liking and tagging people in Instagram posts than I do on any other social media network.

This shows just how powerful of a platform Instagram can be for brands that want to increase customer engagement. The more you engage with your audience and give them something great to quickly like or tag their friends in, the easier it will be to build long-lasting customer relationships. I have visited multiple websites after seeing posts from brands that I connect with — it’s all just part of the Instagram experience.

3. Instagram helps you build a brand image.

Marketing on Instagram is less about showcasing the products that you sell and more about providing content that helps you establish what your brand is all about. Given the visual nature of Instagram, this social media platform is perfect for establishing and developing a brand image that is attached to a lifestyle that your target customers identify with. 

Instagram is a great place to build your brand image through powerful visual content. In fact, owners of StingHD, a company that sells luxury bracelets, have found that associating their product with a luxurious lifestyle has helped them boost sales. Co-owner Chase Zimmerman reports that over 90% of their online sales have stemmed from their Instagram account.

4. Fewer brands are on Instagram than other social media channels.

Forrester researchers have suggested that engagement rates may be higher on Instagram due to the simple fact that fewer brands are on this platform. This means that customer attention is not pulled in so many directions, as it is on Facebook and Twitter. The lack of saturation presents an inviting opportunity for brands big and small that want to reach customers who are ready to engage. 

However, things are not likely to stay this way. With the popularity of Instagram on the rise, many companies are increasing their Instagram activity. In fact, 42% of marketers plan to increase their use of the social media platform this year. Brands that want to stay ahead of the competition need to start building their following on Instagram sooner rather than later, as well as learning best practices so they can use the network in an authentic way (which is what everyone loves about branded Instagram accounts).

Is your brand ready to give it a try?

In order to remain competitive in the online marketplace, companies need to try harder to make an impact with their social media presence. Engaging with your target market through visual content that helps users better understand your brand is a great way to accomplish this. As an avid Instagrammer, I can tell you that this really does work. I’ve followed brands that I didn’t know about at all because I connected with the visuals and captions they posted. Overall, Instagram offers brands a great platform for visual content that helps increase their exposure and engagement with their target audience.