How to Market on Instagram
Written by Alexa Frank - Marketing Intern
You may have heard of it, or maybe you’ve seen the pictures. Instagram is the latest trend in photo applications. Recently, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 Billion and it has now become the fastest growing social media trend hosting over 40 million users. Impressive right? So, what’s all the buzz about?
It’s an easy way to feel like you’re creating something artful and meaningful. Instagram is a free photo sharing program that allows users to take a photo, apply a digital filter, and share it on a variety of social networking services including on Instagram. Instagram’s built in community enables users to leave “likes” and comments giving off the sense of appreciation. Who doesn’t admire a beautiful picture or a good laugh? People like to visualize things. They want to see what you’re doing or where you’ve been. Instagram allows just that. Previous social networking sites, like Facebook, have made photos a huge part of our life; Instagram is just taking the next step. Below are some pictures you might come across using the hashtag #Chicago.
So how can this help you market? Instagram can help to highlight new uses for your products. It enables product owners to take creative pictures using different products and show their friends. This increases awareness and engages prospects and leads… or potential buyers. Another way companies can use Instagram is by challenging its followers to a contest. This could entail taking photos with your favorite product or a unique way to use a product. The possibilities are endless. Then, encourage the participants to add a certain hash tag that you provide to allow your product to ‘trend’, and encourage people to vote on their favorite photos. You could even provide a prize incentive to participate.
What the Heck is DNT?
Written by Chris Czachor - Account Executive
Last month, my colleague Julie Determann, wrote about online behavioral targeting and how websites and advertisers are leveraging the information gathered online and "following" you around with banner ads and reminders about that shirt or pair of shoes you left in a shopping cart and didn't buy. This type of targeted advertising is playing a big part of a larger movement that is steadily gaining steam and it is simply called "Do Not Track."
So, what the heck is Do Not Track (DNT) anyway? Do Not Track is a technology standard intended to allow individual web users to decide whether or not they consent to having their online activities monitored, mostly for the purpose of being served targeted advertising. Now, to some web users, this sounds amazing, right? No longer will third-party advertisers and "big brother" be allowed to follow them around the web, right? Well, not really and before you jump on the Do Not Track bandwagon take a second to think through what it actually will mean.
What Would Don Draper Do?
Written by Kim Chapman - Account Executive
Stop It Facebook!
Written by Account Supervisor - Janelle Schenher
I am just like everyone else…I check Facebook a few times a day to get the latest. I tend to be more of an “inactive” Facebook user. I want to see and read what’s going on, but I don’t necessarily “like” or “comment” on anything.
I have two particular Facebook fan pages that I love to read everyday—Anne Rice and George Takei. But a couple of months ago it dawned on me that I hadn’t seen their postings in my new feed. I know they regularly post 1 – 2 times a day, but I didn’t know what was happening.
So what did I do? Googled it…
A Day In The Life...
As told by TWO's summer intern - Sean Enright
Before beginning my internship with The Weinstein Organization, I never looked at a website or an email campaign and thought about it in any other way than myself as a consumer. Since starting in May, when I click to a website or read my emails, I look at these marketing tools in a completely different context.
When dealing with our client, Weight Watchers, I have to get out of the mindset of being a 22 year old male. I have to think and look at what we are doing as someone completely different. I never thought I would be spending days at the office in the mindset of a man or woman, who is trying to lose weight, and 30 years or older looking to change their life.
Each day I look at what we are doing for Weight Watchers and try to put myself into the shoes of these people. When they open an email or go to a website, what do they want to see that will make them want to keep reading or keep clicking through? We want to push people to join and we have to do that by putting material on our websites and emails that is informative and exciting.
To get ideas of how to do this I am beginning to look at what other websites and email campaigns do for their target audiences. When I get an email from Sports Authority with their summer deals, I look at it to see how they convey their information and make their material look exciting. That helps me get ideas to use for when we do our next Weight Watchers website or email.
This is something that was so surprising to me when I started. When I get these emails or view a website, I am now looking for ideas to use for our clients or try to critique what another company is currently doing with their material.
It has only been a little over a month with The Weinstein Organization and I already look at websites and email campaigns in a new light, as marketing tools. I guess that means I am officially a marketer.