While television, radio and print have been the traditional methods of public relations outreach, social media platforms like Instagram provide a unique way to secure client coverage.
It has been reported that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual and visuals are processed “60,000 times faster in the brain than text.” Visuals drive engagement and Instagram provides an easy way to take advantage of that.
Instagram is one of the fastest growing and most popular social media outlets with over 80 million photos and videos posted each day and 400 million monthly active users. Engagement is 15 times Facebook’s and the most popular users have between 5,000 to 50,000 followers, a reach higher than some newspapers and bloggers.
Instagram recently announced a large increase in advertisements that has some marketers fearful that it will oversaturate the audience with a poor user experience. Similarly, Venture Beat reported more than 50% of Instagram’s users “hate the increase.”
This is why pitching users can provide a powerful impact. Users can showcase a brand’s value in a unique and trustworthy way.
Invite users to events, client functions, on a tour or for a quick meal and encourage them to snap selfies and photos throughout the day.
When pitching Instagramers, outreach needs to be extremely targeted. A user with 15,000 followers might not be interested in a free meal or attending your event. Do your due diligence and ensure they are open to promotional activities. Scan a user’s profile and see if they add the location or tag businesses in their photos. These small signs might indicate the user is open to sharing a story.
On the other side of the spectrum, a user might not be familiar with PR process. Be open about what the opportunity entails and, if it interests them, the result will be worth the time.
The “Instagram Pitch” is the newfound blogger relations, but it can also apply to both bloggers and reporters. No matter who shares the photo, the brand becomes real and consumers will notice. Photos and videos connect the world to your brand, create personality, authenticity and visual proof.
As advertising on Instagram becomes the “new normal” and Instagram continues to grow in its hopes to become the next “go-to social media platform,” why not be at the forefront and pitch your brand today.
Do you have any tips for unique pitching? Let us know!
Follow us on Instagram to see snapshots of our world – @thecastlegrp!
