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Estudios de internet

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Estudio de redes sociales.

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iRedes.es | Congreso Iberoamericano sobre redes sociales · Burgos, España

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Para revisar la disponibilidad de nombres en redes sociales.

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namecheckr.com - Social and Domain Name Availability Search For Brand Professionals

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"In an effort to cut through the noise that will come with Instagram's new advertising push, brands need to adopt a more strategic approach to their investment in social media. Marketers must delve deeper into their social audiences to further enrich audience profiles, improve messaging and targeting strategies and finally, boost the relevancy and performance of their campaigns." - Javier Burón, SocialBro CEO and Co-founder

"There's no explanation on how to use Instagram for promoting a business." Amy Geans, Founder of Event Solutions Intl.

Instagram is impressive. It boasts the highest engagement of any social network (4.21 percent engagement per post compared to .07 percent for Facebook), and it is the fastest growing (larger) social network. Images get attention, and Instagram has found the secret formula to effectively present visual content to a social audience.

Despite all the unique features of Instagram, businesses still have questions about what to make of it. Paid options for Instagram don't (yet) exist for everyone, and the leap of faith for small- to medium-sized businesses to commit resources to a visual social network like Insta without the ad targeting features of Facebook is (as Geans describes) pretty huge.

In this post, I want to share 10 Instagram tips from the experts. These are people who are effectively using Instagram to communicate with and to engage their audience. I didn't just ask everyone I spoke with to give me tips about Instagram; I asked them to give me their best tips about Instagram. Hopefully their insight will give you some ideas about how you can improve your Instagram presence.
Want more expert Instagram advice? Click here to register for our free "Build Your Brand With Instagram" webinar!
1. Optimize your hashtags

Possibly the most well-known and important secret about gaining distribution and exposure on Instagram is to use hashtags liberally. Instagram hashtags are rivaled only by Twitter in their capability to categorize and classify social posts, and to aid discovery.

Beth McShane, Executive Director of the non-profit Northwest Autism Foundation says that hashtags can be a far more effective tool for reach on Instagram than only posting to your organic audience. She also says that researching hashtags is key to finding your most effective reach:

"Hashtags rule! On Instagram more than Facebook or Twitter. I've received more followers through best hashtag practices than from any photo. Be sure to do a trial run and see how many followers a particular hashtag has before you decide which hashtags are the best fit."

Branding expert Emmelie De La Cruz says that hashtag research is critical to reach your desired audience on Instagram:

"With the new Instagram update, one thing that I do to increase exposure for the accounts I manage is use the Explore page to inform me of what hashtags are popular and that I should be using. I will either create content around those tags or tag already existing photos with any hashtags that may be relevant."

Marketer Charmian Solter says that the Instagram's convention allowing 30 hashtags per post allows brands to add more searchable context to content:

"One of the best ways to promote your business or online persona on Instagram is through use of hashtags posted under the images. I have never seen more hashtags used at one time than on Instagram. These tags will categorize your image and bring it up in more Instagram searches, thus increasing your business exposure."

PR expert Ancita Satija says that too many hashtags often obfuscate the context of a post:

"What I have observed is the use of way too many hash tags people use and not sure how so many hash tags help."

Social Media Examiner contributor Eric Sornoso agrees with Satija, recommending that brands apply no more than five hashtags to any Instagram post.

Writer Nikhil Devgan Beebom says that adding hashtags to your comments contextualizes your post for search the same as if you added hashtags to the post:

"Instagram does not allow us to edit what we have written in our posts like Facebook does.... what you can do is that you can post those required hashtags in a comment below your post. They'll work in the same way as your hashtag in the description works."

If you're going to be an Instagram power user - you need to harness the power of the hashtag, especially with Instagram continuing to improve its search features.

2. Customize your bio

Everyone knows the benefit of creating a memorable bio, but when it comes to Instagram some bios seem more extraordinary than others.

Writer Aaron Lee writes that creating a bio in Word is a helpful trick to add unique formatting to your Instagram profile:

"Write your bio in a separate Word doc then copy & paste it onto your Instagram account."

3. Match the message to the medium

Like any community, Instagram has its own unique rules and culture. A heavily hash-tagged photo may be appropriate for Instagram but look out of place on Facebook or Twitter.

Charmian Solter says that segmenting your digital audience across platforms can help you to cater your content:

"Segmentation, knowing where your targeted audience lives in the digital space will help you decide what is the best social media platform on which to focus your online presence."

Marketing expert Randy Bowden says that repurposed "bumper" advertisements as well as other produced videos are a low-cost way for brands to use Instagram video:

"When using Instagram make the message fit the platform. It is easy to repurpose a 15 second bumper advertisement but a specific produced and edited piece will grab attention in one's stream. Look for creative that gives a personal feel."

Want even more Instagram tips and best practices? Click here to get your free Instagram tip sheet now!

4. Theme

Social media expert Hannah Clark writes that many high-interest Instagram profiles have an overarching theme or point of view that makes them compelling:

"Many successful Instagram accounts have a certain theme that carries throughout each of their photos. Ask yourself, just what is my thing? This could mean you are completely location based, like NYC-based [email protected]_gao. Or maybe you are a small restaurant that wants to highlight its delicious menu-if that's the case, find inspiration from @tattebakery."

5. Take better pictures

Instagram is an image-based social platform, meaning that content is high-interest by design. Social Media Marketing Consultant Dorien Morin-van Dam says that if you're using a mobile device to take an Instagram photo, you should only use the best of the two cameras:

"Stop using the front-facing camera (the one people use for selfies). The rear-facing camera is much better; it takes pictures at a much higher resolution. If you want to make your pictures stand out, get someone else to take your picture and ditch the selfie, or try 'shooting blind' with the rear-facing camera."

Learning a few basic photographic techniques can help to give novice photographers a leg up on Instagram. And if your photographer is a pro, all you have to do is worry about the hashtags.....

6. Focus on the entire post, not just the image

Hannah Clark says that captions shouldn't be overlooked when posting to Instagram. The image may be the star, the hashtags may offer context, but the caption helps to tell a specific story:

"Captions are an incredibly important element of your photo. Telling a story with your captions gives your followers a little bit of insight into you as an expert, and the context of the photo."

7. Don't just use the mobile app

Just because Instagram started as a mobile app doesn't mean that you have to process your images or even create posts from the app anymore. For instance I like to use Retrica filters on my photos and then send them to Instagram.

Marketer Fiona Stoop says that she processes her Instagram images using Squarer:

"The app I use most for Instagram is Squarer. My picture fits perfectly in the insta frame. It has awesome lay-outs and is simple to use."

Instagram also has two organic apps: Hyperlapse and Layout. Hyperlapse shoots time-lapse videos from your phone, and Layout helps to combine multiple photos into one post.

Writer Karen Tumbokon writes that app gifshare will help you to post popular gif files to your Instagram page. She also writes that her preferred photo-editing apps for Instagram have no affiliation with Insta:

"While Instagram offers a good selection of filters, there are plenty of photo-editing apps like VSCOcam, Snapseed, and Adobe Photoshop Express that will really make your photos stand out and take them to the next level. Within those apps you can find the best filter that works for you, so you can really make your photos pop."

Popular blogger Jeff Bullas writes that he uses AfterLight to process his Instagram photos.

Writer Tereza Litsa writes that managing Instagram from your desktop can offer some advantages over the mobile app:

" It is very convenient to check Instagram's web version when you have to reply to a comment or check your images at a bigger screen. We all use our smartphones constantly, but it feels better typing from our laptops, right?"

8. Embed your Instagram posts

Your Instagram posts are portable to your other digital properties using the Instagram embed code feature. Like this:

9. Keep your profile consistent by using shortlinks

Marketing manager Maebellyne Ventura recommends maintaining a consistent profile by managing redirects with a link shortener. She says that this allows marketers to change campaigns frictionlessly to their digital audience:

"If you're promoting a new blog post or landing page, direct your followers to a live link on your profile. You can use a service like bit.ly or tiny.cc to create a custom short link, for example: cisi.on/instagram. But instead of changing the link on your profile each time you have new content to share, simply log on to your chosen service and edit the underlying URL the short link points to."

10. Build community

Since Instagram is a social network and not a one-to-many publishing platform, the final tip has to do with bringing the social aspect of Insta full-circle. Beth McShane says that community building on Instagram is a matter of paying attention and interacting with people on the platform:

"Create a true community on Instagram by following those who regularly like your content, and comment on those photos that you appreciate."

CMO Keri Jaehnig says that interacting on Instagram is a key aspect of success for brands:

"Post and re-post images that show your product or service in use. And use hashtags to be visible in conversation where your optimal follower will be. Be sure to comment on photos using hashtags that are appropriate for your brand, and these three things will lead to Instagram success."

Conclusion

Instagram is a high-engagement, growth platform that for many businesses remains an enigma. For communications professionals, an image-based communications platform may be a bit foreign to your PR training. For businesses, Instagram may be just enigmatic enough to dismiss. Hopefully these tips help to curb your Instagram anxiety. Also this:
Want to join Jenn's webinar? Click here to register for free!

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"In an effort to cut through the noise that will come with Instagram's new advertising push, brands need to adopt a more strategic approach to their investment in social media. Marketers must delve deeper into their social audiences to further enrich audience profiles, improve messaging and targeting strategies and finally, boost the relevancy and performance of their campaigns."

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7 mejores prácticas para la audiencia en Instagram

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7 mejores prácticas para la audiencia en Instagram

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There's a lot to learn from each social media channel-especially if you want your business to stay relevant. As you build your brand, knowing the ins and outs of a platform like Instagram will truly decide whether or not your social media strategy succeeds.

By following Instagram best practices, you're able to use the platform as a marketing tool and not just a social site. While we've written about Instagram numerous times, it's still critical to understand the importance of social media engagement.

Why You Need to Follow Instagram Best Practices

Your Instagram best practices shouldn't only include uploading photos and videos. In the same sense, you wouldn't go into a marketing strategy blindly without a sales and brand awareness plan. The truth is Instagram can have monumental effects on your engagement and marketing strategies.

For example, Tito's Handmade Vodka increased its Instagram engagement by 37% through a single quarter. The company also grew its followers by 14.8% by focusing on using Instagram as an engagement tool.

For some reason, social media still tends to take a back seat as a viable advertising channel. Businesses have to understand the benefits of using a platform like Instagram. Planning your Instagram strategy in advance is crucial to success and seeing real results with your followers.

What Makes You Unique on Instagram?

Hopefully you're getting excited, or at least have some interest in how to use Instagram to better your business. But before we get into our Instagram best practices, you need figure out what makes your business and your audience unique.

Understanding your audience and brand are essential to promoting, advertising and even engaging on Instagram. Again, you can't walk into your strategy blindly, so first try to ask questions that define you and your audience. These questions can include:

What does our audience like most about our brand?

Who are we trying to ultimately reach?

Are our competitors successful on Instagram?

What marketing strategies have worked in the past?

What do customers expect with our brand? Is that good enough?

Once you've answered these questions, you should be ready to tackle these Instagram best practices:

1. Turn Your Visuals Into Eye Candy

Instagram is all about great visuals and content. Scroll through some popular feeds with thousands of likes and views, and you'll quickly understand why these brands drive engagement.

Great images and videos engage. Think about it like a billboard campaign. You wouldn't choose an ugly or mundane billboard to catch drivers' eyes on the highway. The same can be said about your Instagram. With more than 400 million users, people are constantly exploring all corners of Instagram, so why not present your brand in the most beautiful way possible?

Shopify released an infographic on the importance of color in marketing, and the research showed 93% of buyers cited "visual appearance" as the main reason for their purchasing decisions. To add to it, nearly 85% of buyers said color was the main reason for purchasing a specific product.

Original Penguin is all about color on Instagram as many products match the clothing colors. Between the six images above, Penguin received roughly an average of 787 likes per post with its vibrant visuals. Simply put, it pays to have color in your Instagram photos. Have your design team edit each photo or video before posting. If you don't have that luxury, try using photo editing tools like:

30 Million Active Users * 10 Filters * 19 Adjustment Tools

Afterlight
74 Filters * 15 Adjustment Tools * 78 Textures * 128 Frames

+1 Million of Images * Thousands of Fonts, Icons and Photo Editing Features

Your Instagram content should stand out in a user's feed, so don't skip on visual aesthetics.

2. Be Current With Instagram Trends & Changes

Instagram is constantly changing and you have to be right there when new trends, features or updates hit the public. In 2016, Instagram has already launched numerous changes and the year isn't over yet.

So far the major Instagram updates include:

Explore Feature on Desktop

Create New Account on Desktop

Video Views

60-Second Videos and Videos Ads

Switch Between Multiple Instagram Accounts

New Time Stamp

Two-Step Authentication Added

New Logo

Instagram Algorithm Announced

Tracking Instagram trends helps you plan for the future as you build out your marketing strategy. Being able to collect data on post times, engagement rates and how users are connecting to you is essential to know.

Following trends keeps you above the competition and shows your audience your ability to adapt to change. Your data-driven decisions should be backed by knowledge of trends within the industry and on Instagram as well.

3. Post Content Your Audience Wants

If you answered the questions at the beginning of the article, you should have a decent idea of what your audience wants from you. Your Instagram best practices need to be a balance between promotional and inspiring.

Data from Forrester showed Instagram with the highest engagement rates between customers and brands among all major social media channels. With so much potential to connect your audience, Instagram engagement is a must.

Get Your Audience to Participate

Instagram isn't a one-way street for marketing. Instead, you have to rely on audience engagement and interaction to strengthen your relationship. Here's how you get your audience to participate:

Hold contests: Contests drive engagement, help you gain new followers and keep people coming back. Remember to make Instagram contests unique. Ask people to repost images or use branded hashtags.

Post user-generated content: People love to be acknowledged and what better way than posting someone's content on your network? Regramming could spark more people to participate.

Ask questions: What's the best way to get a response? Ask a question and get users' opinions about your products or services. Always remember to engage with the answers.

Post from unique locations: Users tend to interact when they see others in their city. Post from these different locations to pique people's interest. When consumers see you visiting their city or dining at their restaurant, engagement is more likely.

Always try to be authentic with your Instagram posts and avoid being too robotic. Humanize your content to get users to interact and follow you.

4. Post Regularly & During Optimal Times

Like we've mentioned many times before, it's always quality over quantity. It's smart to try to post often and during optimal times.

In fact, we recently analyzed the data from our 20,000-plus customers to find out when their Instagrams received the most engagement. We even broke it down per industry, which you can see further in detail in our research!

Here's what we found about the best times to post on Instagram:

Wednesday at 3 p.m., Thursday at 5 a.m., 11 a.m., and 3 to 4 p.m. and Friday at 5 a.m. have the highest engagement.

The lowest engagement tends to fall on Sundays.

Early weekday mornings are prime engagement times.

Also, quality content keeps your audience coming back. According to research from Union Metrics, data showed on average most brands post 1.5 times a day on Instagram. However, the research stated no direct parallel between post frequency and dipping engagement rates.

It's smart to take this data with a grain of salt, but posting two, three or four times a day could be a viable option. Find out what works best for you and your other social networks by using a social media calendar.

5. Tell Great Stories

Instagram gives you the unique chance to tell great stories through visual content. Instagram videos are highly effective at telling your brand's story within 60 seconds. Storytelling is an amazing way to market your brand and create engaging images or videos.

Get creative when it comes to standard marketing techniques by showcasing your brand or services in a new light. This isn't to say you need to completely rebrand yourself but instead, try to show your brand's versatility.

For example, Urban Outfitters shows users updates for its #UORoadTrip hashtag, which tells a story of the brand. You can become a great storyteller by giving new and exciting vantage points to your product.

Being authentic on Instagram is what users crave, so use this channel to engage and inspire your audience through attractive and interesting visuals.

6. Get Discovered

Sitting around, waiting for users to follow you might not get you too far. On the other hand, when you find different avenues to promote your Instagram, you increase the chance to get discovered.

How to Get Discovered

Instagram's explore features: One of the most popular features on Instagram is Explore. This helps people find users or posts their own followers liked, followed or commented on. This opens a floodgate of content and you should try to get there by being where your future audience expects you.

Tag People Involved: If there's anyone participating in your campaign, make sure to tag them in your posts. Additionally, if you use USG content, give the person an appropriate shoutout. Using @mentions can actually double your engagement. This sparks a chain of events for friends of friends to notice your content.

Use Hashtags Often: Instagram hashtags are your best friend. Hashtags help you get discovered, archive content and participate with other trending topics. Branded hashtags can do wonders for your marketing strategy.

Use Geo Locations: Instagram users use geo locations to find content tagged at that specific location. Always use your geo-tag features from wherever you're posting to boost your audience's size. For example, if you were debating on where to eat and wanted to see authentic images of the food and decor, search a restaurant's geo tag. Here you can see the arrange of posts and videos for the restaurant Sink/Swim.

7. Don't Dismiss Instagram Analytics

Identifying where you are among the crowd can have serious payoffs for your social media strategy. At Sprout Social, we live and breathe analytics and think your business should too. By using our Instagram analytics tools, you have the ability to:

Track post performance

Monitor Instagram trends

Track comments and hashtag usage

Measure audience engagement

Identify influencers

Report across multiple profiles

Analytics can tell you what's working and what needs improvement. Overtime, you can built a large scope of data to track and measure performance. It's critical to know when and how your audience is engaging with your Instagram content.

Don't simply rely on likes and followers, take the next step toward social media analytics and be confident in your marketing decisions.

Get Started

There are many ways to succeed and fail on Instagram, but by following these best practices, you have a better chance at keeping your audience happy.

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7 Instagram Best Practices to Build Your Audience

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There's a lot to learn from each social media channel-especially if you want your business to stay relevant. As you build your brand, knowing the ins and outs of a platform like Instagram will truly decide whether or not your social media strategy succeeds.

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Tipos de concurso.

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Is Instagram part of your social media marketing?

Do you want to run contests on Instagram?

Adding Instagram contests to your social media mix can quickly expand your reach.

In this article I'll explain the different types, as well as how to create and run a successful Instagram contest for your brand or business.

Types of Instagram Contests

There are many kinds of Instagram contests. Here is a rundown of the top three:
1. Like to Win Contests
In a "like to win" contest, simply ask for an Instagram user to like an update. All those who do so will be entered into the contest.
Pros

With a very low barrier to entry (participants just have to follow you and then like a post to enter), "like to win" contests are a simple way to increase your Instagram reach.

They are very easy to set up. Simply post an image and update on Instagram, which announces your double tap (or like) contest.

Cons

"Like to win" contests have both low engagement and low consumer connection levels.

Participants don't have to spend much effort to enter, but they're also not that invested in the brand.

Do a "like to win" contest as a one-off to test it out. Or come up with a weekly concept like Drinkweldid. Add a tagging request for a little more engagement.
2. Hashtag User-Generated Content Contests
For a hashtag user-generated content (UCG) contest, create a contest-specific hashtag and ask participants to share a photo or video using that hashtag to enter.

For example, Esprit hosts Instagram hashtag contests to generate engagement with their followers. All images tagged with #everydayamazing are shown in one stream. This brings a lifestyle feel to their brand through UGC.
Pros

A photo or video contest that engages your market by asking for content deepens the emotional connection between consumers and the brand.

A contest-specific hashtag spreads the campaign's reach because when Instagram users post their entries, their friends and followers see it too.

The hashtag additionally provides a common place for viewing entries. Anyone who searches for the hashtag will see the UGC contest stream.

By creating a branded hashtag for your contest, you can effectively generate real, authentic marketing images created by and for your consumer.

Cons

Asking for users' content increases the barrier to entry.

If the request is too detailed (take and upload a pic, use the hashtag AND tag friends) or the hashtag is too long, it may be even harder to get willing participants.

Add a sharable element like "vote to select a winner" to increase your promotion's reach.
3. Email-Gated Contests
To run an email-gated Instagram contest, ask participants for their email address to enter. An email-gated contest can ask for a follow or UGC in addition to the email lead.
Pros

This is an excellent way to build your email list.

If you ask for a photo or video, you'll get UGC too.

Cons

But asking for an email is a barrier to entry and many Instagram users want a quick and seamless entry method.

A successful email-gated contest usually needs an enticing prize (such as an expensive trip, product or shopping spree).

Again, the main benefit of an email-gated contest is that you generate email leads. This enables you and your brand to keep in touch with your readers for future campaigns and promotions. Be sure to get permission to send ongoing emails. Just use an opt-in checkbox on your email form.

How to Create an Instagram Contest

It's not difficult to create an Instagram contest. However, if you want one that meets or exceeds expectations, you must include proper planning, smart execution and follow-up. Follow these tips to create a remarkable Instagram contest.

#1: Plan Your Contest

Put in the time and effort to strategically plan your contest before it starts.

Set objectives. Before launching any social marketing campaign, write out your goals. The clearer they are, the better your chance of success. Your objective-whether it's to increase Instagram followers by 15%, generate at least 200 @mentions of your Instagram handle or create a hashtag stream with more than 200 UCG photos-will influence your contest choice.

Do your homework. Before you fully commit to a plan of action, check out your competition and find related contests. Browse other current Instagram contests through sites like Iconosquare and search common contest hashtags like #contest, #win and #photocontest on Instagram.

Define your target market. There are more than 35 million active Instagram users in the U.S., 69% of whom are within the age range of 18 to 44. Know what appeals to your market to best engage with them.

Choose the contest type. Decide if a "like to win," hashtag UGC or email-gated contest will best achieve your objectives.

Create a theme. Your contest needs a theme, especially if you are hosting a photo or video promotion. This creates a collection of complementary UGC. The theme will tie into the hashtag, as demonstrated by the National Geographic #viewfromabove theme below.

Choose your contest hashtag. Hashtags are a major part of Instagram marketing. Choose and use a unique hashtag for your contest to create community and brand awareness. Research hashtags for free on sites like Websta, FindGram and Iconosquare.

Decide on a prize. Your prize is a key factor in what motivates a person to participate in your contest. Of course, there are other factors like 'Instagram fame' or sharing cool photos (if your theme connects extremely well with your particular market). But the prize you offer often teeters your demographic into taking the action you want: contest participation.Your prize should be about marketing your brand, whether it's as overt as a product you sell, a gift card, exotic travel or even a more subtle experience you can't get anywhere else (such as a job at your company or an introduction to a celebrity).

Determine if you'll run on Instagram only or on multiple social platforms. Limiting your contest to Instagram only increases the exclusive feel for your followers. But expanding your contest to multiple platforms (like Smucker's did in the following example) raises your reach and promotes your Instagram handle to your other social followers.

Decide if you will need a third-party app. If you plan to run a simple "like to win" campaign and have the staff resources to keep track of your metrics manually, you don't need a third-party app. If, however, you are running a more complex campaign, it's best to get the technical support of easy-to-use software to help you out. Votigo, Piqora and Wishpond (the company I work for) are all tools that make it easy to run Instagram contests.

Sort out your logistics. Plan out the contest details, like your contest duration and frequency (some of the most successful Instagram contests are run on a weekly basis or have a weekly vote). Set your budget. Determine how many winners you will have, the rules and regulations and also the logistics of shipping or sending your prize(s). For example, decide if you'll ship overseas or give an online prize.

#2: Build Your Contest

Once you have a solid plan, turn your ideas into a contest.

Come up with an attention-grabbing title. Keep your contest title short, witty and related to your promotion, market and business objectives.

Create appealing visuals. Instagram is all about visual marketing. The better you can present your contest elements, including the prize and promotional materials, the better it will succeed. Gather inspired photographs and/or videos to use in your promotion.

Use an app. If you decide to run a contest through a social contest application, follow the steps of the platform.
No App, No Problem
If you are not using an app, here are the basic steps to make your own Instagram "like to win" Contest:

Post an update on Instagram.

In your update, show that you are running a "like to win" contest.

Use digital image editing applications like Photoshop, GIMP or Paint.NET to create your image with a graphic overlay with simple instructions.

Give instructions and rules to enter in your contest update text.

Track your likes for the duration of the campaign.

At the end of the contest, randomly choose a winner.

Notify the winner by mentioning him or her on Instagram.

#3: Launch and Promote Your Contest

Once the contest is planned and built, just go for it. Post it on Instagram, as well as your website or blog, and then follow through with marketing in other ways. Here's what you need to know to promote your contest.

Update your website and/or blog. Spread the word to your audience. Post about the contest on the company website and/or write an article on the blog. Include direct links to the contest to make it easy and enticing to enter.

Cross-promote to other social sites. Engage your brand's audience from other social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Post contest updates and information to get followers to interact with your brand on multiple platforms. For example, Buffalo Wings & Rings created a Facebook event to cross-promote their Instagram contest.

Use Facebook ads. Facebook ads can be a targeted and inexpensive method of reaching new markets and expanding awareness of your Instagram contest.

Do email blasts. Send out personalized messages to targeted segments of your email list. Write concise subject lines that clearly indicate that you are inviting recipients to your Instagram contest. Include visuals of your contest banner and prizes.

Pitch guest blog posts. Reach out to influential bloggers in your industry or niche. Pitch them an article about your Instagram contest. Many niche bloggers have a lot of influence within a small network. They're also often looking for good content to share with their readers.

Get earned media through a press release. Many businesses miss opportunities to potentially gain free promotion with a press release. Write a short release and pitch it to media sources read by your target market. If you have a strong local customer base (such as a restaurant), pitch your Instagram contest to your local print or online publication. Note: You can also send a press release after you announce the winner.

Promote in-store. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, go old-school. Make promotional material to post in your store that includes your contest details, hashtag, Instagram handle and a visual of your contest or prize. Instagram is a fully mobile site, so your customers can easily enter your contest while they are still in your shop. Use QR codes to make it easy to scan directly.

#4: Follow-up After the Contest Ends

A social marketing campaign shouldn't stop when the Instagram contest closes. Here are post-contest musts so you can continue to build and nurture relationships with your audience.

Choose and notify the winner. After the contest has closed, choose the winner, whether selected through public voting, random draws or a panel of judges. Notify the winner via email (if you can) and directly on Instagram with an @mention. Explain how to collect the prize.

Share the winning entry on Instagram. Give Instagram fame to the winner by sharing the winning photo or video on your company Instagram feed. Be sure to tag and give credit to the entrant.

Promote the grand-prize winner on your blog and social sites. Write a blog article about the lucky entrant and share the award-winning photo or video. Above is an example from Forever 21. Note: Make sure you have permission to share the entries; this is a disclaimer you can include in the contest's official rules. Share a link to the contest rules in the post on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites.

Email all participants. If you email-gated your contest, send out an email to everyone who took part. Thank them for their efforts and talents in engaging, tell them who won and invite them to stay tuned for your next Instagram contest.

The best time to work on your next Instagram promotion is just before or right after your current contest ends. Put together a report of what did and didn't work for your contest, and using that information, decide what to do next. Use the momentum from your contest to get your audience excited about the next one.
Over to You
Instagram contests add engagement and consumer interaction to your Instagram content. Choose your contest type, and then plan, build and execute it for optimal results.

Half of the world's top 100 brands are on Instagram, 16 billion photos have been shared on the site and more than 200 million people are active users.

So if you haven't done it already, jump on the Instagram bandwagon and launch a contest.

What do you think? Have you run an Instagram contest? What type did you try? What tips do you have for others who want to run Instagram contests? Please share your advice in the comments.

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How to Run a Successful Instagram Contest

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Is Instagram part of your social media marketing? Do you want to run contests on Instagram? Adding Instagram contests to your social media mix can quickly expand your reach. In this article I'll explain the different types, as well as how to create and run a successful Instagram contest for your brand or business.

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- Editar las fotos con alguna app como snapspeed.
- Utiliza títulos en forma de preguntas.
- Envía notas a las personas que les ha gustado o comentado para generar una conversación de ambos sentidos más que querer vender.
- Utiliza la regla de 3 colocando el título de la foto en no más de dos tercios de la pantalla para hacerlo más atractivo a la vista.
- Usa Hashtags, y monitorear los trendding topic.

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"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away," wrote acclaimed French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and, in many ways, he could have been taking about social media, albeit close to a century before its existence.

You see, the perfect post on a platform like Twitter is often as much about what you leave out as what you say. Not only because of the hard and fast 140 character limit, but also because of the desire for efficiency and clarity of prose. And when you consider that each of your posts will also need a clear call to action, excellent punctuation, sufficient retweet space and a shortened URL, the area reserved for your message - that is, what you're actually trying to say - has to be very concise indeed. Which means it has to be perfect. Every single time.

In June we looked at an excellent resource from My Clever Agency which provided clear tips on how to write perfect posts for social media. Good news: they've updated their visual, which now covers Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+, alongside newcomers Instagram and Vine.
(Source: My Clever Agency.)

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Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine - How To Create Perfect Social Media Posts [INFOGRAPHIC]

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"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away," wrote acclaimed French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and, in many ways, he could have been taking about social media, albeit close to a century before its existence.

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Mejores prácticas para el uso de Instagram

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Mejores prácticas para el uso de Instagram

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1. Usa imágenes de buena resolución.
2. Cuenta una historia.
3. Crea vínculos con tus seguidores.
4. Aprovecha el uso de los hashtags.
5.Recompensa a tus seguidores.

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The reason for Instagram's success lies in its engaged community. Research shows that Instagrammers are passionate about their platform and have a high level of interaction with content creators who use the network.

According to Instagram's Business resources, the network currently showcases:

300 million active users

More than 70 million new photos per day

5 billion photo likes daily

More than 30 billion total photos shared

It's no wonder why so many brands and businesses are turning to Instagram to reach new audiences and engage their followers.

There's a sense of creativity and inspiration among Instagram users as they utilize the network's tools to create stunning content and share it with friends, family, followers, colleagues, audience members, and the rest of the world.

Additionally, Instagram uses a visually focused design that allows for quick viewing and processing. Videos and images are displayed large on the screen, eliminating visual clutter, and directing the viewer's eyes directly to the content you want to be seen. 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text. Plus, 40% of people respond better to visual information than plain text. Simply put, our brains like it.

When it comes to making the most of Instagram, it pays to have a strong foundation. If you're new to Instagram as a brand and don't know where to begin, I really recommend checking out Instagram's own business portal, where you'll find blog posts, infographics, and other resources to educate you on how to best use the network to your advantage.

For example, here are some of the getting started tips the network offers to new business users on their website:

This practical approach has made it easy for businesses to adopt the network.

To further engage businesses to use Instagram as a marketing tool, the network has created several case studies to show its success, touting that brands who use Instagram can achieve "results two to three times above Nielsen online averages".

But what about really succeeding? What can you do to make this truly work as a marketing channel for your business?
Here are five tactics that you can use to make the most of Instagram.
Best Practice 1: Use High Quality Images

The beauty of Instagram is in its accessibility. Download the app onto your mobile device and you can instantly take and share photos on the fly. But, as we all know, smart phone and tablet photos can sometimes be a bit fuzzy, blurry, or just not right. Filters do a lot to save those photos and it's one of the ways Instagram has become a favorite social network. But, when we look at the accounts that see the greatest success, we see that they go the extra mile to produce high quality, visually-stunning content.

If you are going to import/upload pictures from anything other than your smart phone, then make sure to get the best dimensions for Instagram photos.

You can go about this is in two ways:

One option would be to use your DSLR, professional camera, or other equipment to create your content as you would normally and then download the photos to a mobile device to upload to Instagram. You could also use an application like Gramblr to upload images from your PC.

Another option would be to use Instagram photo editing applications.

Instagram photo editors and apps can really make a huge difference in the quality of your images.

I've selected a few of my favorites to get you started:

Aviary: Editing tools like frames, filters, and more come together in this popular mobile image app.

Lumify: For Instagram video, this app is a powerhouse. Not only does it offer free video editing capabilities, but it can also add soundtracks.

Snapseed: Professional photo editing software is available with just a few clicks in this crowd-pleasing favorite.

Best Practice 2: Tell a Story

Storytelling is a powerful tool in all marketing. When it comes to Instagram, you're presented with the same storytelling opportunities. Using visual content, you can create an experience for your customers, clients, or audience members where they feel engaged and valued. And, you can compel them to listen.

Start by thinking about how you can frame your visual content around a story. If you're creating content around an event for example, it's easy - start with the planning and show what happens before, during, and after. Give the audience a sneak peek behind what goes into making your event a success.

Working on a new project? Introducing a new line of products? Looking to create a lifestyle around your brand? All of these things can be accomplished through visual storytelling.
Here are a few examples of brands who got it right:
Herschel Supply Co. has an ongoing narrative about being on the move, which connects to their lines of bags and travel essentials.

Their photos, which showcase their products in action, packing tips, and narratives on exploration and travel, draw users into the adventures of those who use Herschel Supply Co. products - and inspiring them to create adventures of their own.

Whole Foods also takes a similar approach, this time focusing on the healthy lifestyle and wellness, sharing not only recipes and photos of their products, but also photos that focus on sustainability and community involvement.

This is a great example of how you can use visuals to tell your brand's story specifically from the perspective of what your company values.

Best Practice 3: Engage With Your Fans

People who follow you on Instagram are inherently interested in what you have to offer. Unlike other social channels where it may be more difficult to find and engage with followers, Instagram keeps an open door to them.

Instagram connects people through photos, so to encourage engagement, you'll want to make it a point to:

Not just post your own photos and call it a day. Instead, make time to like others' photos and leave comments, especially if your followers are tagging you.

Follow established followers on other social media platforms. The cross promotion and connection will make a difference.

Make time to listen to your feedback and comments. See what people are saying. That type of feedback can prove invaluable.

There are several great brands who understand the importance of engagement.
For example, A Day at the Races with Indy 500 was an experience tailored by the Indy 500 race for their race fans and followers. They built a portal website to drive the promotion and then used Instagram to get people engaged with the event. They also found a way to give back to their followers through their contest.

Nintendo engages with fans through open ended questions, sweepstakes, and focusing on how their products fit into their lives.

Sharpie powers their Instagram account with fan-submitted doodles created with their line of markers and pens.

These are just a few examples of companies who get it. So, the big question is: what are you going to do to start engaging more?

Best Practice 4: Take Advantage of Hashtags

Hashtags have become synonymous with social media and can be used on virtually every network to find, track, share, and participate in topics of interest. On Instagram, hashtags reign supreme, connecting users to images they might be interested in and consequently, businesses.

Use hashtags to your advantage by developing specific hashtags relating to your brand, your event, your products, or your promotion. Promotion-specific hashtags are a powerful tool for measuring the ROI of your campaign while also encouraging engagement.

For example, if you're looking to host a successful Instagram contest (which earns you engagement bonus points!), you can take a page out of these brand books:

National Geographic hosted a #MyAWAY Contest where users could upload photos of places that to them are an escape. On Instagram, they would tag the photos with #MyAWAY and at the end of the contest period, one lucky fan would win a digital camera plus goodies from NatGeo and Go RVing.

Marriott created a video contest for users to win a #Brilliant7s weekend package at the London Marriott Sevens, which was a unique way to promote one of their properties.

Contests seem to work well on Instagram because of the highly engaged audience, but that's not the only thing you can do to take advantage of hashtags.

You can also participate in user events and activities, like Pepsi did for #ThrowbackThursday (#tbt).

Want to try something adventurous? Create an event of your own, which can be an incentive for others to follow and engage with your account at regular intervals, such as ModCloth's #weddingwednesday:

Bottom line: Use hashtags to further your engagement with your users.

Best Practice 5: Reward Your Followers

To create lasting relationships with your followers, they have to feel like they are getting something out of it. From discount codes to reaching out to connect with influencers one-on-one, brands that go the extra mile to reward their Instagram followers often see better success.

One brand that does this well is American Express. They offer Instagram followers backstage entries to events that are of interest to them, such as fashion shows, sporting events, and concerts.

In addition, some of their content is tailored specifically toward their small business audience. In those posts, usually tagged with #shopsmall, they spotlight independent business owners (a reward in and of itself) and give their followers inspiration or insight into their success. Don't think a reward has to come in the form of a discount or a prize. You can also offer value by giving your users exclusive content or giving them priority.

Non-profit charity: water rewards their donors by showing their good works. This blends together the elements of engagement and storytelling described above while also making the charity feel more accessible. Charities that show their work in action or can demonstrate how donations are being used are perceived as more trustworthy.

Something charity: water has always done is build a strong brand based on showing what water means to those who receive it. The power of photography is integral to their brand identity.

All successful Instagram accounts, no matter what they are associated with, use one or more of these best practices to build loyal followings that not only drive traffic to their websites, but also drive conversions, awareness, and brand sentiment. Not a bad deal for keeping active with posting photos and videos, right?

These are just a few examples - there are plenty more and I'd love to see them. Leave a comment with your best Instagram tips for success and examples of accounts that are doing it right.
Featured Image: Denys Prykhodov via Shutterstock Screen Shots Taken by Author in April, 2015

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5 Instagram Best Practices to Build Massive Following | SEJ

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The reason for Instagram's success lies in its engaged community. Research shows that Instagrammers are passionate about their platform and have a high level of interaction with content creators who use the network.

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Qué tan seguido debes publicar en redes sociales.

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Qué tan seguido debes publicar en redes sociales.

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Aquí el vínculo de la evaluación final: https://goo.gl/forms/YOkx3b2fbxMEjxu93

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Por favor, comparte tus comentarios respecto al taller que acabas de concluir, incluye retroalimentación referente a la estructura del taller, contenido y facilitador. Gracias.