Do you love posting pictures on Facebook? Have you used Instagram? Chances are you will be using Instagram soon enough! With Facebook’s $1 billion purchase of Instagram, it is a great time to learn about how Instagram will impact your business.

Over 150 million photos have been shared on Instagram and 15 photos are shared per second. Celebrities, politicians, athletes, and millions of others are using Instagram to share their photos. Instagram is a photo-sharing service that essentially takes any old photo and makes it look beautiful by changing the tinting, border, pixels, and color scheme of ordinary photos.  In their own words, “Instagram is a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your life with friends through a series of photos.” Beyond its’ pure engineering capabilities, an Instagram culture is booming on college campuses.

College students are sharing their experiences with Instagram photos and listed below are several examples of how your company can effectively use Instagram with college markets:

1. Use #Hashtags: Instagram has joined the Twitter rave of hashtags and it is now easy to tell which photos are trending. Instagram suggests using hashtags when running contests, events, or releasing a new product.
2. Get Smart: Instagram is now both on Iphones and Androids. It’s free and in its first week of release, was downloaded 2,000 times per minute on Android. Over 80% of college students have smart phones and use their phones for every aspect of their lives. The more your brand posts, the more they will see it.
3. Run Instagram Photo Contests: Because thousands of students are uploading Instagram photos each day, have them incorporate your brands into their cool pictures. This generates fans, increases brand recognition, and creates an interactive experience.
4. Get Creative: Students are drawn to Instagram because it allows them to feel creative. They are drawn to brands that mirror their own interests, so get creative by thinking outside the box. Your cool photos will be noticed and students will be awaiting your next photo upload.

Here are some great examples of brands that are using Instagram!

Burberry:

Starbucks:

Red Bull:

It’s time to ask: How marketable will your next photo be?

Rachel Spekman, Account Manager