The variety of social media advertising options is dizzying. Facebook currently has the largest user base of any social media site, but recent events have left some advertisers and users unsettled. Fortunately, advertisers have a growing number of platform options, including Instagram. If you’ve never considered advertising on Instagram, here are a few things to think about.
Growth.
While Facebook may have the largest user base, Instagram has grown significantly in the last 18 months. In 2016, Instagram had 500 million users. By 2017, it had 700 million. That’s a growth of 40 percent in the space of about a year. In comparison, Facebook had a Q4 user growth of just 2.2% in the fourth quarter of 2017. To be fair, Facebook has more active users than any other social media platform, but that’s the slowest user base growth recorded in the company’s history. With Instagram’s significant user growth, however, it makes sense to consider Instagram as a viable advertising venue.
User engagement.
Instagram currently has the highest user engagement rate among major social media platforms. According to Forrester Research, Instagram has a user engagement rate of 4.21%. That compares to Facebook’s user engagement rate of .07%. Put simply, Instagram advertising has a much bigger impact than Facebook advertising does. It’s also important to remember that Facebook is rapidly approaching its maximum advertising capacity. More advertisers want space on Facebook than Facebook has to offer. The competition for Facebook advertising will grow, as will the cost of advertising on the platform. By pursuing space on growing platforms – where your advertising impact is likely to be greater – you’ll get a better value from your advertising dollars.
Non-intrusive advertising.
Instagram ads aren’t intrusive. That’s a major plus because it won’t alienate your target audience or interfere with their preferred content. In addition, you have a range of advertising options, including photo ads and video ads. A video ad can be up to a minute in length. That provides ample time for you to get your message to your target audience. Carousel ads engage the user, who swipes through the ad content. Users can also access your website and other content through links in your ads. You can also create full-screen ads
within Instagram stories.
You can still use Facebook metrics.
Facebook purchased Instagram in 2012, so you may be wondering whether there’s a real difference between the two platforms. There is a significant difference between the two products, but there are some commonalities, too. One benefit of the Facebook connection is that you can use Facebook data and the Facebook advertising interface to inform your decision-making about how, when, and where to advertise. That’s a big plus if you’re already advertising on Facebook.
Designing and managing a social media advertising campaign may not be your cup of tea, but the professionals at Spotted Fox Digital have a lot of experience in putting together marketing strategies that make the most of your social media options. If you’d like more information about advertising on Instagram, or you’d like to discuss your digital marketing strategy please contact us at (509) 792-3283 or fill out a contact request form. We’ll be happy to give you a no-cost, no-obligation consultation, and show you how Instagram advertising can improve your bottom line.
