How to Become a Beloved Brand

Today, PR and social media practitioners found out that the Instagram algorithm is finally here, and the social platform will start rolling out user timelines that no longer feature chronological content. Instead, there will be an algorithm that prioritizes content for us - much like Facebook. The worry among marketers is that it will become much harder to organically reach your community, which is probably true. picjumbo.com_HNCK2304-1 But, instead of telling followers to "turn on their notifications" so they'll definitely see your posts (which is definitely annoying), we're telling clients to take it back to social media 101: focus on creating really good content. This recent article from Fast Company has been one of our favorites, highlighting the amazing success of adorable baby moccasins brand Freshly Picked on Instagram. It's worth a read, but following are are the top tips we took away.
  • Show your followers that you understand the very particular experiences and struggles they are facing. Freshly Picked does this by capturing little moments, like a baby's first steps, what it's like to get woken up by a baby's cries, story time, or grocery shopping with a little one in the cart.
  • Succeeding on Instagram requires a mixture of authenticity and artistry. For many, Instagram is an escape from the grit of daily life, so followers want these honest moments to be portrayed in beautiful pictures.
  • Have content and timing reflect what people are going through at each point in their day. For Freshly Picked, an example of this might be posting photos of kids outdoors in the afternoons and weekends and saving the funny parent quotes for the evenings, after the kids are in bed and moms might want a moment to decompress with a glass of wine before hitting the sack.
We know that the social media platforms we've come to know and love will continuously evolve, but one thing remains true - creating quality community-focused content will always be a win-win for everyone. Are you interested in more social media news and tips? Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook!