As the president of an industrial and internet marketing firm, I believe learning how to position your brand on Instagram is essential. This helps ensure you’re sharing high-quality content that is most appropriate for your specific Instagram account, based on the image you want to give yourself and the message you want to convey.
Your brand shouldn’t be posting a messy jumble of senseless shots that tackle the most disparate themes on your profile. Instead, I’ve outlined a few suggestions for how you can better position your brand on Instagram.
But first, what does ‘positioning’ mean?
Let’s begin by clarifying the definition. What do I mean by “positioning?” I’m referring to the whole process that is used to create your brand’s image within the minds of your followers. It is very important that your position is competitive, relevant to your target audience and absolutely distinctive from other profiles or competitors.
Before going to post in a niche or sector as an influencer or as an expert, you need to be clear about your position within the mind of our target or, in the case of social media, your followers.
Want an example? Think of Rolex. What comes to mind? Surely you thought of a watch, but you probably also thought of a luxurious lifestyle. This is what is meant by brand positioning: the perception people have of a brand or a product.
What if you have nothing to sell?
It is not said that you have an Instagram profile with which you promote a product or a service. But if you have a personal profile, you’re still promoting something: yourself and your image. This is called personal branding.
Brand positioning or personal branding, therefore, means being able to create in your followers’ minds a precise image of your product, service, what you do and the values you speak of.
Let’s explore in detail what you will have to do in practice to achieve brand positioning and to better set up your communication.
Brand Positioning: What It Is And How To Build It
Here, I’ll outline how to position your brand, though what I’m about to tell you is fundamental even in the case of personal branding.
Brand positioning means being able to occupy a very precise and structured position of your product or service (or you, in the case of personal branding) within the minds of your followers. Translated into practice, brand positioning means being able to sell the image of oneself or that of your brand and communicating your company’s values and belief system in order to attract an audience that shares those same values.
Something of fundamental importance when building your brand is to find distinctive and differentiating characteristics from all the other internal profiles of your sector or niche. What makes your brand distinctive? What differentiates your business from other similar companies? Why should people choose to follow you?
The answers to these questions will be the foundation for effectively building your brand and for engaging your audience.
But how do you build your personal branding on Instagram?
Seneca said, “There is no favourable wind for the sailor who does not know where to go.” This will have to become your mantra in the construction of effective communication and strong brand positioning. Now, it’s time to get started:
1. Know the image you want to portray and be authentic. Before testing any strategy, you must have in your mind a clear image of the message and values you want to convey. Remember, the keyword to build an effective brand on Instagram is authenticity. What you need to do is always stay true to your company’s vision.
Find your brand’s style, and always follow it. If your brand portrays an image on Instagram that’s very different from reality and far from your values, your followers could feel deceived and will likely stop following you.
And to maintain an image of authenticity, do not use excessive filters for your photos. (Personally, I always prefer editing programs compared to the pre-set filters of Instagram.)
2. Be consistent in your messaging. Make sure your photos have a single thematic fulcrum that’s always in line with the image you want to transmit. Inserting photos of kittens on a fitness profile, for example, will likely confuse those who follow you and weaken your brand’s positioning.
3. Humanize your brand. Consistency is an excellent method to offer a unique and genuine image of yourself, but remember that coherent does not mean trivial. Show off your best weapons, your sympathy and your self-irony. This will break the coldness of the images to show your brand’s most human and warm side.
Your photos and videos should show a “special moment” related to your company. Ensure what you share contains a small story in which the protagonist is your brand’s identity. Your images must, therefore, not be mere representations of a space; they must live and tell a story and arouse emotion.
I’ve found that sharing a behind-the-scenes look at your work is also usually much appreciated because this reveals to your audience something they might not have otherwise known. This helps earn trust from your followers. Alternate professional, backstage, and personal images and you will be able to arouse interest.
4. Respond to comments with kindness. Always reply to comments followers leave. This will show you care about your followers and will strengthen your image as an influencer.
Also, always be kind, even with those who leave constructive criticism. Never forget that humility is always appreciated and reinforces the esteem of those who follow you. Being available and grateful will consolidate your personal branding.
Remember to show your value and your skills and always help others achieve similar results. This will really help your followers see you in a positive light, so you can become a brand that’s recognized and appreciated by your audience.
Feature Image Credit: Getty
President at Lion ADV, Inc, social media marketing and brand positioning. Read Mirko Scarcella’s full executive profile here.
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