Instagram Marketing versus Facebook, Time To Adapt?

Nowadays, marketing your brand on social media is all about where you strategically invest your time and energy. It’s no secret that Facebook has thus far led the pack in the world of effective social media outlets. But is it time to adapt and look at Instagram Marketing versus Facebook?

That said, Instagram is quickly replacing the old social media giant as the finest of social marketing platforms due to its unique infrastructure and ability to make a more broad splash in the sphere of digital marketing and sales.

While Facebook may boast higher vanity numbers, it simply can’t keep up with Instagram’s impressive user engagement stats—even better, those numbers are projected to only increase with time.

Both platforms offer much in the ways of brand marketing, but many product and service pushers are now shifting their focus from stagnant Facebook pages to dynamic, eye-catching Instagram accounts.

There has never been a better time than now to shift your marketing focus from Facebook—or any other well-known social media platform, for that matter—to Instagram. Still not convinced?

No worries—the following three reasons should help put things into perspective:

1) Built-In Mobility

Currently, there’s a massive transformation taking place in the digital marketing industry. For the first time ever, consumers are spending more time on their smartphones than on their personal computers Crazy, right? Even crazier, 82% of the time spent on mobile devices is chewed up on mobile apps like Instagram.

Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has maintained a strict emphasis on mobile users and visual appeal—and with good reason. Ya see, in today’s day and age, mobile connectivity is no longer a risky trend for out-of-the-box marketers—it’s an absolute necessity.

The beauty of Instagram is that it’s always a given. Seriously, if your ideal consumer has a phone, you’re always with them. Whether standing in line, riding on the bus or eating lunch, your along for the journey—no stalking necessary.

2) Hashtag Positivity

Ever heard a friend or family member complain about Facebook drama? Whether the topic of discussion be gun control or pumpkin bread, thanks to the occasional contentious, long-form thread, becoming involved to one degree or another is almost inescapable.

While Instagram was built around account discovery and engagement, Facebook was developed with the intent to keep users informed in real-time as to what’s on the minds of those with whom they both personally and casually associate.

Currently, due to its unbridled exposure and negative content, many of the very people who hope to invest in your products and services are being driven away from Facebook. On the flip side of things, however, Instagram’s culture is one of positivity and support. Brands, celebrities and users from virtually all demographics routinely post inspiring quotes, messages, photos and videos.

Look closely and you’ll soon see why. Think about it—what starts with a photo, filter, caption and relevant hashtags almost always ends with a personal, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the uplifting side of active accounts.

Even the astonishingly positive Richard Branson uses Instagram this way—as a flip book of inspirational thoughts to give his feed and followers some good vibes.

Perhaps it’s due to the flattering filters or self-absorbed millennials, but over one million selfies are uploaded globally to Instagram each and every day. Believe it or not, this trend has snowballed into something bigger—the widespread involvement of global movements through mobile photography.

Get creative with this to further enhance your brand’s reputation. How? Well, start by becoming involved with built-in trends that shine a positive light on your company. For example, take the work of model and self-acceptance advocate Nadia Aboulhosn. She regularly teams up with brands to infuse their Instagram marketing campaigns with a message.

 

3) Expect Brand Engagement

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a personal or business account, you can easily expect much higher rates of engagement on Instagram over Facebook for a multitude of reasons. In large part, this is due to the fact that Instagram is fueled solely by engagement.

It’s a sleek system composed of appealing photos that can quickly be tagged, liked and commented on. In fact, Instagram sees roughly 60 times more engagement than Facebook—this means more looking, liking and clicking on your brand’s content.

And this isn’t just one of those random claims—studies actually show that your content—even if it’s sponsored, mind you—is much more welcome on Instagram than on Facebook or Twitter. Brands who make it a point to market on Facebook and Twitter experience user engagement at a rate of around a hundred times less than those on Instagram.

To best illustrate this point, Sheri Lehman of Chapman University posted the same photo—once on Facebook and once on Instagram. Take a look at what she found:

Case in point? The numbers don’t lie—if you’re going to devote more time to digital marketing, though Facebook is most often the assumed, go-to option for those new to social media marketing, Instagram can’t be overlooked.

Making the Change

If you want your brand to survive the current marketing movement, you have to adapt your strategy to meet your audience’s preferences—luckily, with Instagram, this is a fairly easy change to make.

Designed purely for mobility, captivating content and persuasive engagement, Instagram has enough staying power to be around for the long haul. At the end of the day, it’s time to give your brand what it truly needs—a space on Instagram where it can build and drive sales without restriction.