Instagram has been steadily gaining popularity over the years, as its ease of use has made it “the” social media platform of choice. Instagram boasts over 700 million active users, twice that of Twitter. Instagram’s latest feature, Instagram Stories, reached 200 million active users in April 2017, eclipsing the 161 million Snapchat users.
What does this mean in terms of your law firm marketing? Having a social media presence is almost a requirement for consumer-focused firms. Being active on social media builds credibility for your business, and in the age of millennials, is a determining factor when deciding which businesses to patronize. Instagram can also be a beneficial recruiting tool, as well as a way to share company culture.
Instagram may be the easiest, most user-friendly social media platform, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be an overnight sensation as soon as you create your profile. Through persistence, diligence and these 7 tips, you’ll be raking in likes and followers and potentially converting them to clients.
- Use hashtags. Hashtags are the most common, and efficient, way to increase Instagram followers. To explain them in the simplest of terms, hashtags are used to identify messages on a specific topic. By using hashtags (#TBT or #instalike for example) you’re instantly increasing your firm’s visibility. Now, anyone who clicks on that particular hashtag will see your post, whether they follow your account or not. Hashtags can be relevant to your business (#lawfirm, #marketing, #attorney, etc.) or they can capitalize on trending topics, much like Twitter.
A few popular hashtags that are sure to increase your followers:
#TBT (Throwback Thursday): 385,353,112 posts.
#instalike: 237,542,435 posts.
#FF (Follow Friday): 23,690,154 posts.
#instafollow: 80,495,076 posts.
#love: 1,147,239,740 posts.
- Post engaging content. One of the best examples of law firms capitalizing on Instagram marketing is West Coast Trial Lawyers and their @attorneyproblems Instagram account. They post humorous, sometimes crass, memes and photos pertaining to the legal field. Their approach works – they have over 79,000 followers.
- Like random photos. In a study conducted by Neil Patel, an expert in online marketing, liking hundreds of random photos posted by your target audiences increases your followers. Out of 100 photos, the average return in followers was 6.1.
- Use the Mayfair filter. According to studies, the Mayfair filter is the single most effective Instagram filter for marketers.
- Post on Sundays. Sundays see the fewest number of images posted by Instagram users. If you post on Sundays, you’re guaranteed an increase in visibility.
- Ask questions. A great way to increase engagement is by asking questions in your photo captions.
- Like and comment on other users’ photos. This may seem like a no-brainer, but liking and commenting on other people’s photos is an essential part of Instagram marketing. Getting your name out and driving traffic to your profile is the goal of all this, isn’t it?
