The power of images: Instagram for craftsmen

Industry 4.0: Instagram has risen to become the second largest social network in recent years. But how does Instagram marketing work? And how can you get employees and customers excited about your business?

This article is part of the special feature on digital craftsmanship.

Instagram's reach is enormous. In Germany alone, around 29 million people use the social network every month. Unlike Facebook, Instagram focuses primarily on photos and short videos that are uploaded and shared by users.

This is ideal for tradespeople, as it allows them to easily showcase reference projects or offer authentic insights into their daily work . Businesses should keep in mind that Instagram's target audience tends to be younger: According to Statista.de , 68 percent of 16- to 19-year-olds use the platform regularly, while the figure rises to 78 percent for 20- to 29-year-olds. This makes Instagram an excellent platform for attracting apprentices, young professionals, and customers to a business.

Instagram marketing strategies

While Instagram is free to use, maintaining an Instagram profile requires a regular time commitment . Therefore, businesses should define a clear strategy beforehand , outlining their goals for their Instagram presence. Newcomers to Instagram should first decide on their target audience . For example, recruiting apprentices and young professionals requires entirely different content than acquiring customers . It's also crucial to monitor the competition: How are they using social media – and how can your business differentiate itself?

Strengthen your own employer brand

To strengthen their employer brand, companies can use Instagram to offer glimpses " behind the scenes ." The focus should be on exciting projects, special events , and the enjoyment of the work itself. Instagram is primarily an entertainment platform for most users, and funny photos and videos tend to spread faster than typical, run-of-the-mill content. For prospective trainees and employees, it's often a plus to see that not only technical skills are valued, but that work can also be fun . Furthermore, posts should regularly highlight why the company is a good employer. Possible content includes exceptional tools and equipment, employee events, rewards for outstanding performance, or career advancements of individual colleagues. Company trainees can also create a diary where they regularly share photos and short videos of exciting training milestones.

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Convince new customers

To attract new customers to your business, photos of new products or services , special promotions, or interesting reference projects are ideal . It's important to maintain a dialogue with your followers: if they leave questions about photos or services in the comments section, businesses should respond promptly . Custom captions are also a great way to connect with other Instagram users : by conducting surveys or asking general questions, businesses can quickly establish a personal connection and a direct rapport with their followers.

More reach with hashtags

To ensure that new readers find their posts , businesses should use hashtags in their image captions . These are words preceded by a "#". This allows you to create keywords by combining one or more consecutive words. When users search for a keyword on Instagram , your photos and videos will automatically appear in the search results. By carefully maintaining your Instagram profile and regularly posting new content , you can quickly expand your reach . Businesses should also consider leveraging potential synergies: Promoting your Instagram profile on your company website, vehicles, letterhead, business cards, and in email signatures can accelerate your engagement.

Checklist: Instagram for Beginners

• Photo: © ra2studio/123RF.comCreate a concept
  What are your goals? General image improvement, advertising for products/services, or recruiting trainees/skilled workers?
• Defining responsibility
  Who manages the Instagram channel? Who is responsible for content, and who answers comments and questions?
• Plan updates
  How often and when is new content published on Instagram?
• Transport image
  What is your company philosophy? How can you communicate it through your Instagram posts?
• Find a language style
  Young people are the most active users on Instagram. Therefore, your content should be casual and authentic. Evoke emotions: Posts that are emotionally touching, entertaining, or funny are the most likely to be shared on Instagram.
• Offer variety
  Create varied content to keep your readers interested – for example, with stories (posts with multiple photos/videos that disappear after 24 hours), reels (short videos) and unusual images.
• Use tools
  Instagram offers many features and effects that can be used to enhance photos and videos, such as filters, music, or slow/time-lapse functions.
• Check quality
  Ensure all photos and videos are of good quality. Never use shaky or blurry shots. Text and captions should be free of spelling errors.
• Build connections
  Seek contact with other users, for example, via the comment function under photos/videos on other profiles. Respond promptly to questions about your own posts.
• Define success control
  How are successes measured? Options include tracking tools, links to specially created websites, or the number of redeemed voucher codes.
• switch advertising
  Instagram ads can be used to generate higher traffic if needed. For example, tradespeople can select target groups, age groups, and keywords for which their own ads will be displayed.
  business.instagram.com
• Observe laws
  When posting on Instagram, please comply with all legal requirements, such as copyright and GDPR. Advertising posts must be marked accordingly.

Checklist: Connecting Facebook and Instagram profilesIf businesses already use Facebook, they can easily link their profile to Instagram. The advantage: posts can be published on both social media platforms simultaneously with just one click (cross-posting).
1. Launch the Facebook app on your smartphone/tablet and log in with your login details.
2. Open the menu (top right, symbol with three lines).
3. Click the “Pages” button.
4. Select the Facebook profile you want to connect to Instagram.
5. Click on “Settings” (gear icon in the top right corner).
6. Select “Instagram” and then “Link Account.”
7. Use the slider to allow/deny access to Instagram messages in the inbox.
8. After clicking "Confirm," enter your Instagram login details and click "Login."
9. Done! From now on, you can use a button on new Facebook posts to choose whether they will also be published on Instagram.

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