Is your business right for Instagram?

Alison Battisby, social media consultant and founder of Avocado Social, explains which types of businesses are the best fit for using Instagram as a promotional tool.

If Twitter is about reading what's new in the world, then Instagram is about seeing what's new. The hugely popular app now reports more than 300m users worldwide and is regularly named the fastest growing social media network.

All kinds of businesses are interested to know what the opportunity with Instagram is so I thought I'd share some of the questions which you can ask to determine whether the social media network is right for your business.

1. What's your purpose for using Instagram?

Instagram is all about inspiring your followers, so it works very well for lifestyle brands including fashion, beauty, travel and décor. Instagram isn't the easiest social media site for driving traffic back to your website, so many businesses are using it for brand awareness and customer loyalty.

2. Who is your target audience?

Instagram's most popular demographic is 18-29 years old, with 53% of users falling within this bracket. The female demographic is slightly larger than the male demographic too, and users are more likely to live in urban areas. (Source: Sprout Social)

3. What is the nature of the photos you can share?

Your Instagram channel will be more appealing if you post images here which aren't available anywhere else, as you're giving your followers something exclusive. Instagram users are hungry for beautiful, unique and stunning imagery so ask yourself whether this is something your business can deliver and if it's appropriate. More corporate based businesses need to consider whether they have enough interesting content, or whether to focus their efforts on LinkedIn.

4. Do you have enough photos?

As with all social media channels, do you have enough content to keep it up to date with fresh photos? You should be aiming to post to Instagram at least every other day but the most successful accounts are posting twice daily.

5. How quirky can you be?

Successful Instagram accounts such as Symmetry Breakfast, Lucky Dip Club and Livia's Kitchen all have distinctive styles, making them quirky or memorable. It's important to find your own style and to keep it consistent as this makes your account stand out in the busy Instagram newsfeed

There's plenty more to learn about Instagram, so why not come along to our Instagram for business evening featuring success story Symmetry Breakfast on 27 October in London? The account has more than 400,000 followers and has been mentioned by Jamie Oliver and Buzzfeed. It's just £20 to attend (or £15 for Enterprise Nation members) and will be a fun filled evening of learning and inspiration. Sign up below.