If you're in tune with the rest of the world, meaning if you've been plugged into the internet as most of us are, chances are you have a social media profile. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr have allowed us to stay connected in a myriad of ways that have not been possible before.
At this point, nothing is entirely new or closed off to us; technology has made the plethora of information in the known universe accessible.
It's the biggest social experiment. "Social" being the keyword here. Because regardless of the times, whether you're a baby boomer or a millennial, the ability to interact with another person is imperative.
Those that understand this crucial element to life make the best businessmen. And in moving with the times, it has become important for businesses and brands to build a social media presence.
Which makes Instagram's latest business profile feature a crack in the asphalt, allowing the flowers of innovation to bloom. By switching over to the business profile, your consumers can easily stay in touch with your business. Instagram connects to your Facebook profile, putting your contact information front and center for your followers to see. With a simple press of a button, your consumers can easily interact with you.
This can make or break how successful brands become. For one, promoting yourself as a business profile is a great way of solidifying your status as a professional.
But there are other ways to ensure that your profile generates the traffic you desire.
Let's look at some of the biggest businesses right now and gauge where they stand on social media rankings. Using the Fortune 500 list, which ranks companies based on their revenues, we'll get a look at which types of businesses are utilizing their Instagram the best way possible.
Number one on the list is Walmart, raking in a whopping $482,130 million in revenues. Interesting enough, for a company that is worth the most this year, Walmart only boasts a 600k followers list with roughly 1,500 people liking their posts.
Apple, standing at number three on the Fortune 500, fares a bit better. Their Apple Music account has 1.4 million followers. They are amongst the top ten of most followed businesses on Instagram. Why is that? How is a company that brings in less revenue than Walmart able to retain such a high amount of followers?
Because Apple's social media team understands that to be a successful business on Instagram, one must use the tools at your disposal. Nearly every single one of Apple's posts uses hashtags or other handles to promote their products. Consumers can easily interact and stay in touch with Apple's latest products and services.
While the bigger companies haven't switched over to the business profile (why would they? We doubt Apple or Walmart wants unsolicited messages), the feature is great for smaller brands to start conversing with their consumers. With the social media game constantly changing, it is essential for businesses to keep up.
Remember, it's about being social, friendly, amicable and accessible. Hashtags, shoutouts, comments, liking pictures, following others with similar interests, these are the few ways to gain consumers and becoming a brand worth following. By switching to the business profile on Instagram, you're taking the first step in opening up the door to the people you want to reach.