Let’s talk some more about social media, shall we? As publicists, we realize that the impact social media has on a business cannot be underestimated and we pride ourselves on being experts at expanding social media platforms for our clients.
Instagram has become a favorite social media platform for users as well as for organizations to market themselves on. The use of hashtags and carefully chosen (and filtered!) images allow for a business or organization to gather ‘likes’ and attention from within the Instagram community- and an added bonus is the ability to share the post to additional platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
The Norman B. Leventhal Walk to the Sea is an organization that has adapted to the changing times by launching a social media presence on Facebook and most recently on Instagram. Walk to the Sea is a one-mile walking tour through downtown Boston that provides students, tourists and history buffs with a compelling glimpse of Boston’s history through various glass and stainless steel panels along the walk’s route. Each stop on the tour is marked with a panel that provides historical lore and information on the location, some of which include Beacon Hill, the Old State House, the Rose Kennedy Greenway and more. A perfect insta-scenario? Yup!
For optimal visibility on Instagram, there are a few key aspects to consider:
- #HASHTAGS
We’ve created an official hashtag, #walktothesea, to consistently allow for our engagers to search for and interact with our posts. It is also important to research the top searchable hashtags relevant to your post. Targeting tourists and residents who frequently explore Instagram photos for the locations covered by the Walk, and the hashtags used by Boston event sites such as BostonUSA, also help us to develop which hashtags we will use in our posts. Some examples are:
- #longwharf
- #oldstatehouse
- #igboston
- #bostonUSA
- “RE-GRAM”
The ability to “re-gram” another user’s Instagram post via the Repost App is another way we will work to gain visibility and followers. Utilizing this feature creates a sense of inclusivity within the Instagram community and helps incentivize users to share their photos with your account.
- LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Tagging a location in your Instagram improves its visibility within the community. For users who do not utilize hashtags, this clickable search can connect users beyond language barriers and knowledge of social media tools and is highly valuable!
- ALL ACCESS
Turn the privacy setting OFF to allow fellow users to follow the account freely and for the profile to be public – usually results in an increase in ‘likes’.
- CHECK YOUR STATS
By utilizing technology such as Iconosquare, you can stay on top of everything from analyzing your following growth to researching engagement trends to discovering the optimal times for you to post in order to maximize ‘likes’.
See our campaign come to fruition by following @WalkToTheSeaBoston on Instagram and like The Norman B. Leventhal Walk to the Sea on Facebook, too!
-Team Mariellen
