[slideshare id=29413080&doc=instagrammarketingguide-131221090752-phpapp02]
As a content curator, I’m not just on the hunt for learning the new or what’s buzzing. But, a big part of content curation is organizing and presenting your collection. I don’t always share links as I find them, but because I use content curation to support curriculum development for my training work, I like to share collections that organized so people can take an hour or so and get up to speed on a topic or to use if you are doing a training. Here’s the collection and annotated version is below.
Instagram Overview
Here’s the basics if you are getting the C-Suite up to speed:
Instagram is a free application for iPhone or Android that lets people take photos, apply filters to change the look of the photos and then share them. Users can share them on Instagram while also choosing to share them to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Foursquare. It was created in 2010 and purchased by Facebook in 2012 (more history here). As of March, 2014 Instagram has 200 million users.
Instagram has a couple of marketing benefits. It’s a great branding tool because it can engage audiences, creative instimacy, and appeals to the emotions. It is superb for visual storytelling about your organization, its stakeholders, and results.
Nonprofit Examples and Getting Started or Rebooting A Strategic Approach
If your nonprofit wants to get started or set up a presence it is “meh,” the first step is to check out what other nonprofits in your space are doing on Instagram and other inspiring examples.
Ten Inspiring Nonprofits (2012) on Instagram by Mashable
Nonprofits That Get Instagram (2014) by Kerri Karvesti – an excellent Pinterest board of great examples
Photophilanthropy on Instagram (2014)
Also, here’s a post I wrote about how early adopter nonprofits have used Instagram for contests.
If you want to see some what some of the best corporate brands are doing in Instagram for some transferable ideas, this post from Jeff Bullas is useful.
Your first step is listening and observing to gain some insights for your strategy. You should do some searching on key hashtags that your nonprofit uses as Instagram is big on hashtags and that’s where you’ll get the lay of the land. Here are some other good starter steps for nonprofits that want to grow their Instagram following strategically.
How to Use Instagram
This is selective list of best practice and tips blog posts ordered in a way to help you master Instagram.
Best Practices and Tips for Nonprofits
Here several excellent recent posts written for nonprofits that want to use Instagram:
- Best Practices and Tips for Nonprofits by Nonprofit Tech for Good (2014)
- How To Convert Instagram Audience To Supporters (2014)
- 5 Nonprofit Tips for Winning on Instagram by M&R (2014)
- 15 Tips for Nonprofits on Instagram (2013) by Giftworks
Cheat Sheets and Tutorial To Coach Your Nonprofit CEO
Instagram can be a great channel for your CEO – whether they have their own account like charity:water CEO Scott Harrison or use your organization’s branded account like Udi Ofer, CEO of NJACLU. If you have to support your CEO in learning and using Instagram, here’s two good resources:
- How To Use Instagram Features
- Instagram Cheat Sheet
Tool Box
There are lots of photo editing apps that work with Instagram, management tools, and tools to measure Instagram. Here’s selection of articles to build your toolbox.
- Five Marketing Management Tools (2014) Social Media Examiner
- 7 Photo Editing Apps to Use on Instagram (2012) Mashable
- Vintage Photo Editing Apps (2012)
- Free Report: Simply Measured
- Free Measurement Tools for Instagram (2013) Waxing Lyrical
How is your nonprofit using Instagram strategically? What’s your best tip or tool?
