In February, 2014, Choose Chicago’s Instagram account had a little over 500 Instagram followers. Today, 15 months later, they have over 70,000 engaged followers. Find out how Nycole Hampton, Social Media Strategist at Choose Chicago, strategically grew their Instagram following while building relationships and a strong fan base. You’ll walk away from the session with valuable tips on how you can grow your brand’s following.

1. Growing a Fiercely Loyal,
Engaged Instagram Following
9th
#SMMSummit
Nycole Hampton
Social Media Strategist
Choose Chicago

2. • 400 million monthly active users
• 30 billion photos shared
• 70 million photos shared per day
• 85% of top brands are on Instagram
• 58 times higher engagement than Facebook
• 120 times higher than Twitter
• 53% of Instagram users follow their favorite brand use
• 44% use Instagram for product research
Instagram launched 10.6.10
Why does Instagram matter?
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

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Choose Chicago grows from 550 followers to 80k+ in under 2 years
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole
#TakingOverChooseChicago 14,000+% growth

4. STRATEGY
Instagram is not an
“if you build it, they will come”
platform!
Time to roll up your sleeves. What should you include in your strategy?
How do you grow a fiercely loyal, engaged Instagram following?
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

5. • Quality photos
• Post regularly
• Style consistency
• User generated content (UGC)
• Use captions to tell stories
• Contests/giveaways/discounts
• Videos
• Geotag photos (results in 79% higher engagement)
Content
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

6. • Why do brands need to use them? Joining conversations & to be found.
• Have your own brand hashtag
• You can use 30 hashtags (Relevant ONLY – no #like4like)
• Not using ALL relevant hashtags is leaving opportunity on the table.
• Keep your captions clean
• Research hashtags – what are your customers engaging with?
• Using 11+ hashtags increases interaction by 79%
Hashtags – USE THEM!
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

7. • Introduce your official hashtag
• Encourage photo sharing
• Regram
• Themes
• Instameets
• Get involved with existing communities
(fitness, cities, foodies)
Community – Build it and get them involved
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

8. • What is it?
• Who are your influencers?
• Who has the attention of your audience?
• Influencers tell your brand story
• Build mutually beneficial relationships
• Collaborate with and empower your influencers
• Give them unique opportunities
• #TakingOverChooseChicago case study
Influencer Marketing
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

9. •Respond to comments
•Engage with
current/potential customers
• But first – how do you find
them?
• Your followers
• Find through relevant hashtags
• People following/engaging with
competitors
Engage
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

10. •Cross promote on other
social channels
•Get creative (tile screenshots)
•Include in newsletters, website,
email signatures
Promote
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

11. • Computer App
• Grids – Great engagement tool
• Phone editing Apps
• Snapseed
• Faded
• Facetune
• VSCOcam
• Afterlight
• Retouch
Apps I’d recommend
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole

12. Questions?
@ChooseChicago
@msnycole