4 ways Southeast Asia start-ups use Instagram to build brands

Why do social media platforms with selfie photos, travel photos, installation pictures (flatlay) show off so beautiful objects that become the next limit that digital advertising industry must overcome? The answer is simple - a picture is worth a thousand words.

Jane Choi - Product and business development manager for Vienna-based global Marking called OutThereMedia said: " As we know, Instagram is changing the advertising industry. is a place where everyone can search and reach other people in a vertical scrolling screen, no matter how far away their geographical distance is . "

According to StarNgage, the analytics company and also a customer search service, * about 10% of Southeast Asia's 600 million people use Instagram, equivalent to 60 million people . In it, 90% are people under 35 years old and many of them are entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs. If you want to build your brand with Instagram, remember the 4 lessons below.

1. Create a big picture with many small pictures

Luxury brands have been masters in this art. Think of names like Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Valentino or Dior. Choi said: " Their product does not need long explanation, brand value is conveyed through extremely simple images ". She encourages entrepreneurs to explore and discover the kind of feelings they want people to follow, such as inspiration.

She said: " Once this has been decided, you will have to create ways to express and repeat it again and again ." Descriptive lines also play an important role in suggesting Follower imagination. Singapore-based luxury online retailer Reebonz can post an item sold on their site - bags, shoes or accessories - but they will tell a story in a different way. For example, how will the Chloé bag be your perfect Friday evening accessory, how can Valentino high heels be a rockchic outfit or simply Chanel and What about coffee "dating" together?

2. Each post is a statement

Ask yourself: Can your brand offer interesting content that keeps Followers on track with your account? You should think about all the ways to create beauty for your photos, such as the items you are selling, background images, lighting and even image filters. And don't forget that each post is a statement.

In the case of Bridestory - an online wedding organizer company from Indonesia that is present in 75 countries, they build a statement that they are "authorities" in everything related to the wedding. No one can create more visual content than the woman who is preparing for her wedding. They posted pictures of the bride's wedding dress, bouquets, motifs, color trends and real photos of the couple at the wedding. Their comments about the images convey the message that they really understand this job, from there, their Instagram account turns into an inspiring place for those who want to become brides.

Choi said, like quality, time and quantity are also important. When is your target market online? How often do they want to see you? Therefore, market research should also be considered.

3. Do not use direct advertising

" The end customers are getting smarter. They can recognize paid ads right away when they see them, " Choi said. Keep in mind that your efforts on Instagram are not geared towards direct sales, instead think of it as a complement to your advertising strategy to increase awareness and loyalty. trademark.

The Manila-based Sunnies Studios brand is a brand that has affordable prices but still offers a stylish product for children. While most of their posts are real images of products, they also try to influence the images that inspire the collection, such as style offices in the 70s or pair of sunglasses that Bruce Lee wore when he was young.

Sophistication is the key, but be free and feel free to create promotions or competitions among Followers by using images to provide detailed information or explain how through photo descriptions. .

4. Working with influential people

Influential people are key keys, they have many followers in their field and can influence their purchasing decisions by their true "power". Choi said, to choose the best influencers, look beyond the Follower numbers, but instead, do market research that these people can access and follow Follower's level of interaction. According to the website marketing TFM Insights technology, speaking in the language of digital marketing, the reach refers to the number of people who can see your content while the level of engagement is measured by the number of times Posts are liked, shared or commented.

For example, the Phillippine office of Lazada (based in Singapore) recently introduced their brand ambassador - a local social media character named LA Aguinaldo and a promising model Kelsey Merritt. As a brand, your goal is to make the most of the Follower they have. For example, with more than 100,000 Follower Instagram accounts, Aguinaldo is a sales promotion in the back-to-school season with the company's mascot - the lion Laz the Lion. This post has 4,600 likes.

Choi added: All influential people want their next post to perform better than the previous ones. The question is, what value can your brand bring to help add their image?

(*) This phrase is temporarily translated for Influencer Marketing Platform. Influence Marketing is a marketing method that uses influential people in society to target your target audience. These people can be persuasive as well as influence the ability of the object you are targeting to buy. Influencers Marketing Platform is the provider of this service.

Author: Mariska Cabrera