Is your company “killin’ it?”

Use PR to, like, learn how to take advantage of Instagram to reach a younger demographic

According to a recent study, Instagram is the social network of choice for the tweens and teens of today. Another survey ranked this popular application as having the most engaged users. This shift has occurred only in the past year or so and puts Instagram ahead of Twitter and the no-longer-cool Facebook.

The Nielsen rating company reports that more than one million, or roughly one-tenth of all socially connected teenagers in this country, are on Instagram each month. Although most adults know that these teenagers are simply choosing one Facebook option over the other, since Facebook acquired Instagram two years ago, we still need to know if this is the best way to reach this ever-moving demographic.

Ways that companies might make the most of Instagram

As with any method of reaching out to customers, you first have to know what they want. The brains behind the Instagram phenomenon seem to have figured that out for the teenage set, at least for the time being. Businesses are now confronted with the issue of how to use this format to offer usable content and value without scaring that audience away.

Of course, as with any type of customer engagement, it is important to remember that your message should be about the customer, not you and your product. To use Instagram or any other social media site effectively, you must learn what the audience needs and how your product or service can fulfill that need.

Your content must appeal to them visually and emotionally and, especially with teens, it may help to change or adjust often to keep them interested. Also, take note of the fact that most have mobile devices, so you should design content with that in mind. Additionally, since teenagers are constantly connected, it is crucial to communicate with and relate to them on their level.

Why every company should care about this market

The truth is every company is looking for loyal customers who will then become promoters and ambassadors for its brand. Simply put, if you can achieve this while the customers are teenagers, this connection could extend to adulthood, creating a relationship that can span generations.

Just think of how you feel about products from your childhood such as Coca-Cola, Hershey’s and Proctor and Gamble items. Don’t forget the nostalgia you might still hold for those yearly family vacation destinations or the model of your first car. Now, imagine more than one million teenagers having those feelings about your company.

Teenagers tend to have loads of disposable income as well as a certain amount of influence over their parents. As a result, there is value in targeting this audience.

How PR can help

Through all this, it is crucial to recognize that just because new technology and applications are popular today, that doesn’t mean they will be around forever (we’re looking at you, MySpace and Friendster). This makes it even more important to evaluate your options, anticipate trends and capitalize on them when appropriate.

The right PR firm can help you with this critical task. At Axia, we keep our finger on the pulse of social media and networking sites (there seem to be new ones popping up every day) to help our clients decipher when and how to use them to attract their target audiences and seamlessly move them through the sales cycle. To learn more about how we do this, download our e-book The Essential Social Media Management Guide or contact us today.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter at @axiapr.