Five ways fashion brands can stand out on Instagram

With a user base of 700m and a format focused on images, Instagram is the ideal platform for fashion retailers to show off their brand: the problem is that everyone’s got the same idea. Savvy Instagrammers don’t just want any old fashion shot.

Gone are the days where you could leave your Instagram strategy to the last moment: marketing on Instagram is an absolute necessity. So how can your brand stand out from the crowd? Follow these tips and you’re guaranteed to be an Insta-pro in no time.

Give them the wow factor

There is such a thing as Instagram overload. You need to post something that will startle these Insta-zombies out of their stupor - make sure yours is the image that makes them sit up in their seat. And the longer they look at your photo or video, the more they notice your fashion brand - and the more likely they are to engage with you.

Become the centre of attention by posting a unique image that makes your audience go ‘Wow!’. H&M are the experts at this - and they’re versatile too, with incredible posts ranging from this powerful video (below) of their sports ambassadors performing amazing yoga moves in the desert while wearing H&M sportswear, to this playful image of two women skipping around in a wheat field (pictured above).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO4VkQ0Bne9/

Stir their emotions

Emotion kicks in before logic.  Shots that affect a user’s emotions are far more likely to influence primal decisions. And there are a number of ways to manipulate your average Instagram user’s emotional capacity.

Adorable animal shots are an easy way to distract users before logic kicks in. Check out Forever 21’s pic of a tiny Yorkie puppy alongside a pair of shoes, which inspired hundreds of comments. But critters can also serve a more direct purpose: Grana cleverly used a video of one of their own cashmere goats  (pictured above) both for the cute-factor but also to showcase the authenticity of their jumpers.

The mighty hashtag

Hashtags used correctly are a powerful tool for both brand identification and to reach out to new audiences. It’s a delicate balance - hashtags need to be just popular enough that people search for them, but not so popular that they are overused.

You must only use unique hashtags in one instance - as a consistent slogan to identify your brand.

As for number of hashtags - don’t go overboard. Studies show that the sweet spot for audience engagement is between four and six for each image. Using several variations on a general hashtag is also a good way to garner engagement.

Embrace video

It’s now a truism that that video is the future of content marketing on social media. This is because video is the best way to lay out narratives and tell compelling stories about your brand. A video allows you to delve deeper into the clothing brand’s story.

Ledbury, for example, employed an Instagram video to offer viewers an insight into the life of a man dressing for work on a Monday morning. This doubled up as a ‘how-to’ as well as an interesting narrative - showing the protagonist how to turn his casual clothes into a work-appropriate ensemble.

And don’t be afraid to dip your toe into the Instagram Stories feature - it’s for just that: telling empathetic stories that allow users to engage with your brand on a more meaningful basis. It doesn’t matter if your Story is less polished than your usual fare: because they disappear there’s little chance of brand damage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRjKh95DR_u/?taken-by=ledburyshirts

Know when to post

Knowing what to post is for amateurs - knowing when to post really separates the wheat from the chaff. Users will be turned off if you post several photos back to back - and will forget about you completely if you don’t post often enough.

Timing is key. 5pm is the magic hour - people are leaving school and work and heading straight to their Instagram feed, so post around this time to hit multiple different demographics at once. It goes without saying that if your target market is of working age, don’t post in work hours.

Now you know when to post, you have to be consistent and repeat your strategy. Adopt tools such as post schedulers offered by Iconosquare and others to schedule your Instagram posts and share them at the best times for maximum engagement.

Use Instagram responsibly in your marketing - it has the opportunity to make or break your brand. A feed that’s strictly curated, with the right content at the right time can ensure that your brand’s voice is consistent and your potential customers are engaged.

Romain Ouzeau is the CEO of Iconosquare, the social media analytics company.