NATDA Magazine Nov/Dec 2016 Volume 9 Number 4 | Page 62

Instagram is a wildly popular social media platform, and one that many of your customers and potentials often use – especially the younger people in your target audience. AKA those coming up in the new generation of buyers for your business.   It’s important to have a presence on Instagram because there are a lot of people using it every day. One of the worst mistakes you can make as a marketer is failing to have any type of presence on a major platform. Instagram is free, plus quick and easy to use, so why not utilize it? Even if the majority of your audience are late to jump on new trends and aren’t on Instagram, you don’t want to lose those prospects who are.   Most people think of Instagram as just a gallery for pictures. While a well-managed account with great trailer imagery could certainly help to promote your dealership, it can’t do much else for your business.   Instagram has now given users the ability to create a business profile. The biggest difference between this type of profile and a regular account is the “CONTACT” button, which allows users to submit leads. In addition, you can categorize your business, provide directions, and utilize call-to-action buttons.   Like Facebook, Instagram can provide both analytics and insight so that you can better optimize your posts. Instagram can tell you the locations, genders, and ages of your followers, plus who is and is not active on your account. In addition to “likes,” you can see the number of impressions your posts are receiving – that means people who view your Instagram post without clicking “like,” and that’s a valuable number to know! All of this information makes it simple for you to tailor your posts to your most interactive, interested audience members and also draw in more followers.   62 NATDA Magazine www.natda.org