Instagram is an unlimited source of user-generated content for every modern marketer or brand. Literally, 1 billion people share their thoughts every day within this social media platform. And most of these thoughts are connected with some product or service. So, why would you still hesitate to use Instagram for marketing purposes?
Instagram is able to provide nearly any brand not only with a connected user-generated content but also with a precious social proof for your marketing campaign. Social proof differs from other types of user-generated content with the easiest way of converting it into real leads for your business.
The questions you might be asking are how to collect social proof and how to use it for the sake of the promotional needs of your business? Let us try to answer these two essential questions within this short but informative article.
Here’s how to Collect Social Proof within Instagram
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The best way to collect social proof from Instagram is to use dedicated tools. One of the most popular examples of such tools is the Flow-Flow social streaming plugin. Whenever you need to create a social media feed and place it on your website or showcase it within a public event, Flow-Flow will come in handy.
Initially created as a WordPress Facebook feed plugin, this tool has already gone beyond one social network and gives you incredible opportunities to use pretty much any popular social media platform for user-generated content streaming.
Flow-Flow works in such a simple way:
- Create a feed from any social network you want.
- Choose the content type to stream (for example, a user profile or hashtag-related content from Instagram).
- Fine-tune the feed with pre-moderation and other additional options.
- Create a stream and connect your feed to it. Profit!
However, the simplicity of use is not the only advantage of the Flow-Flow social streaming plugin. Here are some more of them:
- 12 social networks and 40+ feed types at your disposal;
- the unique opportunity to mix any number of feeds from different social networks within one stream;
- ready-to-use layouts with additional customization opportunities;
- seamless social network API connection in one click;
- nearly unlimited customization opportunities within the visual editor (no coding skills required);
- lightbox galleries with a smart preloading feature;
- sorting and search bars for your users` convenience;
- video support from Instagram, YouTube, and Vimeo;
- pre-moderation option (recommended for user-generated content streaming);
- social sharing buttons and counters for every post within your social wall.
Putting it simply, Flow-Flow can be your versatile tool for creating any type of social media streaming, including the most popular like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and so on.
How to Use Social Proof for Marketing Purposes
Getting social proof is only half of a deal. Now you need to convert it to something useful for your brand. In other words, the content you have got from social networks does not work on its own. It should be properly presented and promoted. Let us observe the main options you have on this occasion.
The most popular and effective way to showcase your social proof is to stream it within your website. Flow-Flow can help you build a perfect social stream from Instagram or any other social media source without special knowledge or skills in web development or design.
Since you can stram not only your own user profile, the feature of pre-moderation will be very useful. Flow-Flow gives you an amazing opportunity to stream content from any public accounts, as well as hashtags and geo-related posts.
Pre-moderation will save you from spam, negative, or any unwanted content within your social stream. The feature is very simple to use: you just need to visit your social stream page (logged in as an administrator of the website) and approve proper posts in one click. Users will see changes within your stream immediately.
Social walls on digital screens represent the newest kind of advertisement based on user-generated content and social proof. Modern digital screens are able to stream your social streams on the same level as any PC, laptop, or mobile device.
Digital screens are widely used nowadays on different occasions: in corporate headquarters, in brick-and-mortar stores, in hospitals, museums, gyms, restaurants, or any other places where people can pay attention to their image.
Instagram feeds for events
Every modern event implies an active presence of its participants on Instagram and other popular social networks. Having this fact in mind, you might be interested in showcasing the social activity of the event in one place.
Digital screens are must-have tools for any modern conference or meet-up. They showcase the social life of your event and inform connected users about all updates, interesting promotions, involving giveaways, and so on.
Another unique opportunity of Flow-Flow is to integrate ads into your social streams. A dedicated add-on to the plugin will help you integrate advertisements with an individual approach to your social walls.
Integrated advertisement is a great way to monetize your social streams. Do not hesitate to use your popular social walls to promote connected products, help your visitors find interesting products or services, and earn money as a pleasant bonus.
Conclusion
The main goal of social streaming for marketing is to get social proof and use it for the promotion of your brand. Instagram can be a powerful source of user-generated content and social proof for your brand but only when you can convert it wisely.
The Flow-Flow social streaming plugin is your ticket to the exciting world of user interaction with products and services.
