Instagram Trends of 2019: stay ahead of the game

Business How To’s

14 March 2019

Instagram Trends of 2019: stay ahead of the game

  • Posted by Awfis Editorial

March 13th was a black day for many of us who spend nearly all our waking hours on Instagram and Facebook. A technical glitch created a major outage and a sort of existential crisis for millions (yes, you read that right) of users. Just how large a following Instagram has was amply evident during this digital apocalypse.

If your brand has still not tapped into the possibilities of Instagram, it’s not too late yet. Move over Facebook and other social media platforms; Instagram is well on its way to becoming the ultimate marketing tool for brands looking to build a strong digital presence. Month on month, this photo and video sharing platform is leapfrogging its way into boardrooms and marketing meetings.

And quite rightly so. It offers a slew of exceptional advantages that make all the difference between a brand being #1 or #2. Throughout last year, the app made upgrades and modifications to its interface, and completely spoiled us with all the fun stuff.

Wonder what everyone’s favourite app has in store this year. We did a little snooping and this is what we believe users and brands can look forward to.

Going further with Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) is set to be one of the biggest Instagram trends of 2019. If you thought this is some futuristic stuff, you’d be surprised to know that you have already interacted with it through Instagram Stories. Those cute face filters, such as the puppy dog ears and nose? Those are actually AR filters. Who knew, right? Simply put, AR is superimposing virtual effects (computer generated images and videos) onto the real world through the camera.

There are over 400 million people using Instagram Stories daily! And that, dear brands, is a fantastic opportunity for you to jump on to the face filter bandwagon. Create your own custom AR filters for your customers to use using Facebook’s Spark AR Studio.

And how does this benefit you? In order for your customers to use the filters, they need to follow you on Instagram or at least visit your brand profile. Once they do that, it’s all up to you to keep them engaged. AR filters have all the makings of going viral. Question is how soon you are going to cash in.

Everybody likes a good story

Instagram might have started out as a place to post pretty pictures of food and cats, but it is a serious business tool today. With the numerous features it offers, it’s a space to engage with customers and to build a community of fans.

If you’ve been following Instagram’s progress, you’ll see how Stories has slowly and steadily grown in popularity over the last few years. Many users are now actively posting on Stories rather than their classic feed, which has become more secondary. To put it in digital parlance, the main feed is more like their home page – strategic, planned, etc. – where people can stop by to see what’s happening. However, Stories is more natural and shows their quirky, ‘human’ side.

Instagram’s been quick to catch up on this trend and most of its recent updates have been around Stories: polls, questions, emoji reactions, stickers, countdown, music, focus mode … the list goes on. This means brands will now find easier and better ways to communicate with their audience, taking customer engagement to a whole new level. You can use Story stickers to give some measure of involvement to customers during product decisions. Track their feedback, and tweak and change your offering until it satisfies the majority.

Shopping @Instagram

Today, nearly 62% of smartphone users are making purchases via their mobile devices on the go. If you are an ecommerce brand, Instagram is your gateway to more sales. With nifty features like shopping and product tagging, monetising your presence on Instagram has never been easier.

Whether it’s loyal followers who want to purchase your products or potential ones who discover you on Instagram, this platform is now a bona fide sales channel that you can no longer afford to ignore.

Its built-in shopping reminder – the tiny shopping bag icon that appears in the lower-left corner of your posts – is a quiet trigger of shopping opportunities.

Using Instagram product tagging allows you to capture more mobile users who are always on the go, and shopping while they do it. And as more customers realise just how easy and fun it is, the tribe of Instagram shoppers is only going to grow.

All that they need to do is click on your shoppable posts via the ‘Shop’ button that is conveniently located directly below your highlights/bio. Serious shoppers can browse through all your shoppable posts, making it really easy for you to appeal to their inner shopaholic.

Nearly 46% of people say they avoid purchasing from a brand if it means a disconnected mobile experience. Instagram product tagging takes care of that seamlessly. It sends your customers directly to your product pages – sitting snug within the Instagram app itself.

Get real with influencers

The influencer marketing industry is expected to touch $5-10 billion by 2020. And this has been largely due to Instagram. And even though most brands are gung-ho about influencer marketing, the regular folks are starting to see through the thin veneer of perfect Instagram posts, overly edited photographs and sponsored content.

Influencers are getting real now. They have come to realise that in order to retain their followers and also their brand deals, they will need to get more personal and authentic this year. You will see more influencers being open about their sponsored content, even explaining to their followers how much of their income comes from sponsored posts.

This will mean more genuine experiences for customers and far more deeper, meaningful and authentic relationships.

The trend sort of kicked off in 2018 itself, which saw the rise of a new kind of Instagram influencer focused on authenticity. The example of body positive Jenna Kutcher is perfect. She went from 166k to 700k+ followers in just a year, that too without paying for a single follower.

Watch out for IGTV

When IGTV was launched in June 2018, it was a bit of a damp squib. Which was quite surprising, as the vertical video format is easier to work with while creating content, and for users as well to watch on their phone. However, the good guys always win in the end. It was closer to the end of the year when some of the bigger brands and influencers started dabbling in IGTV. 2019, we believe, will see vertical video come into its own. More brands and public figures will publish long-form content and more users will start to check IGTV. Be ready for the shift, and start working on creating vertical videos soon.

Conclusion

Instagram has always been a visual medium. ‘Show, don’t tell’, has been the mantra all along. And now with its many new features and upgrades, Instagram will help you turn your feed into a fun and easy selling machine too.

7 Types Of Colleagues Found In Every Successful Organization

Business How To’s

25 August 2021

7 Types Of Colleagues Found In Every Successful Organization

  • Posted by awfis

A dynamic enterprise usually thrives on a cocktail full of spunky personalities. Each brings in their unique talents and habits that fit like perfect pieces in a puzzle. From the sassy boss to the clingy colleague, here’s some types that you are bound to bump into…

7_types_of_colleagues_found_in_every_successful_organization
1. The compulsive foodie(s)

Instead of clients, this one’s got all the city’s restaurants on speed dial. From Domino’s to the latest hotspot in town, their peckish appetite will ensure that there’s plenty food circulating all around office. Whether, you’ve got random board meetings or your team’s working at odd hours – you’ll never be hungry ever.

2. The witty assassin

This one will ‘slay’ you more lethally than Beyonce or Eminem ever will.  Come hell or sunshine, he or she’s got the perfect comeback for every painful person and situation. Known for having their fair share of haters, they’re also true entertainers. But, it’ll do you good to remember that it’s a war of words that’s not worth playing….

3. The jack-of-all trades

From sweet talking to https://www.https://www.awfis.com/inspiration/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/shutterstock_3835072871.jpg.com/inspiration/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Awfis-is-your-new-Office1.jpg to executing any kind of project – you name it & it is done.  This breed seldom takes no for an answer.  Whatever is touched turns to gold and they will leave you wondering how it got done. If you need a helping hand, an insightful shrink, or someone to walk your dog, rest assured you can depend on this pro multi-tasker with your eyes shut!

4. The road runner

This famous few will be on their toes, always on the phone, pretending to be busier than the Kardashians.  Your’re more likely to see them at the office door as a permanent fixture. All the worlds’ people know this person and this social butterfly is likely to know everyone. Constantly on the move, you’ll need this PR pro to take your business to places.

5. The tech geek

You’ll always find this genius, behind a bunch of wires, computers and applications. Broke a light bulb, had a short-circuit or you found your desktop suddenly crashed… Fret not. Dexter’s got the perfect fix. Quiet and demure, he probably takes pride in being faster than a normal computer. But, if you’re a know-it-all, then you might not like this mister…

6. The swear champion

This person believes in pure tough love. Yeah, ouch! When the pressure builds up and clients turn demanding, then be sure to hear a spew of gushing swears. Whether it’s loud and clear or below the belt, this one is feared and they sure know how to get work done. Tip: They are usually in positions of power and you’d rather never cross the line with them

7. The constant complainer

This one’s a problem magnet. Even on the brightest day where there’s plenty of reason to rejoice, this type loves telecasting their worries. This includes the coffee machine, that might have broken down or the weather that suddenly turned rotten – there’s always something to say. However, their minute observation constantly keeps you in check and hey! Be assured that you’ll get plenty feedback for the tiniest things on agenda.

But whether you like it or not… take each of these types with a pinch of salt, because they make for the big brains and even bigger learning curves…

Things Every Entrepreneur Can Learn From Pursuit of Happyness

Business How To’s

25 August 2021

Things Every Entrepreneur Can Learn From Pursuit of Happyness

  • Posted by awfis

Pursuit of Happyness is an iconic movie which was released in 2006. It has been 10  years since it released, but never fails to inspire the viewer. It fills the person with a determination to fight for their dreams irrespective of the hindrances that come along.

Based on a true story of Chris Gardner, a man who loses everything , but manages to get everything because of his perseverance. They show how Chris and his son battle a period of homelessness selling medical bone density scanners while being enrolled in an internship as a stock broker.

pursuit_of_happyness poster

Here are the important things that every entrepreneur can take from the movie:

1. Be ready for extreme hardships:

We’ve seen in the movie that Chris Gardner goes through numerous hardships. Whether it comes to selling his bone density scanners or taking up an internship while managing to take care of his son and provide for him. He doesn’t lose his determination even when everything seems bleak. It’s important not to give up and go on and try to overcome the problems that we come across, daily.

2. Aim for the stars

Always aim high! Believe in yourself and everything can be conquerable. Chris Gardner took a chance and went for an option of interning as a stockbroker where only one person at the end would be given a job! He took a chance when the odds were against him and proved that all you need is an opportunity to achieve things when you set your heart at it.

3. Put In all the effort

When you want to achieve something make sure you give your best shot. A half hearted attempted is a good as not giving it a try. Chris Gardner has many close calls, where anyone else would have given up. He even fixes a bone density scanner at the homeless shelter to make the ends meet.  He has proved that if one wants anything eagerly in life, they should work as if their life depends on it.

4. Never let anyone’s judgement cloud your decision

Do not forget to believe in yourself, even if everyone gives up on you. Your decisions should be made on the basis of your logic and intuition rather than someone else’s judgement. Chris does not give up on the internship even when his wife leaves him. Instead he gets even more determined to succeed. Listen to your heart and no one else’s opinion. Immerse yourself in your dream idea!

5. Never show signs of weakness

Always show your strengths. The moment you do that, everything will fall into place. Fear is the toxin, hope and belief is the antidote. Chris always greeted everyone on a positive note and did not even flinch when he has to shell out his last 5$ to pay for executives cab fare. Quick thinking and how you transform your weaknesses into strengths is what matters eventually.

Chris Gardner’s remarkable achievements show that no matter how many obstacles you face, the rules for success are the same for everyone. If you follow the rules, no matter how difficult it gets, you will reap the reward of your own “Pursuit of Happyness.”

5 Effective Strategies to Market Your Freelance Career

Business How To’s

25 August 2021

5 Effective Strategies to Market Your Freelance Career

  • Posted by awfis

What’s better than doing the job that you love and getting paid for it? That’s the life of a freelancer. You get the best of both the worlds where you get to mix passion and profession together. Freelancing is no magic, you can either be an individual with your own website or a part of a team who has been taking up projects from various clients for over a period of time.

Freelancer

If you are a freelancer and are wondering about the next steps to make it successful, here are some strategies that we think will help you make it a long term career.

  1. Create a checklist of your deliverables:

The first step to promote your freelance career is to list down your skill set in the order of strength. It can be writing, graphic designing, creating video content or anything else that you think is your forte. Once you have this list ready, your reality will be in front of your eyes. The strengths can eventually result into a niche market of your own, via freelancing.

  1. Make sure your content reaches your target audience:

In today’s world identifying your potential client, plays key while marketing for the freelancer. In order to ensure this, make sure that your content is shared on all the social media platforms. For example, if you have created a video make sure you maximize it on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other relevant social media platforms. With this you can increase the visibility of your content and influence them with your content.

  1. Do not forget to focus on e-mail marketing:

E-mails are the best way to reach the correct target audience. The click through rate might be less compared to other social media platforms but around 90% of the audience using e-mails check it daily. People sign up for various sites knowing that they would be receiving mails from that particular website. It is the easiest way to cover a large network area. If you are a little shy or lack the opportunity to connect with the right market, cold emailing will be the best way to reach out to your target.

  1. Maintain your website traffic and Inquiry section efficiently:

The easiest way for people to contact you is through the inquiry section on your website. Do respond to inquiries as soon as you can as this will uplift the credibility of your brand. Along with that make sure Search Engine Optimisation and Search Engine Marketing for your page/website is up to mark. As they say, optimizing the page is better than being lost somewhere amidst millions of similar searches.

  1. Get referrals from your clients:

Referrals provide authenticity to your work. Word of mouth is better than any other form of marketing. Use it as an advantage and get credibility for your work. Effective relationships are built over a period of time. They not only enable you to reach out to your potential clients, but also motivate you to perform better. Do not hesitate to get testimonials from clients you’ve delivered great service to!

Using these strategies will prove beneficial for kick-starting your freelancing career. If you are ready and confident about your freelancing skills, it’s time to implement these strategies in reality!