MARKETING
Getting the most out of Instagram By Matt Ross Love it or loathe it, social media is very much part of our lives. Increasingly it’s where people go to learn, get inspired, socialise, share ideas and to feel part of a community. It’s a free and fast way to engage your target audience and share your message. For those reasons it makes total sense for your business to embrace social media. In the coming issues I’m going to explain the different social media channels, how to use them and how to get the most out of them. Instagram is the perfect place to start for horticultural businesses; it’s all about sharing beautiful, inspiring and educational images and videos, something horticultural businesses have access to in abundance. If you haven’t got an Instagram account yet, you may think it’s too much work, that you don’t have the skill set, anything worth sharing or you don’t see the point. Think again.
I don’t have the time All you need is a phone with a camera. Take a few shots of your plants, displays, machinery or staff hard at work, each day. And commit to posting a posting schedule, you might want to share an image each day or each week, but commit to something and start sharing. It doesn’t need to be something you allow extra time for, just take a few snaps and let the image do the talking, Instagram is not a channel for lots of copy, less is more.
I don’t have the skillset You don’t need to be a master photographer to capture a beautiful image. Just point and shoot. Experiment with close up plant shots and stunning landscapes. If you’re still not convinced that you’re up to the job, find out if one or more of your team already enjoys and understands Instagram and empower them to manage your account.
I don’t have anything worth sharing In our industry we’re fortunate enough to work with one of the most photographic muses there is; plants! There is a growing appetite to celebrate the beauty of nature and plants are the perfect vehicle. We’re also sometimes guilty of taking our work sites for granted, again in our industry we’re fortunate to work in some amazing spaces that change with the seasons and the stock.
I don’t see the point What if I told you you could promote the excellence of your business, the expertise of your staff, the beauty of your stock and changes within your business, to thousands of potential gardeners and industry colleagues, and it won’t cost you a thing?
Here’s a snapshot of some of our members getting it right.
This post from Ozbreed shows that they care about erosion and the environment, they are sharing that knowledge with their audience and using the right hashtags.
The Greenery Garden Centre take the opportunity to share news with their customers and whet the appetite at the same time. The emojis are a nice touch too. u
GROUNDSWELL AUGUST 2021
29
