This could be due to the massive audience that advertisers could reach with Instagram. Brands such as Levi’s were able to reach 7.29 million consumers with their Instagram ads. This has undoubtedly swayed more companies to start using Instagram advertising products, at least the social network itself, as part of their marketing mix.

 

According to a Mashable article today, roughly 65% of the world’s most dominant brands are now active on Instagram. This is a huge leap compared to the second quarter of 2013 where only 42% were active. Moreover, 57% of brands post at least 1 photo weekly now while only 38% did so in the second quarter of 2012.

 

This growth in Instagram adoption showcases the continued shift in the social media landscape. Though social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are still go-to advertising tools for various brands, social pages such as Instagram are gaining more prominence in the digital industry. By using tools such as Instagram, advertisers can create cost-effective visual content to with their followers, manage their accounts more easily, and promote their brands more easily. Additionally, it’s tremendously easier to identify the demographics and lifestyles of Instagram users as people often (if not all the time) post photos of their #selfies which showcase their brand tastes, fashion style, and other attributes. This enables brands to effortlessly find consumers who fall into their sales bucket and promote their offerings to them.

 

Social media is becoming more than just a communications service amongst consumers – it’s becoming a robust advertising tool for nearly all B2C brands. By using platforms such as Instagram, brands can share vivid, rich images of their products and services to heighten brand recall, awareness, and ultimately, purchase intention.