One of the biggest marketing trends at the moment is live video, which gives organisations an opportunity to connect with new and existing customers on a personal level. Periscope, Snapchat and Facebook Live are already well-established live video options but there’s a newcomer to the live video game that’s dominating the market: Instagram.
When you think about Instagram you might think of carefully curated fashion and beauty photo feeds but the platform has been growing and evolving since its inception and it’s now one of the most valuable marketing tools a brand can have. With both Instagram Stories and Instagram’s live video functionality, brands can connect with their audience in a matter of seconds and this ease of use is what’s helping Instagram win the live video competition.
There’s a lot more to this platform than just live video and there are plenty of ways you can unify your WordPress site and Instagram account to provide a fully cohesive brand experience for your site visitors and social media followers.
Display Your Feed
The Instagram Slider plugin is a safe bet if you want to display your Instagram feed on your organisation’s website. This is particularly valuable option for those who operate in markets that lend themselves well to Instagram’s audience: lifestyle, beautiful, fashion and health are some of the most popular types of content.
The Instagram Slider Widget displays up to 12 images from your own feed, or up to 18 images if you specify a hashtag, which is a nice touch if you often have consumers sharing their own snaps of your products.
Embed Specific Content
You won’t even need to install a plugin for this option! If you want to share a specific Instagram post within the page content of your site then simply select the ‘Embed Link’ option on the Instagram picture in question, copy and paste the link into your WordPress page and you’re all set.
Share a User Gallery
One of the most effective ways to promote a product or service is to show it in action, particularly if those showing it off are happy customers. Enjoy Instagram is a plugin that creates a grid of Instagram posts based off of a hashtag or single account. Why not set up a gallery of happy customers enjoying your product and display it in a page dedicated to testimonials?
Promote Your Feed
Instagram Badges is a plugin that allows you to display a simple Instagram badge on your WordPress site that will encourage your site visitors to follow your account. Whether you display it in a sidebar, contact page or footer is completely up to you, you have full control.
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What are your favourite ways to bring your Instagram to life through your WordPress site? We’d love to know if there are any key plugins we’ve missed from the list, so please don’t hesitate to leave your recommendations in the comment section below.
