I was asked recently on Twitter whether I would recommend Instagram as a marketing tool for business, and more specifically if I would recommend Instagram for scuba professionals looking to promote themselves or their centers. I did directly answer the question but decided it would make an excellent topic for the blog today.
What Is Instagram?
For those who don’t already know, Instagram is a photo sharing, social networking application for your mobile handset. Available for both iPhone and Android, Instagram allows you upload photos or edit your photos with nice filters and styles. You also “follow” your friends and your friends can “follow” you.
Why Use It For Scuba?
Scuba diving is a very visual medium and I mention this often because the reason most of got into diving is to see the things that you don’t see anywhere else. Coral, fish, shipwrecks and all the vibrant colours you don’t really see on land.
Why not share these wonderful sights with your followers? People who follow you will fall into 2 categories, those who have never tried scuba diving before and want to see what it is all about and those who are already divers. The one thing these both have in common is that they both love to see underwater pictures so why not share yours?
What Type of Photos Are Good For Sharing?
Anything underwater is good but you can be a bit more specific if you are promoting a dive center as you can showcase the locations you dive. Not all reefs are the same and not all wrecks are the same which makes good photos perfect for sharing. Show the world why your location is better than somewhere else.
Tagging Photos
As part of the Instagram update yesterday (2nd May 2013), you can now tag your photographs with the names of people in them. This can really work to your advantage. Ask your guests who are Instagram users to “Tag” your diving center in any photos they post. This is a great way of exposing your business name to divers who have not necessarily heard of you before.
Conclusion
If you don’t already have an Instagram page branded with your company name, do it now. It is a great way to raise brand awareness for your scuba business. Use your mobile handset to create an account after you have downloaded the application from the App store or Google Play store. Just search Instagram.
Originally published on my Dive Marketing Tips Blog
