Your brand uses Instagram for a range of purposes. From sharing new products to getting the word out about pop-up sales, it's an important platform to connect and engage with your customers through pictures and videos.
You probably spend a significant amount of time and hard work generating original content to share. But have you considered reposting others' content on Instagram and getting the same positive results? A well-planned Instagram repost can do just as much to build your brand as your own content, maybe more. Whether you repost Instagram video or pictures, your current and future customer base loves seeing their own work promoted across a large, branded platform. Keep reading to learn how to harness the power of the "regram."
Part 1: Find user-generated content
Your first goal is to identify high-quality user-generated content that you would consider reposting on Instagram. Instagram, much like Twitter, makes use of hashtags to link individual posts into one flowing conversation. While you likely already monitor brand mentions on this and other social platforms, why not create a unique, memorable hashtag based around your brand's message or products, and encourage your customers to use it when posting?
Edit your Instagram profile to contain this hashtag and promote it on your own feed. Once your audience starts using it, all you have to do is click on the hashtag to see all of the individual posts. It makes it easier to browse and select the user-generated content that you love.
Another way to find exceptional user-generated content is to develop an influencer community. Influencers typically have a significant social following and frequently promote your own brand's message to their circle. Using a platform like Pixlee [now Emplifi], you can identify these influencers and build strong relationships with them. They may be one of your greatest sources of user-generated content.
You can also encourage user-generated content creation by holding a live event and encouraging followers to post. Run a contest and gift the winner a prize for the best submission. For the most part, passionate customers want to post about their positive experiences – you just have to present an opportunity.
Part 2: Plan the "regram"
Once you've encouraged your followers to post, you're going to have a large selection of pictures and videos to choose from. Don't just pick the first post that you find interesting. There are many factors to consider when planning your first video or picture repost. Instagram is home to users across the globe who post content from a range of different environments. The key is finding the picture or video that best fits your brand's style guide and its Instagram strategy. What are your governing principles for posting on Instagram? Do you have visual standards like a set color theme? Do you have branding standards, like a certain tone in the text of the post?
Once you've found the picture or video that fits with your feed, it's time to talk to the original poster. Start by sending them a direct message (DM). If they include any other contact information in their profile, you could also reach out that way, such as by email. You could also leave a comment on their post. Ask for their permission to share their post with your following. This isn't just courteous – you are required to get permission from the original poster per the terms of Instagram's usage policy whenever you repost Instagram videos or pictures. However, this permissioning process also lets you get your feet wet in some 1:1 marketing.
Once you've received the go-ahead, make sure you never edit the photo or video. If one of your followers traces the post back to its original source, it should look exactly the same. You also must be sure to credit the original poster. You should credit them in the post caption, not just by tagging them in the post. Make it as clear as possible that you are repurposing another user's post, not posting an original picture or video.
Part 3: Post the "regram"
The Instagram platform offers no option for reposting. Instagram only allows users to share via Facebook, Instant Messenger, copy the URL or tweet the content. You will have to either learn how to repost an Instagram picture manually or find a repost Instagram app that you like.
Can you repost Instagram without using a third-party app? Yes, it's possible, but only for pictures. Here are the steps you would have to follow:
Take a screenshot of the picture.
Upload the screenshot as a new post.
Crop and reposition so only the original photo is left in the frame.
Write a caption, credit the original user, and post it.
It's best to take a different approach if you'd like to maintain picture quality, since screenshots typically reduce it, or you might be considering videos to repost. From Instagram to Facebook to Twitter, there are a range of third-party apps that make posting for your brand easier than ever. You just have to find the one that you like best.
The best Instagram repost app for Android users, or for brands who may post from both Android or iOS, is "Repost for Instagram." Though each Instagram repost app stamps a watermark on the photo or video, "Repost for Instagram" lets you customize it, giving you modern-looking options, but like most apps, you'll have to upgrade to get rid of the ads. Another repost app for Instagram that's worth trying is "Regram 7," which lets you pick four different watermark options and also post the update to Twitter.
There are a range of different options available when you're looking for a repost app. Instagram users usually rate each in the iOS and Android app stores and that can help guide your decision.
Besides choosing a repost app for Instagram, you should also consider using a third-party app to help schedule each post. Pixlee can help analyze the best times to post content and schedule posts accordingly. It takes the guesswork out of it and increases engagement.
How Does "Regramming" Benefit You?
Learn how to repost on Instagram and it could drastically change the way you converse with your followers – in a good way. In general, users are already more engaged with brands on Instagram. In fact, a recent study shows Instagram engagement is up by 10 percent over Facebook, 54 percent over Pinterest, and 84 percent over Twitter. If you're going to start conversations with your customers on any platform, Instagram is it.
Millennials trust user-generated content 50 percent more than any other type of media. So your brand's latest Instagram video repost with a happy customer describing how much they love your product? That message is going to resonate. You're also going to procure more followers, and, therefore more sales.
So spend some time learning how to repost pictures on Instagram and learn how to work your new Instagram repost video app. Your followers will know you respect them and their opinion when they see a video or photo repost. Instagram is a platform of endless possibilities, and becoming an expert on the "regram" is a worthwhile investment for your brand and your business.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on pixlee.com. Any statistics or statements included in this article were current at the time of original publication.
