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I'm sure I would have gotten enough money to buy the ticket to contest the 2019 presidential election if I get a dollar every-time I'm asked which social media platform is the best currently. Just this week alone, five friends have reached out to find out why I'm not active on Facebook like before. Most of them say they missed my posts especially my motivational posts and my actionable social media marketing strategies and tips. This shows that I have been adding value and impacting lives.
Many times I tell them to follow me on Instagram and turn on notification, and also follow our company page, QliqMedia for digital marketing insights. But some will either tell me that they don't know how to use Instagram or that they prefer Facebook. Lol.
So, I'm writing this to explain why Instagram is my primary social media platform right now and also help those who are contemplating whether to invest in Instagram or not make an informed decision.
First of all, I want to say that I still do Facebook. I can wake up from sleep any day and win a fight on Facebook. You can call me THE FACEBOOK MAYWEATHER. Needless to say that I started running Facebook ad for businesses in 2014. And I have built our QliqMedia Facebook page without ad to 22,000 likes and grew our Facebook group to over 64,000 members. I have also help businesses use Facebook to connect with their target audiences and sell their products. You cannot do that if you are not a Facebook marketing expert. Also, I have worked on not less than 20 Instagram pages in the last ten months and I can tell you the difference between Instagram and Facebook. Twitter and YouTube are also great for connecting with digitally empowered audiences and building brands.
So why Instagram?
Let me ask you: When was the last time you interacted with a business on Facebook?
Chances are, it doesn't happen very often for you. In fact, only 32% of Facebook users regularly engage with brands. But jump over to Instagram and that percentage more than doubles.
A whopping 68% of Instagram users engage with brands regularly. And, on average, Instagram has 58x more engagement per follower than Facebook.
Facebook is a pay to play platform. They intentionally show your posts to less people because they want you to pay to boost your posts so they can make money. That's why they tell you to boost your post, it's just like saying, come and buy. They make money from ad and that's why Mark Zuckerberg is one of the richest man in the world. The same picture that got one likes and zero comment on your 5k Facebook page could get up to 500 likes on your 1.5k Instagram page.
Also, if you research about the top business consultants and business leaders in Nigeria, you will realize that 100% of them are more active on Instagram.
Let's check from Fela Durotoye to Steve Harris to Kunle Soriyan to Ubong King, these guys sleep, wake up and eat breakfast and dinner on Instagram. They understand trend. As a business owner, you are supposed to study trends, be where your target audience are and respect their psychology.
Bottom line, Instagram is the platform you cannot ignore if you are looking to build a profitable brand in 2018.
For me, Instagram is the real bae.
So far I have over 23k followers and I have been able to attract international clients, featured on media platforms like Cool FM, Rhythm FM, local newspapers, blogs, websites and I have been invited to train and speak at conferences and summit like The New Media Summit and more.
But here is the truth about social media and picking a platform to build your brand:
In as much as you want to have your brand registered on all the relevant social media platform. It only makes sense to choose your primary channel, focus on it and dominate it.
Pick a platform and dominate it.
IF you try to win everywhere, you might not win anywhere.
Are you on Instagram? Follow me @Henshawjacobson.
About The Author
Henshaw Jacobson is a digital marketing professional, Instagram specialist and the founder of QliqMedia, a digital marketing agency operating from Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Henshaw Jacobson helps businesses and individuals gain VISIBILITY, grow INFLUENCE and make MONEY using creative marketing strategies and digital tools like social media, blogs and websites.
Connect with him on social media @henshawjacobson