As a quick aside, Instagram and Snapchat do have video capabilities. However, most of their marketing power comes through imagery. But why are image-based social platforms receiving so much love? For starters, such sites:
Represent prime places to curate and promote user-generated content via branded hashtags
Allow brands and users alike to show off product photos without coming off like a used-car salesman
Provide users a much-needed break from traditional blogs and lengthy written content
Of the various types of social media, image-based platforms cover a wide range of industries and audiences as noted below.
Instagram
Don’t write off Instagram due to its reputation as a place for little more than selfies and celebrity gossip. Given that 65% of the top performing posts on Instagram contain products, there’s no need for marketers to be shy when selling via visual content. Meanwhile, there’s perhaps no better platform today for encouraging user-generated content and creating a connection with your customers.
Snapchat
Snapchat’s “self-destructing” photo messaging platform has proven to be a massive hit with millennials. Although its variety of fun filters are indeed amusing, its marketing power seems to be reserved mostly for bigger brands for the time being. That said, smaller teams are finding creative ways to market via Snapchat to build a sense of hype around their products.
Pinterest
Regarded as a “social bookmarking” site, Pinterest is a unique beast. Acting as a digital pinboard for users, Pinterest serves as a platform for inspiration, how-to’s and “hacks” primarily in the B2C space (think: fashion, food and beauty). With the platform boasting 5% of all sales referral traffic, it’s clear that visual content is second-to-none when it comes to ecommerce.
