In today’s society, it is important for brands to stay in touch with customers through the use of social media. Platforms such as Instagram allow for up to 60 seconds of video that provides a stage where marketers can post short videos to engage with users. With short time frames, marketing teams are forced to be creative and inventive in order to create a reaction from the target audience. However, one drawback of the Instagram platform is that it requires subscription from users and there still is no direct way of searching videos, unlike on YouTube.
For a user to interact with a specific video they must be subscribed to brands’ channel or other social networks where that content may be shared. A strategy that brands adopt is making viewers ‘lean-in’ to participate in watching videos. Through creative content that connects with the fanbase can reap huge dividends in terms of securing major subscription figures. A recent study from Unruly confirmed that 40% of the most-shared Instagram videos come from brands, which is promising when bearing in mind the main competition faced is from music stars and Hollywood celebrities.
Click on this link to discover more about how companies making money from Instagram —> How to Make Money on Instagram
Mercedes-Benz is a luxury brand which is all about the “lifestyle”. Images are uploaded on their Instagram page resemble inspiration and incredible engineering. The videos focus also feature and show off engine noise, the way it handles and its stylish looks. Not forgetting Mercedes’ natural habitat – the racetrack, there is elegant footage of their cars winding down on European roads. As of March 2016, Mercedes-Benz have a whopping 4.9 millions followers on their Instagram account.
Instagram have rolled out a new service where companies can pay for adverting space that appears on peoples feed. It is made clear to users as there is a tag on the top right above the image / video saying “sponsored”. 70 million photos are uploaded on Instagram every day, generating 2.5 billion likes. This reflects a phenomenal amount of engagement and proves that users are an ever-connected. Mercedes-Benz USA trialed this method of marketing for its new SUV the GLA model which was aimed at the younger generation. They used a hashtag as inspiration #ThingsOrganizedNeatly and asked photographers as well as brand ambassadors to answer “What would you pack in your GLA?” Mercedes used photos of neatly arranged items on a GLA cargo mat to illustrate the versatility of the vehicle for a range of weekend trips.
Through this campaign it led to a 54% increase in website visits form Instagram and Facebook Ads and a 580% increase when combined with Facebook Direct Response Ads.
Mercedes-Benz USA are bringing car customizing to a new platform. Conventionally, car makers have a tool on their website where customers can build their own configuration of a car throughout their range of models. Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz USA have brought this to Instagram with the purpose of targeting the millennial generation. Now you can customize your version of the GLA model from its colour, wheels, roof type to grill options.
Click on this link to have a go yourself! —> Build your own GLA
Regarding all the components, there are a remarkable 132 possible unique configurations. The concept works as the user visits the @GLA_Build_Your _Own Instagram page, then user the navigates through a series of pages choosing their preferences which leads to a final picture of the full rendition. Watch the video below as it illustrates the concept.
A negative aspect of social media is that it lacks personal interaction with the product. A car is a huge investment, therefore when consumers come to purchase a car they feel the need to try before they buy. Simple things such as sitting the driving seat to see if it comfortable enough to their liking and taking it out for a test drive to find out if it’s what they anticipated are hugely significant factors that may sway the consumer’s mind.
For more information on Mercedes-Benz’s latest social media craze visit the link below:
Mercedes-Benz Lets Users Build Custom Car on Instagram
Sources:
http://www.reelseo.com/car-brands-instagram-video/#ixzz459Cxb7IX
https://econsultancy.com/blog/66689-how-brands-are-using-instagram-ads/
https://trbrautoblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/car-makers-begin-to-use-vine-and-instavideo/
http://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2015/digital-marketing/24285/build-a-gla-on-instagram/
http://www.fastcocreate.com/3037489/now-you-can-build-your-own-mercedes-on-instagram