Interview with Instagrammer @goldie_berlin

Instagram is currently used by over 300 million people around the world and the figure is constantly growing. We take shots of everything we do, from the moment we wake up, till the moment we go to bed, and we share them with our friends and followers thanks to social media. Little by little, companies have become aware of the importance and power of Instagram also in business and started engaging and working with popular Instagrammers.

I got to know some of them thanks to a content marketing project I have been working on for a pretty long time; as a marketing person I am fascinated by the numerous ways these people can cooperate with companies, helping them reach their communication and business goals. I hosted Lauren Bath on this blog some time ago, today my interview is with @goldie_berlin, recently appointed as one of the five Instagrammer to follow in Germany. Beside her passion for Instagram, Sylvia is an Advertiser Relations Manager, working with brands and agencies on their Instagram campaigns. That makes her probably the best person to ask how companies can fully benefit from this platform.

Enjoy the interview (and her beautiful images!)

Who is @goldie_berlin?

Sylvia

I am an 37 years old girl living in Berlin and working as an Advertiser Relation Manager. I love to travel as its also a part of my passion as an Instagrammer. I love what I do and I do it with full energy and passion.

How and when did you start with Instagram?

I started in the beginning about 4 years ago with just simple iPhone pics.

How can Instagram be useful for a company to promote its business?

It’s a social network which allows companies to be very close with their potential customers. They can like and comment directly and show the feedback on their images by searching for relevant hashtags. They can react quickly to everyone as its open for all countries and you don’t to request a friendship first. User generate new real content and show directly if they like a brand by engaging with likes or comments. Its much easier for brands to gain big reach and try to sell products in a very natural way. The engagement on Instagram is up to 15 times higher than on Facebook and there is no selective timeline. Brands can work with big influencers creating stories around a brand. The advertising is real and not annoying.

© @goldie_berlin

From your experience, which is the best way for a company to work with a popular Instagrammer? What are the advantages and the risks?

The brand should have an own account with a clear strategy – don’t be too complicated. Just be real! Select creative people who show the product from a different view to their follower. There should be a visual message behind the content. Instagram is not just doing a snapshot with ur mobile and putting a filter anymore. Its about creativity and challenges to show other how they see the world. The brand should interact with the community.

Risks ? Yes, if you try to copy Facebook or other platforms directly to Instagram. The images should be real and in a good quality, but no magazine style or trashy style.  Don’t only work with people who are already interested in the same vertical, as they would show the product the same way as the brand already does.

Instagram is about creating stories.

© @goldie_berlin

Which is an unusual way for companies to use Instagram, compared to what has been done so far?

I am not sure if I saw any unusual ways, as for each brand there is a special way to show visual stories.  At the end it is a way of advertising – means be creative, funny, emotional or entertaining to your potential customers of tomorrow.

I saw bad accounts using to many hashtags in the image description, bad quality images, no idea why this account was created, but this mistakes you can also find on other platforms.Just try it and give it a chance – you will see it is a good addition to the existing networks that u already use.

© @goldie_berlin

It is clear that photo (and videos) are a must to attract consumers and engage with them: a good storytelling often comes with great images, so if you want to your story to be noticed, you’d better invest some time (and money) to get great shots.

Instagram and storytelling: are you ready for that?