This is a guest post by John Boudreau, COO and Co-Founder of Astonish, a digital marketing company for Insurance companies.

“Trouble Keeping up with Social”

Let’s be honest: Many small businesses have enough trouble keeping up with the fierce foursome (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+) but Pinterest and Instagram? At times, it may be a struggle to keep up with the social media world! However, it is critical to have a presence on the major platform. Instead of shying away from the up and coming image sharing platforms, it is time to learn about useful strategies that can be incorporated into your business. Here are a few effective marketing tactics that you can implement.

An Image Speaks Volumes

Memes, infographics, e-cards… they all make their rounds around the web! One of the many reasons why they are so popular is the simple fact that they are based on images. In fact, articles with images receive 94% more total views than those without. Jumping on the image-marketing bandwagon may not only allow your business to appeal to a whole new market, but may inspire you to create and share your own personal images.

Now that you are onboard with image marketing, let’s take a look at the two most popular social platforms: Instagram and Pinterest.

Instagram-ing Your Way to Marketing Success

“You MUST post that picture on Instagram!” Have you heard this phrase often? It is no secret that Instagram has climbed up the social sharing pyramid quite quickly. In fact, Instagram has over 100 million monthly active users, 40 million photos posted per day, and 1,000 comments per second. As you can see, there is a lot going on! It’s time to join in on and action.

One of the best features of Instagram is the ability to link the app to your Facebook AND Twitter accounts. This makes it easy to share your posts across all three platforms. You can use #hashtags to organize your posts and you may even receive a new follower who has found you through the use of hashtags. What else can you do the make the Instagram experience effective for your clients? Here are three tips:

#1: Share “sneak peaks”. This is a great way to capture company culture. Take photos of employees, new goods and services, office celebrations, big wins, and everything in between. Take your fans inside of your business and show them what makes your company unique. If there is a new product launching, why not make it fun for your fans by taking pictures of “clues” and counting down? There are a number of ways that you can keep clients on their toes while humanizing your business. This is also great for recruiting top talent.

#2: Connect with clients easily. Always answer your followers’ questions/concerns. If you have posted a photo of a new product and there are comments about it, do not hold back! This is the most opportune time to interact and engage with your market. Brand your business as an expert, and a friend.

#3: Reward your followers. Post about company sales, promotions, and even discounts. This is a great way to keep your customers in the know, and possibly allow you to win over a few more.

Changing Your Marketing Strategy, One Pin at a Time

On the other side of the spectrum is Pinterest. Pinterest is a social network that utilizes photo sharing tools. It enables engagement with various audiences through likes, shares, and re-pins. This social platform is on the rise and is one of the fastest growing social media platforms out there. Whether your business decides to post original company photos (for instance, pictures from Instagram) or simply re-pin others, pinning is a great way to connect with clients.

Here are three tips that may help business owners when it comes to building a Pinterest strategy:

#1: Create an infographic. What is important to your clients in your industry? Whether it is saving money or simply hearing tips and tricks, leverage these important points. Create an infographic which is both visually appealing and informative. If you give your clients the answers and information that they want, they are sure to “like” it or possibly “re-pin” to their fans and followers.

#2: Drive traffic back to your website. Have you been taking original photos on Instagram? Perhaps you took our advice in the first point and created an original infographic. Whatever image you choose to post, always include a link back to your website. This is a sure way to receive traffic and you may start to notice the change right away.

#3: Promotion. Create a board specifically meant for saving money. You could name is “Deals and Steals!” and be sure to upload any videos, images or flyers that are promoting upcoming sales and events. This is a quick and easy way for followers to find exactly what they are looking for. This “perk” may also draw clients to follow your brand in the first place.

Start Sharing Images, Today

As you can see, there are a number of tactics that can be implemented to both strengthen and improve your marketing strategy. Being active on the fierce foursome is a start, but it adding both Instagram and Pinterest will take your presence a step further.

John Boudreau, COO and Co-Founder of Astonish, has been in the insurance marketing and technology business for nearly 10 years. He works closely with local insurance agencies across the country to understand what works and what doesn’t in an attempt to increase their share of the digital landscape through online marketing tactics and a robust customer relationship marketing tool. To find customer reviews of Astonish a, visit Astonish’s list of business profile sites. Before Astonish, Boudreau honed his problem-solving abilities while working as an environmental analytical chemist. He also founded Ion Marketing Group, a digital marketing company focused on the real estate industry. An avid musician, John plays the drums, the bass and the guitar.