Hashtag HRH! The Queen has posted on Instagram for the first time.
At 92, she’s busting the perception that Instagram is a young person’s only game.
Which begs the question, if Her Royal Highness is doing it, shouldn’t you be doing it too?
The Royal Family’s social media marketing strategy is undoubtably motivated by the need to appear relevant to younger generations.
Instagram marketing gives you the opportunity to create a level of intimacy with your audience and, in doing so, builds trust.
For most of us, the Queen’s historic post is the closest we will get to shaking her hand.
Go online and you can watch the ground-breaking moment when her un-gloved hand tapped the screen for the first time.
Most likely the Royal Family’s PR machine penned the words, but there’s still something deeply personal in knowing that, on this occasion, it was Her Royal Highness who hit ‘Share’.
In the post, the Queen shared an image of a letter from the 19th Century inventor and mathematician Charles Babbage – said to be the world’s first computer pioneer – to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Shared during a visit to the Science Museum in London, it is signed “Elizabeth R”.
Instagram responded with a “yes queen” and crown emoji.
So far, the post has amassed more than 275,000 likes and 5000 comments.
Responses like “Welcome to Instagram Your Majesty” and “Your Majesty – thank you so much for writing this message” suggests that people are treating it as their own hotline to the monarch.
As a business, you want people to feel like you are approachable and available.
Creating a culture of accessibility on a social media platform like Instagram can go a long way to building trust and loyalty in your brand – and ultimately, sales.
Put simply, people choose to do business with people they like.
Recent research by Facebook IQ shows that Instagram drives sales, with 54 per cent of people surveyed saying they made a purchase either in the moment or after seeing a product or service on Instagram.
And a whopping 87 per cent said they took action after seeing product information on Instagram, such as following a brand, visiting their website or purchasing online.
Those surveyed said they found brands on Instagram more popular, creative and entertaining.
Instagram is more than just selfies and pretty pictures. It’s an important marketing tool.
If your social media marketing strategy doesn’t include Instagram, then it might be time for a right royal update.
