With 800 million users worldwide Instagram is one of the world’s leading social media platforms. The reason for the increasing relevance of Instagram is its mobile, local, social and visual character, which reflects how individuals are currently using social media and will continue to do so in the future. Instagram's combination of emotional visual content, story-telling and interaction with the community also makes it a platform that allows brands to differentiate themselves from others - to become unique in what are often very saturated markets.
While Instagram is a new application and previous research focuses mainly on long established social media platforms such as Facebook, this thesis aims to explore the various strategic perspectives of successful social media marketing on Instagram by developing a theoretical frame work and presenting the practical strategies of three very different organisations in a multiple-case study design.
The framework and the case studies prove that the five identified social media dimensions - content marketing, engagement marketing, influencer marketing, hashtags and Instagram advertising - are applied in practice but are adapted very individual on each organisation, its goals and its target group.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS
2. FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
2.1 Definitions and characteristics of Instagram as a marketing tool
2.2 Analysis and goal setting for a successful Instagram account
3. DImensions of social Media marketing on instagram
3.1 Content Marketing
3.2 Engagement marketing
3.3 Influencer Marketing
3.4 Hashtags
3.5 Instagram Advertising
4. CASE STUDIES
4.1 Research Design
4.2 Case Study: Sabro GmbH
4.3 Case Study: Kosmetik4less GmbH & Co. KG
4.4 Case Study: PETA Deutschland e. V.
4.5 Comparison of the Case Studies
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives & Core Themes
This thesis explores the strategic landscape of social media marketing on Instagram, a platform distinguished by its mobile, visual, and highly emotional nature. The primary research objective is to analyze how different organizations can effectively leverage Instagram's unique features—such as content marketing, influencer collaborations, and advertising—to reach target groups and achieve marketing goals in increasingly saturated markets.
- Theoretical framework for successful Instagram marketing.
- Application of the five dimensions: content, engagement, influencer marketing, hashtags, and advertising.
- Multiple-case study analysis of three distinct organizations (Sabro GmbH, Kosmetik4less, PETA Deutschland).
- Comparative analysis of commercial versus non-profit strategic perspectives.
- Strategic recommendations for future Instagram utilization.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Content Marketing
Pictures are the core of Instagram and therefore content marketing plays a leading role in social media marketing. Firstly, it is very important that the shared content is emotional, aesthetic and of high-quality. Moreover, an organization needs to develop a content strategy which coincides with the target group and the Instagram goals of the organization. The following clarifies how to build a successful Instagram content marketing strategy.
The term ‘content marketing’ tends to be used to refer to “a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action” (Content Marketing Institute, 2018). Creating valuable content for a specific target group is the main focus of content marketing.
This content needs to be balanced with the Instagram goals. In a recent study Ahmad et al. (2016) proved the positive impact of social media marketing on brand health. The term ‘brand health’ can be defined as brand awareness and brand equity. As shown in the previous section, it is very important to identify one’s Instagram goals. It is essential for developing a content strategy and the measurement of the achievement of the goals is a valid indicator for analyzing the success of an Instagram account.
Most content strategies on Instagram are based on story telling. The term story telling is generally taken to mean integrating brand messages into a story for reaching customers in an emotional manner. It is a good instrument for transporting content in a way that can be easily absorbed by the brain. The reason for this is that stories touch the recipient and trigger feelings that remain in the memory. Therefore,
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting the importance of Instagram as a marketing tool and outlining the structure and methodology of the thesis.
2. FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM: This section explains fundamental terms and compares Instagram's characteristics with platforms like Facebook and Twitter, while detailing the importance of goal setting.
3. DImensions of social Media marketing on instagram: This chapter defines the five key strategic pillars—content, engagement, influencer marketing, hashtags, and advertising—required for a successful Instagram strategy.
4. CASE STUDIES: This main practical section presents detailed case studies of Sabro GmbH, Kosmetik4less, and PETA Deutschland, culminating in a comparison of their varying strategic approaches.
5. CONCLUSION: The final chapter summarizes the findings, acknowledges the limitations of the study, and offers recommendations for further research and practical implementation.
Keywords
Instagram, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Strategy, Content Marketing, Engagement Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Hashtags, Instagram Advertising, Case Study, Brand Awareness, Digital Strategy, Non-profit Marketing, Target Group Analysis, Social Networking Sites, Visual Storytelling
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core purpose of this Master's thesis?
The thesis aims to explore strategic perspectives of successful social media marketing on Instagram by developing a theoretical framework and applying it to three diverse organizations through a multiple-case study design.
Which five dimensions of Instagram marketing are identified?
The research identifies content marketing, engagement marketing, influencer marketing, hashtags, and Instagram advertising as the essential strategic pillars for success on the platform.
What is the primary goal organizations typically aim to achieve on Instagram?
Across the studied organizations, the main goal is to increase brand awareness, although individual organizations also focus on sales growth or promoting non-profit causes.
What research methodology was employed?
The author utilized a qualitative multiple-case study design, incorporating interviews with social media managers and an in-depth analysis of Instagram post data from 2016 and 2017.
How does the content strategy differ between the examined organizations?
While all utilize visual storytelling, the themes differ significantly: Sabro focuses on products and personal company background, Kosmetik4less on beauty trends, and PETA on vegan lifestyle and animal rights.
Why is Instagram considered unique compared to other social platforms?
Instagram is characterized by its high visual aesthetic, strong community interaction, and its "less promotional" feel, which requires a distinct, more emotional content approach compared to platforms like Facebook.
What role do influencers play in the strategies of the studied organizations?
Influencers are used to gain authentic reach and credibility. The organizations cooperate with micro-influencers and industry-specific creators to connect with target niches like pet owners or beauty enthusiasts.
How does PETA Deutschland use Instagram differently than for-profit companies?
PETA avoids the "cruel" imagery used on other channels, opting instead for positive, lifestyle-oriented content to promote veganism and animal welfare to a younger, student-aged audience.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Lisa Jessen (Autor:in), 2018, Social Media Marketing on Instagram. Exploration of Strategic Perspectives, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/427706
