Worried about re-posting content, getting the best lighting for you selfies or what hashtag to use for your business Instagram? Sheryl Shelton, manager of B2B marketing and social media for Hilton Hotels & Resorts shared tips for engaging attendees through Instagram in a Smart Meetings webinar. She was joined by professional food photographer and cookbook author Justin Fox Burks who gave expert advice on lighting, styling and editing photos.
You can listen to the full webinar here to learn all about Instagram stories, algorithms and ways to style photos, but in the meantime, below are the answers to some of your burning questions that Shelton didn’t quite get the chance to answer last week. You’re welcome.
Related: How to Use Instagram TV
Your Questions, Answered
Q: Can you incorporate AR or VR in social media?
A: You absolutely can! Snapchat was an early example of using augmented and virtual reality for social media purposes. Facebook is in the early stages of venturing into similar offerings, and many AR/VR vendors that you can use for meetings and events offer the ability for the attendee to save and send their experience directly to their social media channels.
Q: Can you give some insight on what the right protocol is when “reposting” someone else’s post that your business is tagged in?
A: The number one rule is to always give credit to the original poster. You should do this within your caption by including their account name, so that the viewer can easily click over to their account and see the original post. Beyond that, you might also consider asking for permission to share the post, either in the post’s comments or by direct message.
Q: What happens if I ask permission to repost a photo and do not get a response? Can I still repost it?
A: While some people might just go ahead and repost (while giving credit, of course,) Hilton policy is that we are not permitted to use someone else’s content without explicit permission.
Q: Are use of logos in Instagram considered “cheesy” or not “artsy” enough?
A: This is one of those “It depends” answers. There are some major brands that can impose logos onto their posts in a creative and engaging way. But keep in mind they usually a have high-dollar graphic design agency doing this work. From our @WowWithHilton account, we have seen lower engagement metrics on pictures that include logos and text. So, as a general rule, we avoid them.
Q: Should you use all your hashtags in the caption or as a comment to the photo? Why?
A: Where you place your hashtags is really up to your personal preference. Here is what we’ve found works best in the @WowWithHilton account:
- Include your official hashtag at the end of your caption. If your post pertains to a partner or industry event, include their hashtag too. We do not list more than 2-3 hashtags in the caption, and usually at the end.
2. For all other hashtags, we drop them into the first comment right after making the post. While you technically can also include them at the end of your caption, we find that placing them in the comments section makes the caption appear neater and tidier.
Q: Are you a fan of adding specialty lenses to your smartphone?
A: When used occasionally, they are a good way to add creativity and variety to posts and help photos stand out in the main feed. However, I would not recommend using them for every post.
Q: Should you tag an account in a post, tag them in the caption or use a hashtag? Is doing all three over the top?
A: In a perfect world, you would do all three. This would provide for maximum exposure. But if you’re short on time, or not sure how to do all three, then prioritize including hashtags in your caption. This makes your post searchable and ensures everyone that reads your caption will take in that important hashtag.
Related: 8 Instagrammable Meeting Backdrops
