For this month's Instagram case study, I want to introduce you to Todd's Hardwood Flooring. They are a local flooring company based in the Fresno area and they are using Instagram regularly and effectively to showcase and promote their business.
I've actually had my eye on this account for a while. I referenced them in an old post I wrote, talking about how well they use angles and lines in their posts. They consistently post good content, related to their business and their audience, and showcase their level of expertise. I really appreciate how well they use Instagram for their business and I want to share some of these tactics with you!
Ok, quick mention of the obligatory disclaimer. I am in no way affiliated with Todd's Hardwood Flooring. I am not being rewarded, compensated, or paid in any way to write this post. This post is based entirely upon my opinions of their Instagram content from what I've seen shared publicly.
I have to say that this flooring company has a slight advantage in the visual world of Instagram. They work with long lines and gorgeous tones and textures that translate well to an Instagram audience. And of course, their content is easily shared via visual content. But, that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of these same tactics, even if your business isn't flooring.
Using Angles and Lines
One of the great tips to creating the best Instagram photos is to really use lines and angles to your advantage. Getting down low, drawing out the lines, shooting along a length of perspective, and other ways to draw in the viewer are powerful tactics on Instagram. I always preach to my clients to try something different: get down low to the ground, shoot upwards, or get up high and shoot down on the subject. Or move the side of a room and shoot along a wall rather than from the center of the room to add length and intrigue to the perspective.
Todd's Hardwood Flooring using these techniques regularly. And it pays off in good engagement on their posts.
https://instagram.com/p/2rBbJmSzQv/?taken-by=toddshardwoodflooring
Many of their posts take good advantage of these angles and show a unique perspective while allowing you to get up close to the quality of the work they provide.
Likewise for you, try shooting your products or work spaces in unique angles. Give people a different perspective and create "art" out of your images rather than just sharing a photo of the item or space. A little creativity can go a long way in enhancing your photo quality and your Instagram engagement as a result.
Highlighting How and What They Do
Let's face it, they install hardwood flooring. Duh. But I really like how they show different stages of the process, the amount of work that goes into a project, how the team works on the project, and of course, final stages of the completed work.
https://instagram.com/p/0GDrxFSzY_/?taken-by=toddshardwoodflooring
This invites their audience into the job. They get educated and can experience the amount of work and quality craftsmanship that each job requires. To be fair, I have no idea what quality work this company does. I've never talked to them or seen their work in person. But look through their account and tell me you don't get a sense of trust and confidence in their work.
THIS is the big value of using Instagram (and social media) to connect with your audience. It builds trust and confidence. It's a living testimonial to the work you do.
And no matter what business you're in, you can use Instagram to develop this sense of trust. Showcase how you do what you do. Show how progress is made or decisions are made. Show stages of your process that invite people in so that they can see what you do and the amount of work you put into what they buy. Show your team or employees (even if that's only you). Personal side note - I wish that this account would show more of their employees. Knowing who's coming when you schedule a job and knowing the faces of the company is one step further in building trust and confidence.
Behind the Scenes Posts
As I always say, mix in some behind the scenes posts to really show your audience what life is like in your business. Show your face, some humor, some personality, and experiences that your customers might not otherwise get to experience.
https://instagram.com/p/ybXaooyzQO/?taken-by=toddshardwoodflooring
To be honest, I wish that this account would do a little more behind the scenes content. For how often they post, they could easily mix in some other content related to their business: picking out lumber, visiting mills or supply stores, driving to jobs (showing the view or landscape), and a variety of other ways to bring their audience even more into their world.
Hashtags
If you've noticed a trend in all of the case studies I've done, there's usually a good use of hashtags by the company. And Todd's Hardwood Flooring is no exception. They include hashtags in nearly every post and keep the focus on the industry and post content to make sure that they're building their audience authentically. They also include their own branded hashtag for added value in the hashtag galleries.
Good Bio and Engagement
While their bio doesn't show much "personality" they are using it effectively to represent what they do, who they are, and how to get in touch with them. Of course, I would recommend they use a bit.ly trackable link in their URL to track the actual traffic they're generating from Instagram.
They also have good engagement from their audience. They're averaging about 4.5 - 8% engagement on every post. And they have numerous posts that go well above this ratio into the double digits. You know we all want that kind of engagement! And that's what you get when you have a highly targeted audience and give them what they want to see.
In terms of additional thoughts, I would like to see them beef up their post captions to be more descriptive. I think that they could use their post descriptions to describe more of the process, what stage of the process they're in, and provide educational tips. Taking the time to write up more information would further develop the trust factor as well as increase their engagement.
Likewise, including calls-to-action in their post captions (visit website - link in bio - for more information on a certain process; or call today for more information on how we can help you) on occasion would help boost their business interactions from Instagram.
But overall, I think you can learn a lot from this business about how to use Instagram successfully. Even if you're a B2B or a business that doesn't have a specific product, you can find unique ways to showcase what you do and build trust in your audience. And remember to post consistently! Post regularly, post what your audience wants to see, and what is built around your brand voice. This will attract the clients and you will see success using Instagram for your business!
