Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/232179
users. Instagram now boasts more than 150 million users and was acquired by Facebook in 2012 for far too much money. So what's all the hype about with Instagram? Why would anyone want to see a photo of a coffee tree in El Salvador? Actually, the answer to that question should be self-evident. In fact, many of the customers who are engaged with Transcend via social media are interested in seeing pictures of coffee trees. More than that, they are interested in seeing photos and short videos about coffee. Herein lies the key to an effective social-media strategy. Just to be clear, there is no official linkage between Instagram and Twitter. Nevertheless, I think utilizing Instagram as a socialmedia tool in isolation is less effective than when it is paired with a Twitter account. It is very unlikely that your Instagram following will exceed 20 percent of your Twitter following, so using the two accounts in tandem should result in maximum efficacy. Regardless of how you choose to respond, the key is that you do respond and demonstrate to your followers that you are paying attention to what they say about your company. It's important to show that you're interested and that you care. Despite the huge popularity of Instagram and Twitter, opening an account does not mean that you will have instant popularity on the Web. Creating and sustaining a visible and effective online presence takes time and effort, and your efforts should align themselves within your overall marketing strategy. What is at the core of your company? What are you trying to communicate? Who is reading your tweets and viewing your photos? Our company's Twitter account has been active since November 2008, and as I write this, we have just over 7,800 followers. While this is not a huge number, it is average for an established, small, third-wave coffee roaster. It takes time and focused effort to build an audience. Moreover, it takes a willingness to be attentive and responsive to those who follow and engage with your brand. This means retweeting messages that your customers post about your business. It means responding in a polite and meaningful way to questions or comments in a timely manner. I will often use the "favorite" function as well, as I personally think that retweeting everything said about your company is a bit over the top. Regardless of how you choose to respond, the key is that you do respond and demonstrate to your followers that you are paying attention to what they say about your company. It's important to show that you're interested and that you care. continued on page 54 freshcup.com | January 2014 53