Photography and Social Media
- In general, photographers rely largely on social media advertising and promotion, and influencers who use their vast bases of followers to direct attention to their chosen sites.
- Instagram "empowers photographers across the world to have their work viewed thousands, if not millions, of times over."
- Social media, more so Instagram, helps professional photographers in: reaching clients, connecting with other photographers, finding inspiration, testing ideas, and promoting/advertising their photography business.
Consumer Actions Driven By Social Media/Instagram
- 70% of US shoppers frequently make impulse apparel purchases online.
- 77% of social media users in the U.S. view photos on Instagram, 65% on Facebook, 64% on Snapchat, 59% on Pinterest, and 42% on Twitter
- 11% of U.S. social media users find products or shop on Instagram, 15% on Facebook, 5% on Snapchat, 47% on Pinterest, and 7% on Twitter
- Instagram helps 80% of Instagrammers to make a decision on buying a product
Influence of Social Media/Instagram on Fashion
- Most fashion followers follow 100 brand accounts, minimum.
- Instagram influencers are predominantly female making 84% of the group in 2018, and this "could explain why the two top industries that partnered with influencers on Instagram were the fashion and accessory sectors."
- Fashion brands and retailers are now using Instagram as their primary tool to reveal brand personality.
- Social media influencers are typically provide organic and authentic content, ideally on Instagram, on high-end fashion demonstrating authentic brand affinity that resonates with their followers.
Social Media/Instagram Use in Fashion Brands
- Top fashion brands have wholly embraced Instagram as an integral part of their social strategy, to whom the visual and community dimensions are essential.
- Fashion companies use Instagram to offer "sneak peeks of behind the scenes at fashion shows and instant access to the latest fashions on the runway."
- Some fashion brands that have had prolific use of Instagram in their social media efforts include Gucci, Chanel, and Burberry.
Summary of Findings
From our hour of research, we were able to find insights that relate to photography (in general) and social media. We complemented this with insights on how the fashion industry interacts with social media, and statistics on how consumers react to these social media efforts, primarily those on Instagram as the photograph-driven platform.