Over 600 million people are now on Instagram. This creative, visually led social network is rapidly becoming a place where people hang out online, engage with brands and find content to share.

Many B2B companies dismiss Instagram, and the platform doesn't immediately spring to mind when you think of B2B marketing.

It doesn't drive traffic to your site or allow for links to your product or latest blog posts. But, there are huge opportunities to promote your brand values.

Meaningful brands need to stand for something above and beyond their products or services. Specifically, only brands that 'mean something' will survive.

As with every other social channel you're using to promote your brand, you're going to have to create a specific strategy.

B2B brands need to embrace the fact that marketing on Instagram is less about selling the benefits of your product and services, and more about establishing deeper connections with people – including industry thought leaders, employers and prospective clients.

Building and maintaining awareness of your brand needs to come before lead generation. Think of Instagram as a way to grab the attention of industry influencers and prospective clients at a time when they're not in 'work mode'.

Instagram can humanise your brand

B2B companies can have success on Instagram by behaving more like humans and less like companies. They need to focus on specific ways to humanise their brand.

Give people an insight into your B2B company culture by using Instagram to offer a behind the scenes look at your company. People are, generally, a bit nosy and love seeing what goes on in other people's offices.

Show people that you're not stuffy and that you have nothing to hide. It can be as simple as weekly 'beer-o-clock' posts or taking photos of one of your employees on their birthday.

Whatever behind-the-scenes updates you use, don't worry too much about seeming unprofessional: B2C brands' social media channels thrive on being relatable – and yours should too.

Highlighting other businesses and entrepreneurs also makes you look good. It gives the impression that you're creating a movement around your brand as opposed to being in a constant 'selling' mindset.

Having an established identity for your brand is the most effective way to find your voice and gain followers. The fastest growing demographic on Instagram is in the 30 to 49 demographic.

So chances are, even if your customers aren't using Instagram through a business account, they are present through personal accounts.

Storytelling has become a great way to give B2B brands a personality. The key to leveraging Instagram as a marketing tool for B2B brands is not to think of it as a marketing tool at all.

Instead, you want to think about Instagram, as a way of telling your story as part of a larger marketing strategy.

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