Dear Metter,

I spend hours a day scrolling Instagram, following influencers, puppies, and photographers. All I ever hear from my friends and family is that my business needs an Instagram account. Is that true?

— Instagram skeptic

Instagram skeptic,

The fact that you spend time on Instagram is enough of an argument for why your business needs it. But here are some better reasons:

Your competitors are

Over 2 million businesses are the platform, and 80 percent of accounts follow a business on Instagram. With nearly 1 billion monthly active Instagram users (right behind Facebook’s 1.4 billion), the platform is an opportunity to directly reach your audience — and build a new one. Why would you turn away that free advertising?

Customer service

If your business has other social media accounts, you know your customers use social media as a customer service tool. Think of Instagram in the same way. Your customers will be reaching out to you, so give them another opportunity to. Plus, 72 percent of Instagram users make purchase decisions based on Instagram content — while you’re offering customer service, you can offer them a purchase at the same time!

People are searching for you (probably)

Instagram is the new Google
. 70 percent of users look up a brand on Instagram. What would they see when they currently search for your business? People want to engage with your brand and see what you’re doing. Make it easy for them and impress them at the same time!

To boil it down, YES, your business needs social media. And if you ever need help … you know where to find us.

Have a question about social media? Ask us here.

Metter Media LLC is a Boston-based social media management company that implements community-based, localized social engagement strategies for small businesses and corporations alike. Need help with your social media? Email Lauren today.