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When it comes to social media marketing, Instagram is still under-utilized by the insurance industry. And that’s a shame because if you do it right, Instagram can be very effective.

According to TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/20/instagram-1-billion-users/, Instagram sees approximately 1 billion users per month (as of 2018). Chances are you’ll find all the same prospects on Instagram that you’d find on LinkedIn, which is where many insurance agents tend to focus their marketing efforts.

In reality, Instagram is a more relaxed platform. While LinkedIn is great for giving off a professional vibe, Instagram makes you more relatable and reachable. It lets you give customers a window into your agency and get to know you a little better. And especially if you’re selling to a consumer market, that can be valuable.

Here are a few tips for marketing your insurance business on Instagram.

Don’t be afraid to have fun. The insurance industry tends to be conservative—but Instagram is a place to relax and have fun. Content such as candid pics of your agents in the office, events you attend or sponsor, pictures of happy customers or your agents solving problems in the field—these can all help you make a connection with your audience.

Use hashtags. Hashtags are like keywords—they’re terms people use to search for content on specific topics. Identifying the biggest hashtags for your topics and including a few of them in your posts will open up your content to a wider audience.

Take advantage of video. Instagram also lets you post short videos. One effective technique is to film videos (using your phone; you don’t need fancy video equipment) answering a common insurance question. Content like this can do a lot to help you reach and connect with your audience.

Cross-post automatically. You can set up your account to automatically post to Facebook and Twitter whenever you post something on Instagram. This allows you to disseminate your content across more platforms without doing more work—and it’s a great way to streamline your social media.

Instagram is an ideal place to show your personality, connect with people on a more relatable level—and relax on social media. But that doesn’t mean you have to adopt a less professional persona. Include information such as infographics or short videos answering an insurance question you’re always hearing, and you can still establish your professional expertise—even as you present a more relaxed, fun persona.