For some businesses, investing in SEO and paid ads to keep an updated Google profile — or paying an agency to do so — may simply be too expensive and confusing while keeping track of other social media campaigns, explained Duane Brown, ‎founder and head of strategy at e-commerce agency Take Some Risk. “They probably are lacking in resources to keep up with everything.”

 Instagram is becoming an increasingly big part of businesses’ digital strategy.

Faire, a wholesale marketplace with almost 80,000 independent retail customers, reported that 53% of its clients “are investing in new or existing online channels.” Almost all those surveyed “have cited Instagram and/or Facebook in that category,” according to the company. Meanwhile, according to Merkle’s second quarter digital marketing report, Instagram’s share of total Facebook ad impressions was 35%, and overall Instagram ad impressions saw 46% year-over-year growth (while ad spend as a whole went up 30%).Direct messages as the latest CX tool

One of the biggest advantages Instagram has right now is a direct line to the businesses. Brands’ use of direct messages to field customer service inquiries is nothing new. However, for independent businesses with modest staff, the tool has been one of the most effective ways to keep local shoppers engaged. Many of these accounts are usually run by shop owners or employees, as opposed to the dedicated social media managers many DTC brands employ. They also average a relatively small amount of followers, typically under 5,000, as they often forgo digital marketing spending average and focus on acquiring local customers.

Source: How Instagram is overcoming Google to become the small business hub | Modern Retail