Instagram, better known as a platform for sharing snapshots of one’s personal life, is not often recognized for its potential as a powerful educational tool. However, the visual social media platform can be ingeniously adapted for corporate eLearning. Here are five ways to utilize Instagram for training and development in the corporate environment:
1. Showcasing Real-World Application: Instruct learners to follow company-related hashtags that might reveal how products or services are used in real life. This helps learners see the practical application of their training and can boost motivation and engagement.
2. Microlearning Through Stories: Use Instagram Stories to provide bite-sized training content that is easy to consume. Stories can include quick tips, short instructional videos, or daily challenges which disappear after 24 hours but can be saved to the ‘Highlights’ section for later reference.
3. Behind-The-Scenes Glimpses: Humanize the brand by sharing behind-the-scenes content related to product development, day-in-the-life posts from employees, and company events. This fosters a sense of community and helps employees feel more connected and invested in the company.
4. Interactive Quizzes and Polls: Instagram’s interactive features like polls, quizzes, and questions allow for instant learner feedback. Use these tools to assess comprehension, gather opinions on learning topics or just engage employees in a fun and interactive way during their learning journey.
5. User-Generated Content: Encourage employees to share their own content related to their learning experiences or how they apply training in their roles. This not only boosts knowledge retention but also creates peer-to-peer learning opportunities and increases engagement across teams.
Leveraging Instagram for corporate eLearning offers a creative and informal method of supporting traditional learning methods while tapping into the social media skills that many employees already possess. By incorporating Instagram into an eLearning strategy, companies open up new paths for communication, collaboration, and community-building within the workforce.