By Nicole Zenner, LK Events, ChicagoA picture is worth a thousand words. That adage is absolutely why Instagram, although only 5-years-old, now has 300 million monthly active users. Instagram initially launched on the iOS platform (for iPhones only) but, in 2012, was also released on the Android platform. Later that same year, Facebook purchased Instagram and has since operated the company as a separate entity from Facebook. Why is this important? Because there is no better free marketing tool for an event professional, than Instagram.There are a lot of great resources with detailed lists of tips for using Instagram for your business. Yet, if you’re just getting started with Instagram, it can be daunting. It’s best to start small and learn to do a few things well. Pretty soon, it will become habit, and you can discover more ideas to keep improving your presence. Here are a few favorite ideas for doing so: 1. Find followersYou need to build a network of followers. One way to do so is to share your Instagram photo on Facebook or Twitter (wherever you have the largest presence) to let your followers on those sites know where to find you on Instagram. However, it’s important to note that if you also use a personal Instagram account on your phone, sharing photos will always go to your personal Facebook or Twitter account and not your business account. Another easy step to cultivate followers is to use popular hashtags. For example, we use #chicagowedding or #destinationwedding in all of our posts, as users of Instagram regularly search by those hashtags. Find out if your couple has a wedding hashtag, and use that in all of your posts so their guests not only see your pretty pictures but also experience your product/service. To cultivate a following, you will want to find experts in the wedding industry (and in your region) and follow them. Like and comment on their posts—engage with them! Of course, if you are posting photos that feature your fellow professionals, you will want to ensure to give them credit, too.2. Change your perspectiveSimilar to showing your personal style, you have a unique way of portraying your business, right? Well, use Instagram to showcase your brand to the world. Share well-captured images of an event, an image around your home or office, or one in nature that speaks to the customer you are trying to reach. Capture your brand in a photo, and share it with your followers. If your brand values align with the DIY couple, a destination couple, or a luxury couple then those are the images and filters that you want to portray through your Instagram photos. Be sure to be authentic so your followers will connect with you as a person as well as you as a professional. Want examples of brands that do this well?Follow @100_layercake, @annebook, @artistrieco, @asplendidoccasion,@boutiquebites, @caratsandcake, @ccpaper, @cecinewyork,@debililly, @designseeds, @editorsedge, @esteraevents, @fleurinc,@greenweddingshoes, @hmrdesigns, @inspiredbythisblog,@junebugweddings, @kehoedesigns, @kentdrakephoto, @magmilestones, @martha_weddings, @mindyricedesign, @naturalbeautiesfloral,@nimblewell, @nuagedesignsinc, @olivialeigh, @parischicboutique,@rickaguilarstudios, @smpweddings, @steelpetalpress, @studiogreenstar,@teakandtwine, @theperfectpalette, @thestoriedtable, @ticktockflorals, @truffleberrymkt, @tulipfloral, @verymaryinspired, @wedluxe, and@wildflowerlinen.3. Start small and play around a bitRemember, with any social media tool, practice makes perfect. If you haven’t yet started with Instagram, begin by posting one photo per week. Play with the filters, the story you tell in the caption, and the hashtags you use. Follow others and like and comment their images, too! When you’ve mastered this task once a week, then try posting and commenting three times per week. When you are ready, step up your game. Try posting two to three more tips, and before you know it, you will have brand ambassadors across the world that are talking about your product and service. Happy posting! ••Sources and resources• By the Numbers: 150+ Interesting Instagram Statistics, DMR, September 2015, http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/important-instagram-stats/.• 26 Tips for Using Instgram for Business, by Debbie Hemley, SocialMedia Examiner, September 20, 2013 http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/instagram-for-business-tips/.• 10 Instagram Accounts to Follow for Fabulously Filtered Wedding Inspiration, June 17, 2014, http://bridalmusings.com/2014/06/10-instagram-accounts-follow-wedding-inspiration/.• 55+ Wedding Experts to Follow on Instagram Right Now!, Brides.com, http://www.brides.com/wedding-answers-tools/2013/08/best-wedding-instagram-experts-to-follow#slide=1.• 25 Event Pros You Should Be Following on Instagram, by Mitra Sorrells, July 16, 2015, BizBash, http://www.bizbash.com/25-event-pros-you-should-be-following-on-instagram/chicago/story/30744#.VgQcsJezlvs.