Most of my clients have a love/hate relationship with the Instagram. There are SO many experts giving them 1,001 Instagram tips for business; they’re useful , but they can also be overwhelming.
My suggestion is always to start small and focus on a few things at a time.
Today, I’m sharing three Instagram tips to help you ditch the overwhelm and market your business the stress-free way.
Instagram Tip #1: Know Thy Ideal Client
Okay, I lied. This first tip isn’t specific to Instagram, but if you want to create content that speaks to your dream client’s soul, you need to figure out who, exactly, that person is FIRST.
Why is this important?
Because Instagram is FULL of businesses selling products and services. In order to stand out in your followers’ feeds, you need to speak directly to them.
What to know about your dream client
Say you’re a parenting expert and you’re about to launch a course on toddler temper tantrums. (Holy. Tongue. Twister.)
You need to spend some time getting to know your ideal client’s pain points, wants, and needs in order to create your content.
- What does he/she want as it relates to your course?
- What does he/she need? (This is often different from what she wants.)
- What are her/his objections to buying your course? Time? Money? Fear that it won’t work?
- What are her/his goals?
- What keeps her/him up at night? (Hint: It’s probably her kids. 😂)
- What brings her/him joy?
Of course you can make assumptions about your ideal client, but I don’t advise doing that.
Instead, talk directly to your past, current, and potential clients or customers and ask them these questions. This takes effort, but it will save you from wasting time creating content that won’t convert to sales. Ya feel me?
I found Amy Porterfield’s Ideal Client workbook to be very helpful!
Instagram Tip #2: Make a Plan
Now that you have your dream client in mind, ya gotta make plan.
Have you ever sat down at the end of the day only to realize that the Instagram post you intended to publish this morning never actually made it to your grid.
If you’re running a business, there’s a good chance social media gets bumped further down your list as you move throughout your day.
This is why having a plan is KEY when it comes to being successful on this platform.
You can follow all the Instagram tips and tricks in the book, but if you don’t post consistently ) you won’t build that community you’ve been dying to have.
So here’s what ya gotta do: at the end of every month, sit down with a blank calendar and plan content for the next month. Here’s what to consider:
- Your goals
- Your personal calendar (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)
- Your business calendar (product launches, blog posts publishing dates, events your hosting, conferences, etc.)
- Holidays (yes, even those silly hashtag holidays!)
Pssst! I have a FREE guide that will help you create that content in less than one hour. You can check it out here.
Instagram Tip #3: Engage More Often Than You Post
I grew my Instagram account from zero followers to more than 1,000 in less than 9 months.
I didn’t buy followers or participate in spammy “loops.” (As a matter of fact, I vetted each follower closely in order to protect my privacy and my engagement rate.)
How did I do it?
I spent more time engaging with (aka meaningfully interacting with) accounts than I did posting.
How can you authentically engage?
✔️ Leave genuine comments on your ideal client’s posts
✔️ Make connections with your current followers through comments and DMs
✔️ Follow your ideal clients
✔️ Network with accounts that are in your industry
Remember: you get what you give, so try to spend at least 30 minutes a day getting around on the ‘Gram.
Wrapping Up
Instagram is a beast, and it can take time (and a lot of it!) to grow a community on the platform.
Knowing your ideal client, forming a plan, and engaging on the regular can help you market your products and services without pulling your hair out in the process.
But, if you find you need a little more help with Instagram, be sure to check out my strategy and coaching packages. I can help you make sense of Instagram and grow an authentic community around your brand!
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