Quality Over Quantity : 3 Ways to Simplify Your Instagram Marketing
It’s awesome right!? That email you get after your shoot that has some images in it. Images of this shoot that you can’t even believe you did. I mean, normally you run for the idea of being in front of the camera for your business because you always feel stiff and unlike the vibrant person you really, truly are. The things that make you who you are, well they usually don’t shine through in pics. But this time they did! You can’t believe how great they came out…how much of an upgrade this will be for your brand imagery. The prelude to the full USB full of images that you are completely in love with💙
So after the shoot, you now have images that you feel connected to. Because they now showcase what you want really want to say without words. But, what do you do with them? How do you maximize your impact with them?
It’s one of the things I get asked about a lot. And social media is one of the primary places to get that impact going quickly. And using it intentionally will help get you seen by your target audience in a way that builds trust and deeper connections. And that’s the whole point. When used effectively, quality images can:
•create interest
•engagement
•cultivate new followers
•begin meaningful relationships
•attract new clients
And most of all, make you stand out!
One of the biggest factors in getting results from your strategy is to be consistent. I highly recommend that you post at least once a day, at least initially, to build some momentum and start engaging the followers you already have. I’ve noticed that when I would mention this to small business owners and social media influencers alike, there were a few questions that I kept getting asked:
•How do I stay active on Instagram without spending a lot of time?
•How do I create a themed or cohesive feed like yours?
•What can I do when I’m busier or not feeling creative enough to post on social media?
•I hate talking about myself, so what do I say in the captions of my posts?
•I’m passionate about what I offer, but how do •I keep from sounding like a used car salesman?
•What hashtags should I use on my Instagram?
I had all these same questions and more. I understood quickly how important social media is, so not doing it was simply not an option. And I wanted to do it to truly make an impact. This is especially true for new businesses, as well as existing companies that want to attract younger clients ( millennials ). The amount of work that goes into building a social media presence can be very rewarding, and I tried to make it a game with myself to truly see results. So, I dedicated myself to push through the drudgery and keep at it. And it worked.
As I transitioned from being a student to having a full-time career the business I was building, I steadily increased my followers. With increased followers came increased inquiries and DM’s. That was when I decided to streamline my process which freed up more of my time. And maximizing your impact while minimizing your time is the entire point. Score! I was able to shift my focus back to creating quality content and building lifelong client relationships. Streamlining the process let me work smarter on my business, so I could have space to work efficiently in my business. I began using a few services to maintain my productivity and reach. Here are a few of the services I use and recommend:
1. Later
Wow does this free up my time and attention to focus on other things! Later allows me to arrange and curate my Instagram feed. Showing me in real time what images look great next to each other. Hello, cohesive! How does it do that? Insert scheduled content here! The old way of multitasking by trying to figure out what to post each day in between meetings and working with clients is so outdated and stressful! Instead, I take time each month to upload photos and schedule out what I’m posting in advance.
Each day I get a notification when it’s time to post on Instagram. Later pulls up the photo, any hashtags I scheduled for it, and the caption. All I have to do is hit paste, add in my geotag, and then I’m done! I can't express just how much this has saved my energy! Give Later a looksie here: https://later.com/r/4680e4
2. Professional Writer
Working with a professional writers is one of the best decisions I made. There were times that I would have the perfect picture to share, but I struggled to find the right words to use in the caption. To connect the words with the visuals. I had a hard time writing about myself and bringing my personality to words. It’s also tricky to find the balance between providing value to my readers, sharing who I am or what I do, empowering others via stories, yet still keeping what services I offer in the minds of my followers. Out of fear of saying the wrong things, I didn't sound like myself.
The writers I work with know me and my clients well. They dive deep into my values writing from a voice that sounds like the real me while also staying true to my brand. Their words help to convert my followers into being my clients without ever feeling like I am being sleazy and salesy! I simply began to see more connection by more of me being on display in an organic way. BOOM! If you need help finding a freelance writer a great place to look is your circle of friends and social media followers. They already know you best! I personally use a combination of my staff and Erica Courdae.
3. Hashtag Tools
Hashtags are one of the easiest ways for people to discover you. Effective hashtags will attract your target audience and ideal clients to your account. Thinking of what hashtags to use each day you post takes up valuable time and makes it harder to be strategic. Hashtag tools to the rescue!
After researching effective hashtags in your genre that typically have between 10k and 500k total posts (this is where is is totally a-ok and necessary to get lost in the IG rabbit hole), I save them in groups/categories in the Notes app on my phone as well as Later's "saved captions" feature so that I can just copy and paste, making the daily process of posting a breeze. I then go back and do the same for niche and loca hashtags that have less than 15k total posts. You can easily do this via instagram's native search feature but it is a bit time consuming. Here is a tool I use to help me pick hashtags:
http://hashtagify.me
Let creating your ideal Instagram feed be fun, not a source of stress. I'd love to hear how these tips helped you and you made them work for you. Come on over and visit me on Instagram so we can talk about it!
xo
India
