WRONG.
With over 7 billion users on Instagram, do you really think there isn’t someone out there that is looking for exactly what you have to offer or say?
You know
what I’m going to say about opinions, but I’ll give you the PG version:
opinions are like armpits, everyone has them and they usually stink.
It’s just
fact that not everyone will love what you do, and that is totally okay.
Criticism is never going to go away. Once you accept that not everyone will
love it you automatically give yourself permission to be yourself and it’s
easier to move on. Accept it and push on.
Now that we got that out of way. Let’s break down the FIVE tips to starting an Instagram account from the ground up:
1. BRAND VALUES
Before you
can even post anything, let’s get your brand values and pillars in check. Here
let’s decide who is your niche/your target followers, who are you speaking to? Really
map out the exact person. Is she a new mom? Is she an entrepreneur? Is she an
aspiring trainer?
You need to
decide on your direction, your brand and how you want to portray yourself or
your bizz online.
What are
you going to emulate to your audience? How are you going to help? Maybe it’s
overcoming mental health issues, or providing workout tips.
**Answer
the q’s: What to do you offer? Who do you offer it to? Why do you do it?
2. OPTIMIZE YOUR BIO
Your bio is
the first page your audience will see, so we need that first impression a good
one! But first, how can we make sure it’s searchable, to begin with?
Here are
the elements of a legit bio:
1. Photo: Clear, eye-catching. Make it
pop! Try having a photo with a bright coloured background as it will gain more
attention than a regular photo just taken outdoors, or against a white wall. Alternatively,
you can put your logo here.
2. Name field: remember this is searchable
so add in a keyword! As you can see with mine (below) it reads “Social Media Stylist Gabriella”.
That way when users are searching on Instagram “social media”, there is now a
better chance I will pop up to my idea clients. So what do you do? Maybe it’s “One
of a Kind Jewellery”, maybe it’s “Holistic Nutritionist”, maybe it’s “Toronto Hair
Stylist”.
**Tip go check out some of your competitors and see what is in their
bio!
3. Description: Use this place to
describe what your audience will get from you. It’s all in their transformation.
Showcase your solution! I.e.: “We create exceptional cruelty-free skincare so
you can look and feel your best!” You can also use this as a place to add a
link to your website, or blog. Give them a place to get more! Etc. I love the
Milkshake app as it creates a mini website within your bio.
3. PREPLAN FIRST 9 PHOTOS
Give people
a reason to follow you! Think about yourself when you find a new page…You are
so much more unlikely to follow any accounts with 1 or 2 photos. I like to give
the feed a little bit of spice by creating a creative 9 grid. This will set the
tone for your feed, provide a little bit of an intro into who you are and will
also allow you the space to tell a story.
*Need help
with creating a show-stopping 9 grid? DM me.
4. HASHTAG RESEARCH
Set out on
the hashtag quest as I like to call it! Research some key hashtags in your
niche. The sweet spot is usually under 1 million hashtags and above 10,000.
That way your photo has a better chance of remaining in that hashtag group. Make
a list of some relevant hashtags and save them in a note so you can go back to
them and add to your photo. Also, follow some of the hashtags in your niche.
This way, you may come up in the “recommended” or “relevant” searches.
5. PUSH IT
Now you
need to go viral with your new Instagram account. Tell a friend, link it on
your other social media platforms. Add it to your website, Facebook groups,
etc! Get your name out there and start searching out your ideal clients. If you
are first starting out you will want to spend at least 20 minutes a day liking,
following, commenting on your ideal clients pages, that way they see you! If
you’re wondering how to find your clients, search location tags or hashtag
groups.
Need a bit
more clarification/help with any of the above? Just send me an email!
