Physically getting started on Instagram is simple; growing an engaged community from scratch is one of the most difficult tasks any modern-day individual can attempt.
Luckily, there are a lot of people before you who have both started and succeeded. Myself being one of those people, here are the 6 most valuable tips that every brand just getting started on Instagram deserves to hear and know.
Tip 1: Have A Purpose To Being On Instagram
A lot of brands get into social media platforms like Instagram “because everyone else is already doing it”. Well, my friend, if that’s your reasoning, you will be out of the game just as quick as you were in it (hint: you were never in it).
Before you start posting content on Instagram, make sure you have a clear answer to these questions: “Why am I even on here in the first place? What is the one big goal of my brand being on Instagram?”
Tip 2: First Impressions Are Everything
Your bio is going to be your most valuable attempt at securing leads, growing your account, and making sales. If it isn’t in-tune, if it isn’t powerful and crystal-clear, it doesn’t matter how good your content is.
Similar to the first tip, you need a purpose. Once you’ve answered the questions from tip 1, format them in a one-to-two sentence mission statement. Use that to start your bio.
Tip 3: Use LinkTree As Your Profile’s Link
Linktree is a resource that I really wish I knew about when I started on Instagram. If you don’t have 10,000 followers on Instagram, you won’t be able to use the swipe-up feature/put links in any of your posts. That means that any external link you try to use must come from your bio.
Enter Linktree. Linktree is an external website that allows you to mix as many of your desired links into one condensed link.
You can use this to give your audience access to your shop, blog, other social media platforms, discount codes, etc. This will let you have all of your links in one spot.
Tip 4: Niche, Niche, Niche (Niche)
The biggest mistake I (and 99.9% of other people in business) made is that I didn’t initially define my niche. If your brand doesn’t pass the “grunt test” visually – if a new user doesn’t know what he/she is stumbling on within 10 seconds – you failed to define your niche.
Tip 5: Aesthetics are Truly Everything on Instagram
An “expert” tip to follow up on the previous one is to consider aesthetics heavily. You’ll notice that a lot of the top profiles on Instagram have consistent colour patterns, weekly scheduling with the types of content they post, and stay within their niche as much as possible.
Understanding what your brand is and what type of content you believe represents your brand the best will be key to succeeding and growing. For beginner brands, the key is to just post a lot until something sticks. For experienced brands, think about your key skills – do you like the idea of posting graphics or buildings or people, or a mix?
Tip 6: Provide More Value In Your Captions
No matter what content you post, you can really set yourself apart from most people by crafting well-written and engaging captions. Most people on Instagram are robotic because they aim for followership rather than community. Interact with your community by including behind-the-scenes details, stories, emotions, and asking questions in your captions. Stories are also a great place to show off your process.
I can almost guarantee that your Instagram journey won’t be easy, but in order to make it fruitful and purposeful, keep these 6 tips in mind as you move forward. Together, they provide an excellent base for growing your feed and changing peoples’ lives.
Good luck.
