You don’t need thousands of Instagram followers to be successful
You might be thinking I’m off my rocker, but you really don’t need thousands of Instagram followers in order to be successful on Instagram.
What?
I get asked a lot for Instagram advice and I pretty much tell people I suck at it because I don’t spend a lot of time on it.
The truth is, I don’t suck at Instagram – the 6,500+ followers that I show up for love me. And they drive quite a bit of business to my website and blog.
Show up for the people that are already there.
The key to bringing profits to your blog, is simply showing up for the people that are already there! I promise they will bring friends.
Sometimes we are trying so hard to get new followers, when what we ought to be doing is serving the ones we already have.
People follow you on Instagram for a reason.
People follow you for a reason, do you know why? I know, this is a hard question to answer, so let’s flip it around…
Ask yourself, “Of my favorite people that I follow on Instagram why am I following them? It’s for a reason.
- Maybe they know something you want to know.
- Maybe they are offering something you’re interested in.
- Maybe they are one step further on the path than you are and you want to learn.
- Maybe they are a friend (or family member) that you love.
People are likely following you because:
- You know something they don’t.
- You’re offering something they want.
- You’re one step further on the path than they are, or
- They like, know and trust you… you are “friends” or “family – hi mom!”
You want people to look at your Instagram feed and see that you’re just like them. I’m all about building the brand, not the business… and when you do, the business will come.
Convert followers to fans.
In order for people to fall in love with your work, your offerings, they first have to fall in love with you. So–
#1: Show up in the feed. Stop speaking to the masses and write to ONE person, your friend. When you realize you don’t need to convince EVERYONE, you just need to reach ONE, the messaging completely changes. Tailor your message and strategy to speak directly to your ideal ‘dream’ client! Know WHO it is that you’re speaking to!
#2: Focus on building a brand, not just a business. My suggestion, choose 5 things in your life that define you/your brand and share those in a cycle of images over and over and over again.
Look at your photos in harmony with each other, what do they say about you?
I’m showing you what I love, my eye, my storytelling. I know what I’m selling and I use Instagram (@yourmarketingbff) to paint that picture, to tell that story!
#3: Engage with your followers, whether it’s one, one thousand or one hundred thousand plus. Respond to questions, hop on over to their feed and like a few posts – let them feel both seen and heard.
Every single post should serve a purpose.
Like I said earlier, you really don’t need thousands of Instagram followers in order to be successful on Instagram.
-Show up,
-Share your brand story (image + words) again and again,
-Make sure every post you publish serves a purpose (each playing a small part in a bigger picture), and
-Serve the ones that already love you!
I think Hilary Rushford said it best…
“You can be popular and broke. Popularity is not the key to success. Popularity alone is like a padded bra — it looks fancy but doesn’t change reality.”
xo
