When you are starting a business there is always so much talk about who your ideal client is and that you need to know your ideal client avatar in order to sell and whilst that is completely true it is often never followed up with how you should actually find them in order to be able to sell to them.
How to find your ideal client on Instagram
Are you ready to start thinking about your feed more strategically and attract your ideal client on Instagram? Then you’re in the right place. Today I’m so excited to be sharing my tried and true tips that I use to leverage my own account with the followers I already have. As a smallish account, I have found ways to SERVE the followers I already have, let go of the vanity of the like count, and create a community of engaged followers that are interested in BUYING FROM ME, I get tagged in posts daily by my followers when someone is looking for the products I sell.
I’m passionate about this topic because I started my business by leveraging this platform, it worked when I had a 1000 followers and it continues to work now. I believe so strongly in this next statement so listen up.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS TO MAKE THOUSANDS OF POUNDS!
Instagram constantly changes their algorithms and it is certainly not easy for smaller accounts to get their content in front of people. Here are my best tips for accounts that have around 500-5,000 followers and will help you gain exposure as a business.
Consistency is key
The brands that show up with original quality content consistently are the ones that are doing best on Instagram. These accounts will grow their followings the fastest and get the most engagement.
Get really good at taking photos or hire a professional photographer
At least twice a year I hire a professional photographer (you can check out the lovely Hiral who I always use) to curate an on brand photo shoot. This is one of the best investments I make for my business because I pepper them into my blog, Facebook and Instagram content. Not only does it create a cohesive and consistent look throughout all of my platforms, it saves me tons and tons of time. I used to take all of my own photos and still take the majority but if photography is not your forte outsource!!
create an aesthetic for your feed that is appealing to your ideal client
This is so important!!! An aesthetic isn’t just to be pretty…it’s to attract YOUR IDEAL CLIENT. Check out my post on how to create an aesthetic if you are not sure what one is or where to start. It is an extension of your brand and you want it to be consistent with the rest of your brand.
Figure out who your ideal client is
So many times on Instagram accounts are just shouting to the masses and seeing what sticks. If you figure out who it is that you’re actually trying to reach (heck give them a name and build an image in your head) and talk to that one person you will have much more success. Not only will you start to attract the people that relate to the way you are showing up and find people who will actually book you, honing in your voice will make your account more personal.
show up for your brand
This is something I have to challenge myself to do when running my own business. Showing up for your brand on Instagram is one of the easiest ways to market your business and it’s free. It is much easier to hide behind your brand and work. Part of running a business is letting yourself be seen, being vulnerable, and sharing your talents with the world. It’s not always easy, but it’s essential to show up for your brand. I always challenge the businesses I work with to show their faces- people are hiring YOU (there are hundreds of brands that do what you do but the reason yours is special is because you are the creative behind it) and they need to know who you are and what you’re all about. Whether this is sharing tips and tricks with your audience, behind the scenes peeks of your process, writing blog posts, starting to share on Instagram stories, or simply doing an intro post- all of these things will help your business grow.
don’t be afraid to promote a post
Once in a while promoting a post on Instagram is a great way to reach new people. I love promoting posts because I can target people that are in a certain demographic. Instagram allows you to save different audiences so depending on what kind of post it is, I can go in and choose who I want to target. I am really strategic about the posts that I throw money at and make sure it really explains who I am and what I do.
create content that sells a lifestyle
Nobody wants to be sold to all of the time- this is a huge mistake I see a lot of brands making (especially product brands!). When you think about why people are opening up the instagram app, it’s likely because they are searching for inspiration of some sort. Don’t sell a product, sell a lifestyle. If you can tell a story of why your customer needs to be a part of what you’re doing instead of selling a product, you will have far more success on Instagram.
curate the feed, Enjoy The stories
Stories is really where it’s at. With the algorithm choosing who to show your posts to, you’re really not guaranteed to show up in people’s feeds even if you are posting something great. If you are consistent on stories, that bubble is much more likely to pop up at the top of other people’s accounts. This is also a much more promotional part of the platform and a great place to plug a new product, service, or course you’re selling.
test what time is best to post
When you’re first getting a rhythm down, decide how many times per week you’re going to post and then go through a trial period where you’re testing out different times of the day to post. If one of your posts falls short at a certain time, don’t ever post during that time again. Eventually, you will find what works for your account and when your followers are active and engaging.
use strategic hashtags
Hashtags are important for new followers to find you in the niche you’re in. I recommend doing some research to see which hashtags are really being engaged with in your niche. It’s also important to switch up your hashtags. If you’re just copying and pasting all of the same hashtags onto every single post, you’re missing an opportunity to find new followers. Try adding a few specific hashtags based on the photo you’re posting so it’s relevant to what people are searching for and so your posts pop up in different places.
make it personal
You’re a business, but you’re also a person. The Instagram algorithm really likes accounts that don’t act like businesses. If you post with a personal mindset versus a business mindset, your account will do much better on the platform. When I first started I used to write ‘we’ all the time when really it was just me. When I let go of the professionalism I thought was expected of me I saw far more success.
Last but certainly not least, Instagram is all about connections. If you make your account a resource for others and let go of the like count, people will enjoy your content and engage.
I have seen such amazing growth with client’s accounts when the work with me from consistently posting 7 days per week having mapped out their content in advance.
Great advice! Thanks Abi.