DIY Instagram Audit

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Anesha Collins is an Orlando-based photographer, filmmaker, and educator, who is a rockstar at video marketing! Today she’s challenging us to take a good, hard look at our Instagram marketing and implement an audit that can help us target our audiences better.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from business owners is…I WANT MORE FOLLOWERS! As a fellow business owner, I completely understand their position, but the actual number of followers only serves as vanity metrics in the long-run. What really matters is how you connect and engage with your following. This starts with what your bio says, the content you post to serve them, and your overall consistency, which is why I want to help you do a quick facelift (on your  Instagram page) before the new year rolls around!

We all know Instagram is a popular platform for photographers who are looking to grow their brand and extend their influence. Using video is one of the best ways to achieve this, but there are other elements that you also need to consider so all of your efforts work in a cohesive manner.

Don’t Buy Followers….Do This Instead

My first piece of advice to you is, don’t buy followers. It hasn’t happened yet, but Instagram will soon do another wipe of accounts that purchased followers and it’s not going to be a good look for a lot of people who did indeed buy followers. 

Instead, focus on engagement and nurturing the following you already have. The more you nurture and bring content to your audience (that serves them and is also shareworthy), the more your following will grow.

Pay Attention to Analytics, Not LIKES

If you haven’t noticed already, Instagram changed the public’s ability to view who likes our content. As the account holder, you can see it, but your following can’t see who liked the post. This change is why you need to know who your target audience is, but also should motivate you to continue to strive for organic reach.

Yes, organic content and reach is still attainable when you develop content primarily for your audience. Make content to serve your audience and they will engage, like it, and share it. Organic Engagement on social media is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Pace yourself, be authentic, and you will see results.

“Organic Engagement on social media is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Pace yourself, be authentic, and you will see results.”

Anesha Collins

ENGAGEMENT TIPS:
Try these 3 Key Tricks To Increase Engagement On Instagram With Every Post

1. Engage with your audience for [20 minutes prior] to posting on your feed.

*If you’re using a scheduler, yes this means you need to be prepared to talk to your audience BEFORE your scheduled post release.

2. Engage with your ideal clients (find them through hashtags, similar niche accounts etc.) for 20 minutes after posting on your feed.

*If you’re using a scheduler, yes this means you need to be prepared to talk to your audience AFTER your scheduled post release.

3. Use a caption that entices people to leave a comment. Facebook is NOW “dinging” posts that use wording like “COMMENT, LIKE, AND SHARE” in the post AND the same verbiage in audio form. They don’t want the audience to feel forced anymore.

*Use an open-ended question or verbiage to continue dialogue with your audience instead of these words.

FIX YOUR INSTAGRAM BIO

Update your bio using the content listed below. Don’t change it for 3 months. Yes, I know this seems long, but it’s not. IG needs to see your new BIO and see where it fits in the algorithm.

  • Change Clare’s Photography to:  Clare X
    * X= Insert Your Market – What you do here. Adding an emoji helps you stand out as well.
     
  • You need a call to action in your BIO. What do you want people to do next when they visit your profile. See mine for example.

3. CALL TO ACTION:  Can you find it? (see photo of my account)

It’s “Couples…click here for a FREEBIE!”

  • This tells them directly where to go and it’s giving them something THEY NEED before they invest in me (booking me). This is a strategy and needs to be something your target audience actually finds of value. It can even be a blog post with tips for their engagement session. It just needs to be of value.

USE VIDEO-MARKETING

Initially the platform was for photography, but it’s really rewarding video and you need to pivot with that change. Start small with daily use of IG STORIES, then migrate to IG LIVE, IGTV and then all of them strategically.

Here’s a QUICK Instagram Stories tip to help increase engagement.

1. Add Subtitles To Your Stories

2. Take the time to write out what you’re saying, or bullet-point key things you’re saying. A lot of people watch stories, and they are also watching when they can’t always turn on the sound. 

SHOW MORE DIVERSITY

Couples are looking for diversity when looking for a photographer. They want to see diversity in your feed. 

Additional questions I want you to answer. You can add your response as a comment to this post and I’ll reply back to you:

1. How often are you using Instagram Stories to engage with your audience and repurpose content?

2. How are you using your highlights to engage and nurture your audience?

3. How are you using your highlights to educate your audience on your services?

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