Struggling with Instagram? How to grow your business with less exasperating tactics.
Image by Georgia de Lotz
Spoiler alert: this is not a post about how to ‘hack the algorithm’ or grow your following on Instagram… I’m going to tell you that you don’t need to build your instagram account, you need to build your business instead.
Our world is obsessed with Instagram so it's easy to forget that your business doesn't solely thrive on social media growth. While Instagram is a fantastic platform - with its engaged community it is a great tool to help drive awareness, sales and bookings for your brand. However, it's important to remember that there's more to building a successful business.
The frustration of Instagram growth
I get it – the frustration of being fixated on Instagram growth, visibility and engagement is real. Having built two product businesses where Instagram played a significant role, I understand how it can become all-consuming. But remember, Instagram is a business too. You're building on their ground. It's uncertain and unpredictable (hello, algorithm!) Their motive as a business is to make money so often advertising is the only sure-fire way to get visibility.
Vanity metrics?
Many successful brands use Instagram as a key part of their growth strategy and to build a loyal community - and it works - but often for smaller brands (those without a whopping advertising budget) the effort of planning, posting and engaging doesn't always result in useful growth. So, the obsession with numbers - likes, followers and shares - is very enticing, but unless these metrics translate into tangible results like increased sales or leads, they're merely vanity metrics.
This is where being regularly aware of your business metrics can be really helpful. Make sure you’re analysing where your traffic, sales and conversions are coming from - if a tiny percentage of it is from Instagram then it might be time to rethink what you’re putting into it.
If you're not getting the growth or visibility you want from Instagram alone, what else can you focus on? Well, a lot. There's so many other ways that you can build, sell and get seen outside of Instagram - and the good news, they're all in your control and involve building on your own ground!
My best tips for getting visibility outside of Instagram
On-site SEO
Optimising your website for SEO means that search engines are much more likely to drive your ideal customer to your business. Get this right and your website will be working overtime for you in the background leaving you to do the things you love.
Blogging
Again, done correctly, these can drive huge amounts of traffic from the people who need and want what you are offering with the bonus of positioning you as an expert in your field.
Email Marketing
I will never not shout about what a great return on investment this is! Having a good email strategy is such a huge part of building your business, and you are marketing directly into someone’s inbox rather than fighting to get seen by 1% of your followers on Instagram.
In conclusion, Instagram is undeniably brilliant and has its place in most brand strategies. However, your business growth doesn't solely rely on it. If Instagram feels like a struggle, there are lots of other growth strategies beyond the grid that you can control to build the business you you’re dreaming of.
If you want help with strategy (including but not limited to Instagram!), get in touch and let's see how we can work together!
Love, Tamsin x
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