Using social media platforms such as Instagram is one of the best ways to grow a small business. But, this task can seem daunting to someone who only has a handful of “followers” that see their posts and engage with their content. They don’t know how to grow!
But, you do… or, at least, you will! I’ve used Instagram to grow my business and now I’m ready to share with you how I did it.
Learn to Deliver the Right Message to the Right Audience at the Right Time
Instagram is a very unique platform. Its algorithm is constantly changing to provide the most personal experience to each user out there. And by mirroring this experience, you will be able to grow your following, and eventually, your business.
Follow these 5 Tips to crack IG’s algorithm and find the best way to sell crafts on Instagram!
Reverse Engineer Your Competitors
Find accounts who you would consider the competitors in your market and analyze their account.
What is their most popular content?
What hashtags are they using?
Take notes of what you like and what you think can be done better… then do it!
Bonus tip: you can even engage with your competitor’s audience under their most popular content (this will take at least 15 minutes a day if committed).
Use Niche #hashtags
How will anyone find you in this sea of other Handmade Heros?
#Hashtags.
Hashtags provide a precise method for IG users to find the content they want. Each user is searching tags specific to them, and in order for you to reach them, it’s best to use 25-30 hashtags with each post.
Try following the 5-20-5 rule:
5 very niche hashtags used in <50K posts
20 niche hashtags between <50K-250K posts
5 very broad hashtags >250K posts
When you go to the search bar on Instagram, type in a keyword you think people may be searching for.
Suggestions will start to come up and you are able to see the numbers of posts related to that hashtag.
Write Longer Captions / Share a Story
Content is King. We all crave a good story, filled with content specific to our lives… or the lives of those we care about. People will want to follow you on Instagram and read your posts because you are a real person behind your products.
Don’t be afraid to show yourself!
PLUS, Instagram loves when users spend time reading long captions because that means they’re staying on the app and they can see that they’re staying on your content specifically so they’ll show it more often.
Video Content is Queen
If you’ve followed me for any amount of time (or if you’re new, hello I’m Amika!), then you know video is were it is at!
Look, if our written content is king, it’s only fair to assume the rightful place of video is as Queen.
Videos capture the attention of your audience through both auditory and visual means. As well, it creates an intimate connection across the platform, without either of you leaving your couch!
Focus the majority of your posts on video content to create more engagement with your audience.
You can do this on stories, reels, and IGTV.
Most users spend the majority of their time watching stories.
Bonus tip: reels are getting a ton of traction right now. Head over to the app to play around with them.
Remember, hashtags are a necessity for reels and post reach.
Lastly, Go LIVE!
Going LIVE sends a notification to your followers that are actively on the app (or are receiving push notifications) and can be done for just about any occasion.
Go LIVE once a week to either check-in, host a live sale, unbox new products, or show videos of your new finished products.
Your current and potential clients can leave comments in real-time that you can answer while building an authentic connection with them.
It really is that simple!
The key is using these 6 tips to make money on Instagram consistently. While you may see a short spike of followers at first, they may not engage right away, so keep at it and don’t get discouraged in the first few weeks.
Stay consistent in your posts and hashtags, but don’t be afraid to play around with different pieces of content or reach a little outside of your niche see what works best for your unique craft business.
