1. Build relationships instead of selling something
Instagram is a valuable business platform. But doing business on social networks is different from doing it on a website or an online store. Social networks involve communication first. Initially, people come to social networks not to buy but to build relationships, communicate, self-develop, and be inspired.
Like YouTube, entertainment content tends to get more reach than educational content — and you should also pay attention to it. Your content should have a minimum of selling posts. It must be content of an infotainment format.
You should bear this idea in mind when creating a content plan. Because your blog needs to reach out to people and build trust, you have to give back more than you expect to receive.
An example of a well-built relationship with customers is when they become brand ambassadors, they talk about your products even when you don’t ask them.
2. Create an expert blog, not a lifestyle blog
There used to be little competition, so lifestyle blogs evolved and were popular. There is already an overabundance of lifestyle blogs on Instagram. People are tired of such accounts and do not follow them. Everyone is tired of similar content.
Now it’s better to start not a lifestyle but a small niche expert blog. You need to highlight your expert field. Each person has some topic which he knows more about than others. It does not mean that you should know 100% of the information in this area. But if you know 20% more than the rest of the users, you can talk about it and share your experience with people.
Narrow niche blogging is not only more profitable for promotion, but it is also better for those interested in the topic to follow you. It is a smaller target audience, but the audience is more interested. You can then sell your information products.
The second advantage of maintaining an expert blog is that its monetization does not depend on factors that you cannot influence. In an expert blog, you do not depend on anyone. You can create some small information product: a checklist, a guide, a course, and start selling it to an audience of 1,000 people.
3. Quality, not quantity
Now, on Instagram, it’s not the quantity that matters but the quality. So you shouldn’t chase the number of followers if you create an expert blog. The number means nothing: if these are followers who came from giveaways, they are not interested in what you are writing about — they want to get a prize. It is better to invest in targeting, advertising from bloggers, and promoting your blog through marathons.
Say, a blog with 1,000 followers has a 30% engagement, but a blog with 1,000,000 followers won’t have 30%. It will have a maximum of 5% engagement. So, it works very clearly. Because when a blog has 1,000 followers, acquaintances follow it, those who personally know the blog author — naturally, they react more to posts, like, etc. So if you’re an expert blogger, you don’t need millions to make money.
Add several multiple links to Instagram instead of one — to your goods and services pages, promotional campaigns and special offers, or other social media accounts.
