Are you struggling with Instagram trying to figure out what goes where? What’s the difference between your feed and your stories? What is appropriate to post? What should your feed look like? There’s a lot to figure out when it comes to IG!
I did a live video for my team the other day and I decided this was some information that I also wanted to share with you all!! I’m sure other people out here are feeling just as confused as I was. I’ve been doing a ton of research lately and diving in so now I can share this information with other people.
But I want to warn you: truth bombs and tough love ahead! I am going to be honest with you because I want to help you get your IG into tip top shape. So here we go!!
DON’T post too many photos of your personal life.
If you’re using Instagram to build your business, your IG should not full of photos of your personal life. It can have parts of your life, but it should not be just pictures of your kids and your family. Use a different profile for that or use your personal Facebook page.
For me, I use my personal Facebook to post pictures of my family and things that are personal but aren’t as relevant to my business. On my Instagram, I share certain aspects of my life: fitness, nutrition, and family. Think of IG as your magazine cover. People are searching and wondering if they should stop and read your magazine. You want them to pick it up and read the articles inside!!
DO figure out your personal brand and incorporate it into your IG.
Your page should have a definite look and feel. What is your vibe? Do you love fitness, nutrition, fashion, skincare? Are you comical or serious? What colors do you love? You need to decide what your look and feel are and determine who you want to attract. That way your IG feed will have a uniform design. A lot of people just throw content on their Instagram, thinking they need to post 3-5 times day, but it’s really about being strategic with the look and feel of your page.
DON’T add too many words on top of your images.
Take advantage of the caption instead of adding words over the top of your images! This way you can fit more in and allow yourself to be open and vulnerable. Plus, it’s easier for people to read and it will make your pictures look better when they don’t have phrases and words sprawled across them.
DO post visually appealing images.
It’s important that your images are visually appealing. Invest in a ring light or go outside and use natural light to your advantage. Get a tripod and a self-timer from Amazon. Upgrade your phone so you have a good camera that can give you nice, high quality photos that aren’t too dark or grainy. I also make sure my photos are all filtered the same way.
DON’T post selfies with silly filters on your feed.
This makes me think you’re trying to hide something, and if you’re hiding something then why should I be taking advice from you?
DO stage your background.
Try to make sure that the backgrounds of your photos aren’t too cluttered or disorganized! Make them look nice or go somewhere else to take the photo. Plain backgrounds work well and you can add a splash of color or whatever you need to make it fit your brand.
DON’T overwhelm your feed.
Back in the days when IG started, we were taught to post 3-5 times a day. That’s not the case anymore!! One quality post a day is perfect and the rest of your content should be posted in your IG stories. Generally, photos of personal stuff and your day to day life should be in your stories unless you are using them to tie into something business related.
DO post on your IG stories daily.
You should be posting around 7-10 times a day on your IG stories. This can be workout clips, drinking your morning shake, movies and songs you like, journaling, personal development, and more. Don’t forget to tag businesses and places in your IG stories as well.
This is where you show the raw, real you. It is the day to day behind the account that helps people get to know you as a person. You can post about upcoming trainings and groups, give suggestions, get direct messages going, and move people through the process of getting their own businesses started or reaching their own personal goals.
DO create a weekly plan.
What do you want to discuss this week? Recommend products that you love, talk about your morning routine, your personal development, working on your business, etc. Give tips so that people see you as a credible source. You can make a schedule so you know what you want to post each week and make sure that you check off all the boxes.
What now?
Here are some action items for you to take advantage of. And, as always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments!!
- Don’t delete everything out – just decide today to start fresh! Then you can see the progress you’ve made as a business owner across the years.
- Be cognizant. Start thinking about the following: What is my brand? What is my social media strategy? Should this go in my feed or my stories?
- Create a strategy and write down ideas of how you can change things and start tweaking to make your feed and IG stories the best they can be.